Chef Joshua Adam "JAG" Garcia is setting his sights on downtown Orlando, bringing Davanti, a new European-fusion concept, to the Society Orlando tower. The restaurant is planned as a French-Italian spot with Latin accents, promising a polished but local-friendly experience in a ground-floor space expected to open later this year. The dining room is expected to be intimate at around 80 seats, and entrepreneur Ed Zausch is steering the buildout alongside Garcia.
Where Davanti Will Sit
According to Downtown Orlando, Davanti is slated for the ground-floor corner at 410 N. Orange Ave. inside the Society Orlando mixed-use tower, with room for roughly 80 guests. The Orlando Community Redevelopment Agency has approved funding support tied to the openings of Davanti and its neighbor, Tropix, the site reports.
The People Behind The Plates
Zausch, whose local portfolio includes Blue Coast Burrito and Just Love Coffee, is the operator of record and told The Orlando Real that construction is still in the early going. The outlet notes Davanti will occupy a 3,129-square-foot space with an estimated $795,900 buildout budget. Nearly $313,000 of that qualifies as tenant-improvement funds through the DTO program, and Zausch said the team "is going to go as fast as we can" now that approvals are secured.
What Garcia Plans To Cook
Chef Garcia, a Food Network Star alum with more than 30 years in professional kitchens, is credited with the menu and concept, Orlando Business Journal reports. The paper describes his cooking as Latin-fusion threaded with French and Italian influences, and notes that Davanti is expected to lean on sustainable, locally sourced ingredients.
Public Incentives And Timeline
Application documents reviewed by The Orlando Real show Davanti qualifies for DTO Restaurant Program reimbursements that include tenant improvements and rental assistance, support that helped clear the way for the project. Zausch and Garcia are targeting an opening by the end of the year, according to the outlet.
What We Asked
Coverage of the announcement notes that reporters reached out to Garcia for comment, and one outlet reported that he declined to speak on the record. WhatNow first flagged the Davanti plans, and local reporting frames the restaurant as part of a broader effort to bring more high-end dining options into downtown Orlando, according to Downtown Orlando.
