A new lechonera is taking shape on John Young Parkway in Kissimmee, with plans to convert a former gas station property into a restaurant specializing in traditional Puerto Rican roast pork. The business, called Lechonera De Kissimmee 1, is aiming for the address 1205 John Young Pkwy, and according to Google Maps, the target opening is October 2026.
As reported by WhatNow, the company behind the project, Lechonera Lake Nona Inc., has submitted plan review paperwork for the site. Florida state records show the corporation was officially formed on July 7, 2025, listing Jose B. Hernandez as president and Jaden M. Chery as director, according to the Florida Division of Corporations. Chery, described as a partner in the project, did not immediately respond when WhatNow reached out for comment on the opening plans.
Once open, Lechonera De Kissimmee 1 will join a stretch of nearby eateries including Chino Rico, Kabayan Grill Filipino Restaurant, and Viktor Pollo, per the same WhatNow report. The 1205 John Young Parkway property previously operated as a Raceway gas station and retail outparcel near the intersection with U.S. Highway 192, according to a profile on Crexi.
A Second, Similarly Named Lechonera Is Also In the Works
Complicating the picture for Kissimmee diners is a separate, similarly named business that is also moving forward nearby. Lechonera Kissimmee Restaurant LLC was registered in Florida on October 10, 2025, listing manager Robert Guzman and a principal address at 3092 Michigan Ave in Kissimmee, according to Bizprofile. That Michigan Avenue site was previously home to MU Restaurant & Grill, a Latin American venue that operated behind a Shell gas station, as noted by Scott Joseph's Food & Travel.
It remains unclear whether the two ventures are connected in any way, and open questions include whether Lechonera De Kissimmee 1 will feature traditional open-pit or coal-roasted pork preparation on site, as well as the exact fall opening date the owners will ultimately target. Before either restaurant can open, Florida's Division of Hotels and Restaurants requires converted or newly opened food establishments to complete a mandatory plan review and pass a physical safety inspection before an operating license becomes active, per state guidance from MyFloridaLicense.com.
Why Roast Pork Concepts Keep Landing in Kissimmee
The timing tracks with Osceola County's demographics. Roughly 56 percent of the county's population now identifies as Hispanic or Latino, up from just 29 percent in 2000, according to a report from Council Serves Osceola's Hispanic Community. Puerto Ricans make up the largest Hispanic subgroup in the county, representing more than 60 percent of its total Hispanic population, based on U.S. Census ancestral data cited by Statistical Atlas.
John Young Parkway is already home to established roast pork destinations, including Lechonera El Jibarito at 1985 S. John Young Parkway, known for its coal-roasted lechón asado, according to a video posted on Facebook. The corridor itself, also known as State Road 423 or County Road 423, carries more than 56,000 vehicles daily near its major intersections, connecting Kissimmee and Osceola County to Orange County, per Florida Neighborhood Realty. That kind of traffic volume gives new restaurants significant drive-by visibility.
Part of a Broader Push to Revitalize the Corridor
The new lechonera also fits into Kissimmee's wider redevelopment goals. City officials have pushed to modernize commercial strips like Vine Street and John Young Parkway, encouraging retail infill and mixed-use upgrades along aging corridors, according to WKMG. Converting former gas station outparcels into sit-down restaurants is one way that push has played out along the parkway in recent years.
The dual lechonera openings follow a string of other Latin-focused dining projects that have landed in Kissimmee this year, including a Latin Asian fusion concept downtown and a planned Brazilian late-night spot in a former downtown bank. For now, WhatNow's report leaves the precise opening date and menu details for Lechonera De Kissimmee 1 unconfirmed, pending word from Chery and the completion of the state's required plan review and inspection process.
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