A sushi chain with more than two decades of history in South Florida is planning to open a new restaurant in Lake Buena Vista, taking over the standalone building that Twin Peaks vacated on Winter Garden Vineland Road. Sushi Yama has not announced a set opening date, but the move would put a full sushi menu — rolls, hand rolls, rice bowls, hibachi, noodles and all-you-can-eat options — into the area outside Walt Disney World.
According to the West Orange Times Observer, the new location will be built at 12353 Winter Garden Vineland Road in Orlando, in the space Twin Peaks left behind. The property itself is an 11,000-square-foot commercial building constructed in 2016 on a 1.71-acre lot directly across from the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Resort, according to a LoopNet listing for the site.
Commercial listings marketed the address as available to a new tenant, per a Facebook listing post. The restaurant setting could help explain why a chain expanding into Central Florida would target this particular building.
A South Florida Brand Making Its Central Florida Push
Sushi Yama built its reputation well outside Orange County. The restaurant group has operated flagship locations in Boca Raton and Palm Beach Gardens for more than 20 years, earning multiple “Best of Boca” honors from Boca Raton Magazine, according to the brand's own site, Sushi Yama Asian Bistro. Those South Florida locations are known for tatami room dining and traditional sushi bar service alongside their rolls and hand rolls.
State corporate records include an entity called Sushi Yama Orlando LLC, according to filings with the Florida Division of Corporations. The entity's inclusion in the filings provides another reference to Sushi Yama in Central Florida.
It's not the only Sushi Yama concept in the state. A Sushi Yama concept has also been reported in Pinellas Park, according to the St. Pete Catalyst. The available material does not establish whether the Lake Buena Vista location will use the same format.
Why the Twin Peaks Building Went Up For Grabs
Twin Peaks has a location on Vineland Road in Central Florida, according to coverage of the chain. The Lake Buena Vista building is the site Sushi Yama appears to be targeting as it eyes Central Florida growth.
The corridor's restaurant activity is part of the area's broader dining landscape.
Heavy Traffic, Growing Population Fuel the Corridor
Whatever draws restaurant operators to this stretch of Lake Buena Vista, the numbers behind it are substantial. The commercial corridor surrounding the property records average daily traffic counts exceeding 55,000 vehicles on South Apopka Vineland Road and more than 133,000 daily vehicles on nearby Interstate 4, per the LoopNet listing. That kind of vehicular exposure has become a key driver for restaurants operating along the perimeter of Walt Disney World.
Beyond tourist traffic, the area's permanent population has also swelled. Demographic analysis included in the listing shows the local resident population within a five-mile radius of the property grew by nearly 76% between 2000 and the mid-2020s, reflecting accelerated suburban growth in Southwest Orange County alongside resort area development.
Winter Garden Vineland Road, also known as State Road 535, passes the property near Walt Disney World. State Road 535 is near Interstate 4 and Disney property, placing the restaurant along a road serving the resort area.
