The French Cafe is expanding beyond its West Orange County roots, with plans to open a second Orlando-area location inside The Village at Hunter's Creek at 13526 Village Park Drive. The new spot will occupy 5,843 square feet, a substantial footprint for a concept whose menu includes crepes, quiche, and pastries.
The lease was secured by brokers Julia Sosa and Eva Grace Royal of LQ Commercial, which announced the deal in April. According to Business Debut, the cafe is owned by Zakaria Gamas and plans to bring the same layout and service style established at its original location to the new Village Park Drive address, with a specific opening date still to be announced.
The Village at Hunter's Creek itself is a 27,409-square-foot commercial plaza built in 2007 along South John Young Parkway, a corridor that carries roughly 64,000 vehicles per day, according to Florida Neighborhood Realty. That kind of traffic exposure gives the new cafe strong road visibility in South Orlando.
From Hamlin to Hunter's Creek
The French Cafe's roots trace back to its first location in Winter Park, which opened in 2020. François Paille previously worked as an executive pastry chef, according to the West Orange Times & Observer's coverage of the original opening. That original location sits roughly 12 minutes from Walt Disney World Resort, a proximity that has helped it draw both Horizon West locals and tourist traffic passing through the corridor.
The French Cafe's original Winter Garden location is at 16412 New Independence Parkway.
A Menu Built on Crepes and Viral Cups
Per Business Debut's reporting, the menu spans breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dessert, with both savory and sweet crepes, paninis, salads, French onion soup, and tomato basil soup among the offerings. Diners can also expect omelets, quiche Lorraine, eggs Benedict, croque monsieur, croque madame, brioche French toast, pancakes, waffles, and avocado toast, alongside pasta dishes and salmon and chicken entrées, the outlet reports.
The cafe has built a following in part on its viral chocolate tiramisu cups. Pastries, gelato, desserts, and coffee drinks round out the offerings, per Business Debut.
A Growing South Orlando Market
The Hunter's Creek expansion lands in a South Orlando area that serves roughly 25,000 residents. The area was master-planned in 1984 by Genstar Development Company and includes retail corridors.
The French Cafe will be entering a new South Orlando market. The Winter Garden location is a café, bakery, brunch venue, and restaurant, and the brand is preparing to test its appeal in a new part of town.
