Central Florida’s fast casual-dining scene is becoming more than just burgers and burritos.
In 2015 make-your-own pizza and noodle restaurants flooded Central Florida with the second wave of these “better than fast food” eateries.
But 2016 could be the year of kabobs, sushi rolls and pho bowls in that part of the restaurant world lying between fast-food and full-service restaurants.
“With social media, people see what their friends are eating in New York and Los Angeles,” local food blogger Ricky Ly of Tasty Chomps said. “If they see a soup dumpling at some restaurant a few thousand miles away, they are thinking about how they can bring that here.”
Orlando’s restaurant scene has plenty to brag about heading into 2016, with recently opened restaurants, such as Urbain 40, making critics’ top lists, new concepts headed to Disney Springs and the new restaurant downtown called DoveCote from the founders of The Ravenous Pig and The Courtesy bar.
But fast casual continues to redefine how young people eat, and those young people are looking for more options, Ly said.
Customization has become a big part of the evolution of fast-casual restaurants, Ly added. Savvy diners want to be able to get healthy and fresh options from their food, but want to put their own flavors into it.
“People are stepping away from processed ingredients and eating healthier,” Ly said. “Even when people shop for groceries, their habits are turning to the outside aisles with fresh produce and meats.”
The owners of UCF area fast casual-sushi chain Sus Hi Eatstation are planning to expand to their second location, this time on State Route 434 in Altamonte Springs, near Sports Authority.
Owners Teresa and Robert Ly (no relation to Ricky) started the restaurant in 2012, dishing out hand-rolled sushi on-demand with custom flavors and a cartoony ninja theme.
Sus Hi’s location near the University of Central Florida put it in the center of what has become the fast casual hot spot in Central Florida, with neighbors, such as Blaze Pizza, a five-minute personal pizza shop; and Spoleto, an Italian food eatery from Brazil.
Teresa Ly said a new location is expected to open by the end of March, serving sushi rolls, bowls and wraps with dozens of ingredient options ready in a few minutes.
UCF alumni Chris Chen is looking to get in front of the fast-casual trend with a new eatery called Viet-Nomz opening later this spring, serving Vietnamese food that is popular in Central Florida, but hasn’t been given the quick-service treatment yet.
Gyro maker Little Greek made its debut in Waterford Lakes last year, which could be the start of more food from the eastern Mediterranean, such as falafels and kabobs, Ricky Ly said.
Latin flavors are strong, as well, with Meson Sandwiches openings its first American store at the Florida Mall last year, dishing out Puerto Rican-style sandwiches. Giraffas Brazilian Grill has already grown to three locations in the area in just over two years.
Of course, the old fast-casual staples of burgers will also provide new options in the Orlando area. Boston better burger joint Wahlburgers, operated by the famous Wahlberg brothers, is set to open in the coming weeks downtown inside the SunTrust Center.
Square 1 Burgers and Bar is planning a spot in Winter Park for its unique offering of exotic meats on a bun, such as buffalo, turkey and Kobe beef.
But those new entries will have tough competition since companies, such as Five Guys and BurgerFi, are already well-established locally and eaters might be bored with burgers, Ly said.
Asian cuisine has been one of the centers of new restaurant trends because it offers bold flavors consumers are looking for, said Aaron Allen, an Orlando-based restaurant consultant and founder of Aaron Allen and Associates.
Think of the recent explosion in popularity with Sriracha sauce.
Another new trend making its way toward Florida for 2016 could be “green eating” fast-casual restaurants, Allen said.
“The fastest growing is the fresh category and big companies haven’t been able to put as many fresh items on the menu because of scale,” Allen said. “That’s a big opportunity for some smaller restaurants.”
California-based Tender Greens and Washington D.C.-headquartered Sweetgreen have capitalized on the desire for quick and healthy food, and those types of restaurants are popular with young diners, Allen said.
Both those restaurants feature vegetable heavy menus, but combine them with healthier meats, such as roasted chicken and seafood.
“Investors and consumers are pouring a lot of money into fast casual,” Allen said. “So you are going to have a lot of ambitious people looking for what’s next.”
Entrepreneurs are looking for ways to transform traditional sit-down eating experiences, reduce the price and offer it to customers who want a quicker experience, Allen added. But while new restaurant brands are making their way into Florida to capture consumer dollars, old-guard food purveyors, such as grocers and convenience stores, are creating their own easy-to-prepare meals to compete.
“2015 was the first year that we spent more money eating out than eating at home,” Allen said. “Grocery stores will start to fight back by operating more like restaurants.”
Consumers buy more fast-food items from supermarkets and convenience stores than traditional fast-food restaurants, according to a report from the NPD Group.
“The lines between retail-food service and [fast food] are blurring for consumers,” NPD restaurant analyst Bonnie Riggs said, “and these channels are competing for visits from consumers looking for a quick meal or snack.”