🗝️ Vintage Reborn at The Wellborn Boutique Hotel
“The Wellborn is somewhere you can go to feel at home; to let your guard down, sit back, and relax,” clarifies Max Kiebach, Food & Beverage director of The Wellborn Boutique Hotel, “Our buildings are under historic preservation. They’re some of the oldest-existing buildings in Orlando. We work with vintage decor to accent that look.”
This trendy getaway is an up-to-speed addition to Orlando’s growing collection of cocktail & kitchen concepts, with cutting edge craft cocktails and modernized Mediterranean cuisine. The re-purposed vintage decor provides an Old Florida aesthetic, alongside an outdoor courtyard with a charming, garden ambiance. The bar & kitchen opened in early August, being one of Downtown’s well-kept secrets. It’s tucked away in Lucerne Circle, however, with an engaging environment and personalized service, it’s bound to become a bustling bar option for Orlando locals looking for vibey hangout area.
Joseph Gwyn, the Executive Chef at the Wellborn Boutique Hotel, executes gourmet handheld bites that are both photogenic and approachable. The dishes feel trendy, as it offers modern takes on traditional Eastern Mediterranean cuisine.
🍹 Cocktails
The craft cocktails are elevated with refreshing mixtures and simplistic glassware. The Daddy Day Care cocktail offers a chocolate spice experience with a bourbon blend of coffee and mole bitters. Drinks like the Inglesh Tooter Kneaded can be made virgin; perfect for those looking to enjoy a cozy hangout without breaking a dry diet.
🍆 Babaganush
This dish features a combination of multiple baba ghanoush recipes, with smokey eggplant as the focal point. The roasted red peppers, caramelized red onions, cilantro, and parsley compliment the flavor, with the lemon tahina adding a nutty richness. This modern take on an ancient dish is served alongside pita chips for dipping, which offers a classic, salted crunch.
🍔 Gyro Sliders
These sliders translate a classic Greek dish into a familiar handheld bite. The gyros are served in slider form, featuring spice crusted beef and lamb patties layered with cornichon and garlic aioli. The mildly sweet flavor of the pickled cucumber complements the spice of the patty.
🥙 Abba’s Falafel
This is one of the more detailed falafels I’ve tasted in Downtown. It’s not too dry, where it maintains moisture and aromatics with a crispy exterior. These bites are composed of fried herb chickpeas, alongside tahina and sour harrissa cucumbers that add a hint of freshness and additional moisture.
🍢 Chicken Skewers
Free range chicken thighs are marinated in an amalgamation of greek yogurt, cured lemons, spices, and olive oil for 48 hours. It’s topped with lemon and mint tahina. This dish is an homage to restaurants in the Eastern Mediterranean that have dark meat and chicken as a focal point in their hospitality.
🍮 Banana Pudding
This well-coveted dessert offers a Classic Southern dish with a unique twist. This pudding is love-at-first-bite, as its mousse-like texture tastes fluffy and decadent. It’s not overly sweet, and holds that natural banana flavor. The butter pecans add a crunch to the smooth texture.
Though the Wellborn Boutique Hotel is a bed & breakfast, you don’t have to rent a room to enjoy the impressive bar or thoughtful menu. Visitors can explore the property through lounging at the bar in the I.W. Phillips House, or enjoying a cocktail while playing a game of over-sized Jenga in the outdoor, Instagrammable courtyard. During the day, visitors can sip a hot cup of Joe in the cozy cafe at the reception area. The several components on property invite visitors to move around. They offer bar & kitchen services from Wednesday to Saturday.
“We represent a new, growing culinary era,” says Joseph, “Personalized cocktail and food service is the next evolution in the restaurant space, and we want to execute it at a high level.”
