LongHorn Steakhouse has opened its newest location on E. Colonial in front of the Orlando Fashion Square Mall, and we were invited to a Friends & Family lunch dine to check it out.
I have never eaten at a LongHorn Steakhouse, and I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food and the price points.
It looks like the Orlando Fashion Square Mall is about to undergo a major renovation. One that includes demolishing a portion of the mall to build an attached 125-room Starwood hotel, quite possibly their Element brand.
As such, many stores in that section of the mall will be moved to other locations, some permanent, some temporary. One that won’t however, is Bath & Body Works, which will close May 25, 2013. The chain is “rebranding its concept,” so it made sense to just close and possibly reopen in the mall at a later date.
The hotel is projected to open fourth quarter 2014. Restaurants expected to open in the hotel area include BJ’s Brew House, Longhorn Steakhouse, Olive Garden and Red Robin, according to the mall’s new owner, UP Development, Inc.
In the meantime, several new businesses are opening in the mall. London Smoothie House opened earlier this year. Fashion retailer Papaya will open October 2013, and Pure Element Salon will also open this year.
Here is an artist rendering of what the mall will look like once the hotel is finished. It will sit above mall stores and restaurants, with its own entrance, and a roof-top pool.
Orlando Fashion Square Mall will host an unusual art competition to benefit charity called Canstruction Orlando.
Teams will use cans and food products to produce art, that will then be on exhibit from October 21 to 28, 2012, at the mall.
After the exhibit is done, all food will be donated to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida.
For more information, visit canstruction-orlando.org.
