SEASONAL SPRINGTIME IN EUROPE SQUASH BLOSSOM AND ZUCCHINI RISOTTO PHOTO BY LISA WILK - TASTECOOKSIP.COM
VINIA Wine & Kitchen (Instagram), the intimate wine bar on New England Avenue in Winter Park, has new owners. Husband and wife Rafael and Marina Lima took over the restaurant from founders Fabio Perricelli and Paula Gamba earlier this month, with Fabio and Paula heading back to Italy to raise their family after seven years building the business in Hannibal Square. The entire kitchen and service team is staying on.
Rafael and Marina are Brazilian, as are Fabio and Paula, and according to a prepared statement, the connection to VINIA started the way it does for a lot of people, by stumbling onto it while exploring Hannibal Square. “We loved the food, the ambiance, and the friendly staff. It felt like home,” Rafael said. When they learned Fabio was planning to sell, the timing lined up.
The menu will stay intact. Rafael was specific about what he’s keeping: the Brazilian pão de queijo cheese bread, the empanadas, the handmade pastas, the plant-based dishes, and the 24-hour braised oxtail. Fabio is leaving them all his recipes. Over time, Rafael plans to work in some Portuguese-inspired dishes honoring his grandfather’s heritage and add boutique wines from Portugal, Argentina, and beyond to the existing list.
For anyone unfamiliar, VINIA’s format is built around a $59 three-course prix-fixe dinner that includes a boutique wine pairing with each course. It’s available every night and rotates seasonally, so the combination is different each visit. There’s also a $45 version without wine pairings. Happy hour runs Tuesday through Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. with $3 off wines by the glass and $5 off shareable dishes. They will continue with their seasonal themes and menus through the new ownership.
VINIA is located at 444 W. New England Ave., Suite 119 [GMap], in Winter Park and is open Tuesday through Saturday, 5 to 10 p.m.
