A local entrepreneur and restaurant owner is looking to open a unique restaurant concept — an all-halal food hall — a short drive north of Disney Springs.

Somita Enterprises LLC is behind an application to Orange County that calls for a 5,600-square-foot facility, according to a report in GrowthSpotter. The concept, going by the working name “Lake Buena Vista Food Hall”, would be built on a roughly 1.4-acre property at 11581 S. Apopka Vineland Rd. across the street from the Islamic Center of Orlando, which operates a mosque and a private school.

Halal food, which uses ingredients that are permitted for consumption according to Islamic law, incorporates a variety of meats such as beef, lamb, chicken, goat meat, and most seafood. Most notably, pork and alcohol are not considered halal.

The LLC is associated with Tahir Ansari, best known as [one of the original owners of the now-closed The Skull Kingdom on International Drive, who owns a franchise location of The Halal Guys in East Orlando. The restaurant features a Mediterranean-inspired menu, with beef gyro, chicken, and falafel sandwiches and platters among the food offerings.

However, halal encompasses a diverse selection of cuisines. Earlier this year, Sanford’s Masjid Al Hayy mosque organized a halal food festival in celebration of Eid. Vendors in attendance included Chaat House (Indo-Chinese), Big Backs BBQ (East African fusion), Dave’s Hot Chicken, Maya Thai Cuisine, Ox’s Way (vegan), Koyla Pakistani BBQ, The Halal Brisket, Melt n Dip, Chef Abu Rimas, The Burger Jawn, and more.

It’s not clear yet what dishes would be served at the proposed food hall, but application materials suggest that the location could feature multiple vendors and kiosks. A site plan calls for outdoor seating adjacent to the one-story building, along with 25 surface-level parking spaces.

Orlando-based Intram Investments owns the land. Randy Hodge, Intram’s Executive Vice President, told GrowthSpotter that Somita Enterprises has a ground lease for the property but declined to comment further.

 

Numerous restaurants and cafes have opened in the same area over the last couple of years. Among them are Eggs Up Grill, McDonald’s, Cold Stone Creamery, Planet Smoothie, Dutch Bros Coffee, Mango Mango Dessert, and more located on the western portion of Unicorp National Development’s O-Town West development at the southwest corner of S. Apopka Vineland Road and Daryl Carter Parkway, just north of the proposed food hall.

To the south, a retail building with tenants such as @ The Diner, Piezoni’s Pizza, and Pio Pio Vineland, opened in 2023 at 11895 S. Apopka Vineland Rd.

Have a tip about Central Florida development? Contact me at (407)607-8160 or TyWilliams@GrowthSpotter.com. Follow GrowthSpotter on Facebook and LinkedIn.