These days, nearly every city in Florida seems to be surfing the food hall wave—and that’s fantastic news for meeting planners looking to spice up their group outings!
With so many choices at these lively hot spots—think gourmet eats, craft brews and endless dessert options—planners can relax and let everyone discover their new favorite bite. There’s no need to sweat over menus or picky eaters—there will be something for everyone.
Here are some food halls around the state to whet the appetite.
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Florida Food Halls
Housed in a 1910 building that once stored city trolleys, Armature Works in Tampa features a host of diverse restaurants: Champagne Porch, EmpaMamas, Dalmoros pasta, Han for hand-rolled sushi…
The Gathering at Armature Works venue blends historic charm with a modern feel, featuring original wood floors and exposed brick. As the largest multifunctional venue in Armature Works, it offers over 10,000 square feet of versatile event space. Prefunction spaces include the Social Hall, Social Room, Courtyard and Western Patio. It can accommodate 600 seated and 1,000 for cocktails.
Ulele, from the Columbia Restaurant family, is also housed in Armature Works. It offers 7,000 square feet for up to 240 inside and 95 in the beer garden. Events can be held on the lawn, and its rooftop terrace has stunning views of the Hillsborough River.
Great Southern Box Food Hall & Bar is in Orlando’s new downtown Packing District. This 1930s, 13,000-square-foot venue was once a citrus warehouse and is now filled with diverse food vendors and a central bar. Yojan Gonzalez and Lisa Plansencia, both classically trained chefs, opened A Lo Cubano Kitchen for Cuban cuisine featuring Cuban sandwiches and empanadas, among other treats. Other eateries include Bangkok-style Off the Wok, Kayos Jamaican Grill and Braza Brazilian Steakhouse. Flexible space for up to 1,200 guests is a fun way to get a group together.
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The 12,000-square-foot City Food Hall-Orlando, in the Ivanhoe Section of the city, features 10 chef-driven vendors, full-service bars, outdoor spaces and private event areas. The delicious lineup here includes Smash Dunk, Takagi for Japanese Ramen, Blessed Belly for birria tacos stuffed with succulent, slow-roasted meats, and Taglish dishes inspired by the Philippines.
Crooked Can Brewery & Plant Street Market sits in the heart of historic downtown Winter Garden and is available for a full buyout for groups. The 12,000-square-foot Tap Room, or its smaller patio and outdoor lounge, are available for an event with whatever entertainment you’d like, from a DJ to dueling pianos. Twenty food vendors, including Bruno’s Oysters, This Little Piggy, Ceviche Mix, MAC’d Out, Nosh, Morthan Cheese and Sir Benji Donuts, are ripe for the picking.
Midtown Station in Ocala is a vibrant spot, set inside a renovated firehouse with views of Tuscawilla Park. It features six unique eateries and the Infinite Ale Works for handcrafted beer. On the menu: Full Circle Pizza Co., The Smoked Biscuit Company and Sipping Grounds for coffee and pastries, among others. Live music sets the mood and outdoor seating invites you to kick back, relax and savor every bite.
Near St. John’s Town Center in Jacksonville, The Block Jax is designed as the destination’s premier outdoor gathering space, offering restaurants Bearded Piglet, Just Kitchen Pita Bar, Southern Swells Brewery and Hungry Owl Jax. This indoor/outdoor spot has live music some nights or can be hired for private events for up to 1,000.
St. Petersburg continues to branch out with boutiques, art galleries and now Central Park St. Pete with hot spots Don Ricardo’s Taqueria, Palm Avenue Deli, Bar Hana by Kojo and Constellation Burger. This venue is perfect for small groups, which can take over the hall or the rooftop for private events.
Eataly, a global Italian food hall, recently opened at Aventura Mall. The 30,000-square-foot space with restaurants, cafes and a market is an Italian food lover’s dream. Two restaurants, La Pizza & La Pasta and Il Pastaio, are available for small group functions.
West Palm Beach has become a walkable culinary hub for groups. CityPlace, steps from the Palm Beach County Convention Center, makes dine-arounds and hosted events seamless. Anchoring the area is Eataly West Palm Beach in the historic Harriet Himmel building located within CityPlace.
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In Sarasota, Der Dutchman is a popular Amish-style restaurant offering an extensive buffet of comfort food like fried chicken, biscuits and mac and cheese, with an indoor bakery and gift shop. This fun food and retail stop has been around since 1985.
In Fort Myers, while there are no traditional indoor halls, the social food park Backyard Social is a mix of food stalls, craft cocktails and games like duckpin bowling. The Slipaway Food Truck Park & Marina works well for casual offsite receptions and just opened in Cape Coral close to The Westin Cape Coral. The waterfront location has a massive pavilion for live entertainment.
Bay Street Yard is laid-back, open-air food hall with multiple local vendors, a full bar and plenty of space to mingle. Steps away from Luminary Hotel & Co., Autograph Collection, Bay Street Yard was built from colorful shipping containers and occasionally features live music and lawn games, providing a casual vibe that’s great for groups who want to move around, eat well and relax.
Emerald Hub at Calypso Tower III adds a lively twist to Panama City Beach with its energetic, food hall-inspired setting. Satisfy your sweet tooth with Charlie’s Famous Donuts or a cool scoop from Happy Scoops. If you’re hungry for something savory, Emerald Kitchen offers flavorful tacos, hearty burgers and fresh salads—all just a short walk from the beach.
In the energetic Wynwood section of Miami—where stunning murals set the backdrop for colorful selfies—a brand-new social playground launched in December 2025 is Throw Social Miami. This 35,000-square-foot indoor/outdoor wonderland is packed with interactive games, VIP cabanas and live entertainment. Cuisine runs from creative flatbreads, mac and cheese boats, steak skewers and signature cocktails and mocktails. Here, the menu is just as lively as the atmosphere.
Punta Gorda’s The Yard on Olympia will be an outdoor entertainment venue with ping-pong, cornhole and two putting holes. VIP suites will accommodate smaller groups and the entire space will be available for full buyouts. Food trucks will offer a variety of options, and the venue will also offer a stage, large screen, open lawn space and multiple shipping containers used for bars and restrooms. Music programming will include DJs after 10 p.m.
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Food Hall at Florida Resorts
Sunseeker Resort in Port Charlotte launched Harbor Yards Food Hall with such delights as Kinderhook Raw Bar & Crab Co., Arezzo craft pizza and Copper Cask backyard beer garden. In all, there are 10 original dining concepts with more than 200 globally inspired dishes to choose from. The hall features incredible waterfront views indoors and out.
At Evermore Orlando Resort, the 1,100-acre property next to Walt Disney World, The Landing Food Hall offers guests a curated mix of culinary experiences, from signature dishes to gourmet grab-and-go selections. Just steps from the resort’s stunning Evermore Bay and white-sand beach, it features a beautifully designed outdoor lawn and game space ideal for families looking to unwind and play. The Armature Works food hall offers a range of culinary choices, from Craft Burgers to Props Pizza to That’s A Wrap!, to satisfy the tastes for everyone in your group.
Modeled after its Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic, the resort can do a similar festival-type event for groups on the resort’s causeway between the two hotels, using the hotel’s unique architecture to create a memorable backdrop. The festival can be customized to fit a wide range of group sizes. Other outdoor events the hotel offers for groups include a Hawaiian Pig Roast, Louisiana Seafood Boil, Old Florida-themed party and Food Truck festival.
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Gourmet Dining at the Airport? Indeed!
Next time your flight is delayed, you need a place to meet at an airport or you’re just hungry for anything but the fast food available near your gate, consider this:
- At Orlando International Airport (MCO), Cask & Larder is a Southern-inspired restaurant that invites you to sit down for a farm-to-table meal curated by owners Julie and James Petrakis, both James Beard-nominated chefs. Try the burnt ends meatloaf, Nashville hot chicken sandwiches and shrimp and grits before takeoff.
- Maxine’s on Shine just opened at MCO, mimicking its downtown Orlando casual gourmet eatery. Owned by the husband and wife team of Maxine and Kirt Earheart, Maxine’s has been named a Michelin Recommended restaurant for four years in a row. Try its skillet lasagna or signature Chicken Maxine’s, with pan-seared chicken breast, penne pasta, mushrooms and tomatoes served in a savory Marsala sauce.
- At Tampa International Airport, the family that started Columbia restaurant in 1905 is still going strong at Columbia Cafe. A condensed menu from its seven restaurants from all over Florida includes its 1905 Salad, tossed with ham, Swiss cheese, olives and the restaurant’s famous garlic dressing, and the Original Cuban Sandwich with glazed ham, marinated pork, Genoa salami, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard on pressed Cuban bread.
- At Sarasota-Bradenton Airport, try Mattison’s City Grille, which is helmed by Paul Mattison, a Culinary Institute of America graduate and winner of a Golden Spoon Award from Florida Trend and Best Chef from Sarasota Magazine accolades. How about a Mediterranean frittata for breakfast, or honey-glazed salmon or coconut-lime curry bowl before your flight?
- At Miami’s International Airport (MIA), try La Carreta, considered one of the most iconic restaurants for authentic Cuban food, including coffee, pastelitos and sandwiches. Viena, in the airport hotel at MIA, offers runway and Miami skyline views from the seventh floor. For starters, try the Pão De Queijo, Brazilian cheese bread or Pastéis Da Dona Maria, beef and palmitos before you dig in to one of its delicious hand-cut steaks.
