The newest restaurant at Disney Springs, Homecoming Florida Kitchen and Southern Shine, will open July 12. The restaurant is from Art Smith, known from his time as Oprah’s private chef and a judge on the show BBQ Pitmasters. Smith also runs Table fifty-two in Chicago, Art and Soul in D.C., Southern Art & Bourbon Bar in Atlanta and LYFE Kitchen Palo Alto. Smith has been awarded two honors from the James Beard Foundation and began his career with a culinary internship in the Walt Disney College Program.
This new venture is described as “where Florida heritage meets New Southern cuisine” and offers Southern favorites including: homemade pimento cheese, Church Lady deviled eggs, low country shrimp and grits, kale salad with Sweet Grass Dairy cheese and spiced pecans, a grilled Blackstrap pork chop with sawmill gravy, cakes, pies and sweets. Other menu item highlights include the Bee Haven Bay Fried Green Tomatoes and the Chopped Pork Barbecue Sandwich (line of Parker House rolls heaped with HFK sweet and spicy barbecue chopped pork and topped with Southern slaw). A signature dish is Art’s Fabulous Fried Chicken, which is brined in buttermilk for 24 hours, then fried and served with “creamy mashed potatoes, cheddar drop biscuits and love.”
A glass-walled show kitchen allows guests to see into the action and the Southern Shine bar will offer cocktails, punches and coolers. Indoor and outdoor seating are available in the 6,000-square-foot, 200-seat restaurant; views are of the Town Center spring.
There is also a to-go window where guests can order fried chicken, chopped pork sandwiches and more.
Prices range from $10-$15 for appetizers, $15-$18 for sandwiches, $16-$22 for salads, and $22-$41 for entrees. Restaurant hours are 11am-midnight Sunday-Thursdays and 11am-1am Fridays and Saturdays.
Reservations are available at 407-939-2463 and online after July 15 with Disney Dining.
