Old Florida Served with a Side of New Thinking

"Pineapples have long symbolized hospitality. In Orlando, pineapples are also a symbol of endurance. Carol Holladay, owner of The Pinery, was set on opening a restaurant where the community would feel at home. The Pinery, named because it’s located on what was once the largest pineapple farm in the United States, wasn’t without its bumps. The building housing the restaurant was a beloved funeral home. Holladay set about turning the restaurant into an homage to old Florida. While the look may harken to the days of old Florida, the thinking is positively fresh, new, and female focused. An all-female executive team with Beverage Manager Nicole DeLucia-Barney and Chef Naomi Freeman running things. The menu takes cues from Chef Freeman's mother incorporating some of her recipes and De-Lucia Barney paid homage to Holladay's grandmother with a signature cocktail. The restaurant’s interior design showcases pecky cypress salvaged from the home of Orlando’s famed entrepreneur, Lisa Hawley. Holladay has endured challenges, including Covid-19 and a breast cancer diagnosis. She created The Pinery to bring a sense of self to a community that felt they were losing that." - Nancy DePalma