RESTAURANT OF THE MONTH
I
Rosallie could be the most charming new restaurant to grace downtown Winter Garden’s food scene.
n July, the authentic
French café enthroned
the west corner of the down-
town strip, a coveted loca-
tion for locals and visitors,
convenient to West Orange
Trail bikers.
Its cozy, rustic-chic atmo-
sphere replaced the bright,
kid-centric vibe of the former
occupant, Jojo Smoothies
& Frozen Yogurt, in the
2,600-square-foot space built
in 1947, across from the Gar-
den Theatre.
This is the place for rea-
sonably priced all-day
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WINTER GARDEN MAGAZINE
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brunch, fancy sandwiches
and flatbreads, organic salads
and quality cheese plates; for
a cup of gourmet coffee or
quality, freshly-brewed tea
and an indulgent pastry. And
soon, they’ll add gelato and
French wines to the mix.
“It’s one place you can
have it all,” owner Jonathan
Pluvinet said.
The French native has been
enchanted by the concept of
making a living serving up
delicious food since 1983,
when he helped his parents
open their restaurant, Rosal-
SEPTEMBER 2017
lie, in southern France. (They
sold it in 2006 and retired to
Lake Nona.)
Two years ago, after com-
pleting his degree in business
management at the Universi-
ty of Nevada, Reno, Jonathan
opened his first restaurant on
Rainbow Boulevard in Las
Vegas, keeping the family
namesake, Rosallie. Sales
jumped about 30 percent
year over year, and the shop
has a 4.5-star Yelp rating.
Meanwhile, Jonathan’s par-
ents suggested that he look
into downtown WG, and it
became his new desire. He re-
located here with his fiancee,
Angelica, and their children,
Valentin, 3, and Caspian, 10
months.
“It reminds me of Europe
with a really small downtown
with shops and bakeries,”
Jonathan said.
He dedicated late nights
to revamping the shop with
his brother Olivier, adorning
it with rustic wood beams,
battered bricks from Oakland
streets, a deep red currant
backsplash, tabletops of
marble and wood, and fancy,
fabric-covered chairs they. He