The White Wolf Café not too long ago acquired the Orlando Native Information’ award for Greatest Native Café on the paper’s annual Better of Central Florida luncheon on December third at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Membership and Lodge. The White Wolf Café additionally celebrated its thirtieth anniverary this yr as nicely, making the awards ceremony each extra well timed.
The long-lasting environment of the restaurant enchants guests from their first step into the door, with the institution’s meld of vintage furnishings and upbeat persona. Initially based in 1991 by Michael Hennessy as an antiques retailer, the store took its title from Hennessy’s loyal canine Casper, a white German Shepherd and customary fixture within the early years of the White Wolf. His ardour for antiques led him to open the enterprise.
Michael started his store’s transformation inadvertently after promoting ice cream and snacks for patrons (he additionally occurred to be one of many first dispensers of Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream). Quickly, different gadgets like salads and sandwiches have been added to the menu. Within the early 1990’s, Hennessy met his spouse, Anne Marie, and the couple function the restaurant as a crew.
Although the standard service and one-of-a-kind atmosphere stay the identical, the White Wolf’s structure has modified over time. Additions over time embody the restaurant’s well-known bar created from an previous financial institution constructing, in addition to the partitions of Orlando’s previous metropolis corridor (detonated in Deadly Weapon 3), at present used as desk tops.
Above: Anne Marie Hennessy receives White Wolf’s award with fellow restaurateurs.
Picture: OrlandoLocalNews.com.
Although Michael’s ingenuity has him wanting towards the long run, he at all times retains one foot prior to now. The shop’s transition from vintage market to restaurant by no means totally got here full circle, as lots of the decorations, lights and footage stay on sale in the present day.
Whether or not you are shopping for a Tiffany Lamp, or simply their well-known hen sandwich, your money and time will probably be nicely spent on the White Wolf Cafe.
