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Big Restaurant News For Downtown Lakeland: Wine, Tapas, Italian On Tap

Posted Feb 15, 2007 by Billy Townsend

Updated Feb 15, 2007 at 04:04 PM

Downtown Lakeland’s gourmet food and drink scene is about to get a shot in the arm.

Watt’s For Dinner, the gourmet wine, meat and cheese shop on South Florida Avenue is relocating to the bottom floor of the developer Jerry Herring’s new condominium tower, which is currently under construction. Its owner, Bill Watts, says the shop will triple in size. He plans to offer a wine/tapas bar targeting happy hour and after dinner crowds, pre-made meals for take out and a light lunch.

In addition to that, Watts said the store will continue to sell retail choice cuts of meat, imported cheese, fine wines and the other items the store currently sells. Watts is hoping to open in April. The shop will be located on Kentucky Avenue, across from Munn Park.

Right next door, in a large space currently being used for pool table storage, the upscale Italian restaurant Arabella’s is planning to relocate from Winter Haven. The eatery was named best area Italian restaurant by The Ledger in 2005.

I don’t yet have a timetable its relocation.

Lakeland Downtown Development Agency director Anne Furr says Arabella’s hopes to open in April as well. But it might be as late as fall, depending on the progress of renovations of the building.