The torch passed through Winter Park.
After six years on New England Avenue, VINIA owners Fabio Pelliccelli and Paula Gamba have sold their intimate wine bar and restaurant to another husband-and-wife team.
Fellow Brazilians Rafael and Marina Lima took over the space this month, with plans to continue its mission and boutique-style service of providing precise pairings on every plate and a casual, welcoming atmosphere, paying homage to the love VINIA has for all its guests (many of whom are regulars).
Seasonal menus (including plant-based options) will continue, as will happy hour, Thursday live music, and Chef’s Table dinners. Kitchen and service staff will remain in place to ensure familiar faces for those who frequent VINIA.
“It was Paula and I’s dream to return to Italy and raise our children. As a family, we felt now was the right time,” Fabio Perricelli said in a news release.
However, they were in no rush to sell.
“We have been waiting to find a buyer who shares our passion for this area and who will take care of our loyal guests. We are thrilled that Rafael and Marina will carry on the ‘Vinia way of life’ and our tradition. We have worked hard over the past seven years to create this special place and we are so excited for our legacy to continue.”
Lisa Wilk/TasteCookSip.com / Photo provided
New owners Rafael and Marina Lima say Vinia’s popular 24-hour braised oxtail will never go away.
Naturally, the new owners are former guests who discovered VINIA during their first visit to Orlando and felt a strong desire to become part of the community.
“We discovered VINIA while strolling the cobbled streets along Plaza Hannibal and felt an immediate affinity,” says new owner Rafael Lima. Lima’s family also enjoyed a scenic boat tour of Winter Park and a picnic in Central Park.
“We loved the food, the atmosphere, and the friendly staff. It felt like home. Marina and I had been talking about acquiring a small, well-established business with a unique charm…the timing was perfect.”
They aren’t going to change anything.
“We love everything, especially the Brazilian pan de queijo cheese bread, empanadas and flatbreads, homemade pasta, all the creative plant-based dishes, and the 24-hour braised oxtail. Fabio has left us all his recipes.”
2026 Foodie Award Winners List Revealed — See Who Wins
They plan to continue updating the menu seasonally, incorporating Portuguese-inspired dishes in honor of his grandfather, as well as some of his favorite wines: bold reds from Portugal and malbec and cabernet from Argentina.
VINIA’s prix fixe three-course dinner ($59) is offered nightly and includes your choice of app, entree, and dessert from an a la carte menu, each accompanied by a wine pairing. $45 without wine pairing. Happy hour is held Tuesday through Friday from 5pm to 7pm, with $3 off glasses of wine, $4 off beers, and $5 off all shareable dishes. This month’s featured wines are 50% off every bottle. Email subscribers can enjoy all-night happy hour every Tuesday and Wednesday (register at ViniaWineBar.com).
Lima’s first major VINIA TABLE, Springtime in Europe, will also be held, bringing back some fan favorites from past Fabio’s Tables (April 25 and May 2, seating starts at 5:45 p.m.; $125 per person with wine pairing, $85 without). Reservations required. Check out OpenTable.com.
Find me on Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, Instagram @amydroo or the OSFoodie Instagram account @orlando.foodie. Email: amthompson@orlandosentinel.com, and for more foodie fun, join our Let’s Eat, Orlando Facebook group.
