February 4, 2021

South Florida Business Journal – New York-based Host Restaurants to open Avalon in Delray Beach

By New York-based Host Restaurants to open Avalon in Delray Beach

The outside of the soon-to-open Avalon Delray at 110 E. Atlantic Ave. in Delray Beach.

By Matthew Arrojas – Reporter, South Florida Business Journal

Feb 4, 2021, 6:21pm EST

Avalon Delray from Host Restaurants is set to open Feb. 23, marking another New York restaurant group's migration to South Florida in a trend accelerated by the pandemic.

Host Restaurants President Curt Huegel, a co-founder of LDV Hospitality prior to forming Host, in spring 2020 launched the restaurant's buildout at 110 E. Atlantic Ave. in Delray Beach. He said he began considering South Florida for a potential location five years ago, and expects to open more eateries here in the coming years.

“I think this will be the first of many," he said. "The opportunities are going to continue to be here."

Avalon Delray has enough seating for about 165 people, including outdoor seats. The 5,000-square-foot restaurant includes two levels of outdoor patio dining, as well as an indoor-outdoor bar with 10 stools inside and 12 outside.

Huegel partnered with Fort Lauderdale resident Antonello Paganuzzi, who is director of operations at the restaurant. Paganuzzi encouraged Huegel to explore Delray Beach as the landing spot for his South Florida debut after they went to dinner at a restaurant on the city's busy Atlantic Avenue.

“As I was walking to the restaurant, I literally stood in the middle of Atlantic [Avenue] and looked around," Huegel said. "Seeing the environment of the street and all the different demographics of people walking around, it was as vibrant of a restaurant scene that I had ever seen.”

The pair of restaurateurs settled on the site a few steps away from the strip, owned by Delray Beach-based Menin. Its the former site of Casa L'Acqua Ristorante Italiano and an adjacent cigar lounge that they renovated to open Avalon.

Huegel said the timing of Avalon's debut matches the recent influx of New Yorkers to South Florida. The Covid-19 pandemic has brought plenty of restaurateurs to the regiontoo, as they flee the tight restrictions on eateries in the Northeast and elsewhere in the country.

Other out-of-state restaurateurs and restaurant groups that have recently announced eateries coming to South Florida include New York-based Major Food Group, Anthony Monticello of New York-based Where Hospitality and Alan Philips, best known for his Friedmans concept in New York City.

Huegel added that while he suspects he'll open more restaurants in South Florida, no plans are in the works just yet. He said he's focused on the opening of Avalon Delray for now.

View Source: https://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/news/2021/02/04/host-restaurants-to-open-avalon-delray.html

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