Many of you will remember the fun and food of the Villa Nova which opened in 1948 and brought classic dining and New York style entertainment to Winter Park.
Owner Joseph D’ Agostino greeted guests with a hearty welcome while Antonetta, his wife and chef, pleased their palates with her gourmet menu. The dining room was action packed with beautifully dressed waiters dashing about. Caesar salads were crafted tableside featuring large pepper grinders thrown high in the air. Finishing the meal with flair, flaming liquored coffees were also made and served tableside.
In the nightclub they served up music, cocktails, and dancing. In the 1960s piano entertainment began at 7 p.m. followed by contemporary jazz until 3 a.m.! (Note the Villa Nova advertisement published July 1962.)
Over the decades anyone of any
importance visiting Orlando ended up at the restaurant. This included Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, most of the PGA team members. During the construction phase of Disney World, Walt Disney who brought many of his
executives to the Villa Nova. The walls
of the Villa Nova were decorated with
hundreds of photos featuring Papa Joe with his celebrity clientele. Originally named La Cantina, the cocktail lounge was renamed Cheek-to-Cheek in the early 1980's. Among the famous bands that appeared at the Villa Nova were The Band, Firefall, and America, representing some of the best music of the 1960's-1980's.
The Villa Nova closed in 1990 and today a CVS Pharmacy is located at 839 Orlando Avenue.
During their 42 years of dining excellence, the Villa Nova earned more than a dozen Florida Trend Golden Spoon Awards.
If you have Villa Nova memories or items you wish to share with us, please
let us know. The WPHM collects memorabilia of Winter Park’s past restaurants and other businesses.
407.647.2330
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