An independent tavern with a wood-fire grill, craft beer and whiskey, open at Lake Nona Village since 2013

Nona Blue Modern Tavern at Lake Nona Village in Orlando

By David Myers, Broker Associate · NonaOrlandoProperties.com · Last updated October 2026

Nona Blue Modern Tavern is at 9685 Lake Nona Village Place, Orlando, FL 32827, in the Lake Nona Village center on Narcoossee Road. It opened in May 2013, years before Lake Nona Town Center's first restaurant, and is co-owned by PGA Tour golfer Graeme McDowell. The kitchen cooks from scratch around a hardwood grill, with steaks, seafood, entrees and shareable plates. The bar focuses on craft beer, wine, specialty cocktails and single-malt whiskies. Nona Blue has one other location, in Ponte Vedra Beach, and serves brunch on weekends.

Nona Blue was serving Lake Nona before Lake Nona Town Center had a single restaurant. It opened in 2013, when the north end of Narcoossee Road was still filling in, and it has stayed open through a decade of growth around it.

It is also one of the few independent, owner-run sit-down restaurants in the community. Here is what makes it different from the chains up the road and the Tavistock restaurants in Town Center.

Where is Nona Blue in Lake Nona?

Nona Blue is at 9685 Lake Nona Village Place in Lake Nona Village, on the west side of Narcoossee Road at the entrance to Northlake Park.

Lake Nona Village sits across Narcoossee Road from Nona Preserve and shares the center with Panera Bread, Piazza Italia and Menchie's, among others. Parking is in the center's surface lot.

It is on the north end of Lake Nona, closer to the Lake Nona Golf & Country Club side of the community than to Town Center.

What kind of food does Nona Blue serve?

Nona Blue serves from-scratch American tavern food built around a wood-fire grill: steaks, seafood, entrees and shareable plates.

The bar at Nona Blue Modern Tavern in Lake Nona Village

The restaurant describes itself as a cross between a tavern and a high-end sports bar, with a tavern soul and a foodie heart. In practice that means a menu more ambitious than a sports bar's, in a room relaxed enough for a weeknight burger.

Steaks, salmon, ribs and chops come off the hardwood grill; the rest of the menu covers shareable starters, soups and salads, flatbreads, seafood and pasta entrees. Brunch is served on weekends, and there is a separate gluten-sensitive menu. The menu changes through the year, so check the current version before you go.

What is the bar like at Nona Blue?

The bar is a big part of Nona Blue: craft beer, wine, specialty cocktails and a list of single-malt whiskies.

The whiskey list is the standout, and the bar is a natural spot for a drink after golf or work. You can also eat at the bar, and there is outdoor seating.

Specials and happy hour change, so check the restaurant's site for what is current.

Who owns Nona Blue?

Nona Blue was founded by PGA Tour golfer Graeme McDowell, the 2010 U.S. Open champion, with restaurateurs Joe Davi and Bill Bona.

The Lake Nona restaurant opened in May 2013. A second Nona Blue opened in Ponte Vedra Beach in 2016, and those are the only two locations.

That makes it an independent, owner-run restaurant rather than a national chain, which is less common in Lake Nona than you might expect.

How does Nona Blue compare with Chili's and Chroma?

Nona Blue sits between the casual chains and the Tavistock restaurants: more polished than Chili's, more relaxed than Chroma or Canvas.

Chili's and Miller's Ale House are national chains built for volume. Chroma in Town Center and Canvas in Laureate Park are Tavistock's polished sit-down restaurants.

Nona Blue is the in-between choice: good enough for a night out, casual enough for a regular weeknight, and independently owned.

Is Nona Blue good for families?

Yes. It has a children's menu and a relaxed, full-service dining room where families sit alongside the bar crowd.

There is a children's menu with familiar choices such as burgers, chicken tenders, pizza and pasta, and weekend brunch is an easy family meal. Later in the evening and during big games, the bar side gets livelier.

Hours and menus change, so check Nona Blue's website before you go.

Pros, Cons and Our Take

Pros

  • Independent and owner-run, open in Lake Nona since 2013
  • Hardwood-grill cooking from scratch, plus a gluten-sensitive menu
  • A strong whiskey, craft beer and cocktail list
  • Relaxed enough for a weeknight, good enough for a night out

Cons

  • On the north end of Lake Nona, a drive from the south-end neighborhoods
  • The bar side gets loud during big games
  • Priced above the casual chains
  • A strip-center setting rather than a walkable district

Our Take

Nona Blue has lasted in Lake Nona for more than a decade by being dependable, and it remains one of the best independent options in the community. Go for the grill, try the whiskey list, and use it as the step up from a chain dinner without the occasion of Town Center.

What the Neighbors Know

Residents of Northlake Park, Lake Nona Golf & Country Club, Nona Crest, Nona Preserve and Water's Edge are the closest neighbors to Lake Nona Village, and for them Nona Blue is the local tavern.

Those are some of the most established neighborhoods in Lake Nona, and the restaurants around them have had time to become fixtures. If that settled feel appeals to you, it is worth weighing against the newer areas to the south. The full list is in our Lake Nona restaurant guide.

Official Sources

Buying or selling in Lake Nona? Call/Text David Myers at 407.801.3286 or use the contact form.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Nona Blue in Lake Nona?

Nona Blue Modern Tavern is at 9685 Lake Nona Village Place, Orlando, FL 32827, in the Lake Nona Village center on Narcoossee Road.

When did Nona Blue open?

The Lake Nona Nona Blue opened in May 2013.

Who owns Nona Blue?

Nona Blue was founded by PGA Tour golfer Graeme McDowell with restaurateurs Joe Davi and Bill Bona.

Does Nona Blue serve brunch?

Yes. Nona Blue serves brunch on weekends.

Does Nona Blue have other locations?

Yes, one. The second Nona Blue is in Ponte Vedra Beach.