"A $59 dinner with a boutique wine poured to each course and 24-hour oxtail — book VINIA for a Winter Park proposal that stays gentle on the cheque."
About VINIA Wine & Kitchen
The format is the pitch at VINIA: a $59 three-course dinner with a boutique wine poured to match each plate, rotated with the seasons, in a thirty-odd-seat room off Park Avenue in Winter Park. Rafael and Marina Lima took over the wine bar in 2024 and changed nothing that worked, keeping the Italian-Brazilian kitchen that has run since Fabio Perricelli and Paula Gamba opened it in 2018. The 24-hour braised oxtail is the dish regulars come back for. The address is 444 West New England Avenue.
The Kitchen
VINIA is built around a wine list rather than a celebrity chef, and it is honest about that. Rafael and Marina Lima, who bought the room in 2024, run it as a family operation in the spirit of founders Fabio Perricelli and Paula Gamba, who opened it in 2018. The format is a nightly three-course prix-fixe at $59 with a boutique wine paired to each course, or $45 without the pairing, rotating with what the small kitchen is cooking.
The food is Italian by training and Brazilian by heart. The standout is the 24-hour braised oxtail, a rabo de toro slow-cooked until it slides off the bone, and the escondidinho de bacalhau, a Brazilian cod-and-yuca gratin, runs it close. House-made ravioli and a charcuterie-and-cheese board open most meals, and the pao de queijo arrives warm without asking. The kitchen treats vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free as first-class menus rather than afterthoughts, which is rare at this price. The wine list is the real draw, small-grower bottles you will not see on a chain menu, poured by people who can talk about them. For more along these lines, see our best Italian restaurants worldwide.
The Room
VINIA is small and dim, a wine-bar room of roughly thirty seats on West New England Avenue, a block off Winter Park's Park Avenue. The lighting is low and candle-soft, the sound level conversational enough to hear a date across a two-top without leaning in, and the tables sit close in the way that reads intimate rather than cramped. There is no dress code, so smart-casual fits and most tables dress up a little for a date. Wine bottles line the walls. Service is unhurried and knows the list cold. Ask for a corner two-top when you book.
Best for a Proposal
Book VINIA for a proposal for three reasons: the room is small and softly lit enough to feel private, the set-menu format means no fumbling with the cheque at the moment that matters, and the staff will quietly help, chilling Champagne and timing dessert, if you tip them off in advance. It is romantic without being stuffy, and the bill stays gentle for the quality. Picture a corner two-top, the oxtail cleared, a ring with the pumpkin creme brulee and a glass the sommelier chose. See our best proposal restaurants and the wider Orlando dining guide.
Not for
Not for a big group or a quick bite. The room seats about thirty, the prix-fixe runs three courses, and it is built for a leisurely evening rather than a fast table.
Frequently Asked
Is VINIA Wine & Kitchen worth it?
Yes, and it is one of the better-value tables in greater Orlando. A $59 three-course dinner with a boutique wine paired to each course is rare at the price, and the 24-hour braised oxtail and the Brazilian bacalhau gratin punch above it. The room has been a Winter Park date-night favourite since 2018. Go for the wine pairings and the quiet over a big night out.
How hard is it to book VINIA?
Moderately hard for prime weekend slots. VINIA takes reservations on OpenTable and by phone, and the room is small, about thirty seats, so Friday and Saturday tables book a week or more out. Weeknights are easier, a day or two ahead. It is closed Sunday and Monday. For a proposal, call ahead so the staff can help with the timing.
What is the dress code at VINIA?
There is no dress code, so smart-casual is right. This is an intimate wine bar rather than a formal dining room, so a collared shirt or a dress fits and most couples dress up a touch for a date. Jeans are fine. The mood is romantic and relaxed rather than buttoned-up. Comfort works, but it is a place people make a small effort for.
What should I order at VINIA?
Order the three-course prix-fixe with the wine pairing; it is the format the kitchen is built around and the best value at $59. Make the 24-hour braised oxtail your main if it is on, with the escondidinho de bacalhau as the alternative. Start with the house ravioli or the cheese board, and finish with the pumpkin creme brulee and the wine the sommelier suggests.
Is VINIA good for a proposal?
Yes. The room is small, dim and quiet enough to feel private, the set menu keeps the evening smooth, and the staff will help with Champagne and timing if you ask. Book a corner two-top and tell them in advance. See our romantic Orlando tables for more ideas.
Reserve a Table
Reserve at VINIA Wine & Kitchen
OpenTable · 444 W New England Ave
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Practical Information
Address444 W New England Ave #119, Winter Park, FL 32789
NeighbourhoodWinter Park
CuisineItalian-Brazilian wine bar
Dinnerprix-fixe $45 · $59 with pairing
Dress CodeSmart-casual
ReservationOpenTable / phone
RecognitionOpen since 2018 · Bite30
