Gainesville restaurant news: Two grand openings and an Archer Road burger joint closes

Alan Festo, Gainesville Sun
·2 min read
Muñecas Taco Garden and Bar held its grand opening on Sunday evening in the 4th Ave Food Park at 317 SW Fourth Ave. in Gainesville.
Muñecas Taco Garden and Bar held its grand opening on Sunday evening in the 4th Ave Food Park at 317 SW Fourth Ave. in Gainesville.

A once popular taco cart turned outdoor restaurant in the heart of downtown Gainesville celebrated its new home on Sunday evening with a roaring good time.

Muñecas Taco Garden and Bar, founded in 2017, held a Roaring '20s-themed grand opening for its new location in the 4th Ave Food Park, 317 SW Fourth Ave. The party included a raffle with proceeds benefiting the nearby Porters Quarters Community Farm.

The new space — next to local favorites Humble Wood Fire, BakerBaker, Fehrenbacher's. Square House, Dry Wrought Cider and Opus Airstream — offers far more room than the restaurant's previous home next to Bo Diddley Community Plaza, and includes ample indoor and outdoor seating as well as a cocktail bar.

A mix of South Florida and Asian-fusion flavors, Muñecas' menu features tacos, burritos, quesadillas, bowls, salads and more. It also specializes in craft cocktails, including a variety of margaritas.

Muñecas is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Playa Bowls

Playa Bowls opens Saturday at 1260 SW Fifth Ave., Suite 110, on the bottom floor of The Row student apartment complex.
Playa Bowls opens Saturday at 1260 SW Fifth Ave., Suite 110, on the bottom floor of The Row student apartment complex.

Playa Bowls, a New Jersey-based fast-casual chain, is opening Saturday at 1260 SW Fifth Ave., Suite 110, on the bottom floor of The Row student apartment complex. The first 50 customers on opening day will receive a free bowl, plus T-shirts and more will be given away.

Playa Bowls customers create their bowls, which range in price from $7 to $12, from a variety of healthy bases, including acai, pitaya, coconut, kale, banana, chai pudding and oatmeal. The restaurant, which started as a pop-up concept in 2014, also offers a variety of smoothies, specialty coffees, grab-and-go snacks, and cold-pressed juices.

The restaurant will be open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Hopdoddy Burger Bar

Moving vehicles are shown outside of the now closed Hopdoddy Burger Bar on Wednesday morning at 2917 SW 35th Drive in Gainesville.
Moving vehicles are shown outside of the now closed Hopdoddy Burger Bar on Wednesday morning at 2917 SW 35th Drive in Gainesville.

Hopdoddy Burger Bar in the Butler Town Center, 2917 SW 35th Drive, has closed its doors for good, an employee at the restaurant on Wednesday confirmed to The Sun.

The restaurant chain, which originally opened in 2018 as Grub Burger Bar, was acquired by Austin, Texas-based Hopdoddy in January 2022 for an undisclosed amount. The restaurant closed briefly for rebranding in November of the same year.

The restaurant was the second tenant — Whole Foods Market was the first — to open in the redesigned Butler Town Center, which now includes such popular restaurant chains as The Cheesecake Factor and P.F. Changs.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Muñecas Taco Garden, Playa Bowls and Hopdoddy Burger Bar Gainesville