Williamsburg gets two new restaurants

Published March 27, 2018 by Paula C. Squires

A new Cuban restaurant has opened its doors in Williamsburg, and another new restaurant, First Watch — which says it is the fastest growing daytime-only restaurant operator in the U. S. — is on the way.

Habana Hemingway Café, an Ernest Hemingway-inspired restaurant with Cuban food, drink, art, music and dance, held a ribbon cutting Monday to announce its opening at 264 McLaw’s Circle, one mile west of Busch Gardens in the Festival Marketplace.

Cuban history is the inspiration behind Habana Hemingway, a 5,000-square-foot restaurant and bar. There are floor-to-ceiling and wall-to-wall hand-painted murals with the Hemingway theme and a menu with offerings indigenous to Cuba.

First Watch has signed a lease with New Town Shops on Main to occupy a location at the corner of Monticello and Courthouse streets later this year. The restaurant, which has 4,239 square feet, will offer additional seating on an outdoor patio for diners.

According to Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer, which announced the lease, a longtime independent bicycle retailer, Conte's, will make room for First Watch by relocating to a larger and more modern store at the intersection of Courthouse and Center Streets. 

First Watch, with more than 240 restaurants, offers made-to-order breakfast, brunch and lunch.

The exclusive leasing team for New Town Shops on Main, Thalhimer’s Drew Haynie and Wick Smith, represented the landlord, Williamsburg Developer’s LLC during the negotiations.