El Cilantrillo Restaurant opens 4th location in Central Florida
The new location is the largest yet for the family-owned and operated Puerto Rican restaurant group.
Kissimmee, Fla. — El Cilantrillo Restaurant, Central Florida’s largest Puerto Rican restaurant group, has opened its fourth and largest location in Kissimmee’s Old Town, following a $1 million investment.
The new restaurant, spanning more than 7,300 square feet, is open seven days a week, and can accommodate up to 450 guests.
The dining area features a main indoor room and an outdoor patio, which offers a cozy ambiance with a bar and a permanent stage for Latin music performances from Thursday to Sunday, late into the evening.
The new Old Town location has a lot to offer, including a gift shop named La Placita Don Turull that features Puerto Rican artisanal items. Additionally, there is a private room available for parties and meetings.
The opening has created approximately 80 new jobs, bringing the company’s total employment to 200 Central Floridian, company officials said. The restaurant’s executive office is situated on the second floor of the new Old Town location.
Founded in 2017 by husband-and-wife team Hiram Turull and Dianne Santos-Turull, El Cilantrillo Restaurant specializes in traditional Puerto Rican dishes such as mofongo (smashed, garlicky, green plantains), pernil (roast pork) and various rice dishes from arroz con gandules (rice with Caribbean pigeon peas) to arroz con mariscos (Puerto Rican style paella). A full bar offers cocktails featuring traditional and tropical flavors.
“When we started El Cilantrillo, our dream was to share the extensive culinary heritage of our island and its warm hospitality with everyone in this diverse community,” said Turull. “This new location helps us expand on that goal by enabling us also to serve the thousands of tourists that visit us every day. We want them to go home knowing that Orlando has a vibrant culinary scene worth experiencing and that they should not miss out on trying Puerto Rican food.”
The Turull family, including their five adult children and other relatives, play significant roles throughout the company, from leadership and support to culinary and service positions, ensuring El Cilantrillo remains a family-run business.
To celebrate the grand opening, El Cilantrillo is introducing new menu items across all locations, including, croquetas de mamposteao (rice and beans croquettes) and malanga (taro root) nachos.
El Cilantrillo has three other locations: two in Orlando at 2500 S. Semoran Blvd. and 1301 Florida Mall Ave., and another at 3628 W Vine St. in Kissimmee. The new Old Town store is located at 5770 W. Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy, Suite 130, Kissimmee.
Additionally, the Turull family has expanded their business ventures with Turull’s Boquería, a Spanish tapas bar and restaurant in the Florida Mall area, Nona’s Urban Pizza in Lake Nona, and their own coffee brand, Don Turull Cafe Premium Blend, available at their restaurants and local supermarkets. They also own Don Turull Cigars, with several other projects under development.
