ORLANDO, FL – Hayashi Taro, a new Japanese restaurant and matcha tea house from Chef Lewis Lin of SUSURU and JUJU, opens October 29 in Orlando’s Mills 50 District. The restaurant takes over the former Royal Tea space on North Mills Avenue near to TORI TORI and King Bao Mills.
What’s on the Menu
Hayashi Taro’s omakase bento boxes (chef-selected meals served in a single box) range from $25 to $75. The restaurant says its seafood is brought in from Tokyo’s Toyosu Market. The boxes are designed to be shared, so guests can dine in or enjoy them at home. The menu builds on the growing Japanese culinary influence in the area.
The Matcha Tea Ceremony
Hayashi Taro also offers traditional Japanese matcha tea ceremonies led by tea sommelier Mai Mitarai, who trained under Yoshiko Hardick, a certified instructor of the Omote Senke School of Tea in Kyoto, Japan.
The ceremony uses first-harvest matcha stone-ground at Tsuji, a 160-year-old tea estate in Uji, Kyoto. Each serving goes through several traditional steps:
- Measured with a bamboo chashaku scoop
- Combined with hot water warmed in a cast-iron kama kettle
- Whisked to order in a handcrafted chawan tea bowl
Japanese Ceramics
The shop also sells handcrafted Japanese ceramics, including tea bowls, plates, etc., so guests can bring a piece of the experience home. This is both great for people out on dates in Mills 50 and for travelers coming to visit for the day.
The Orizume House Concept
Hayashi Taro is built around the Orizume House concept, “orizume” is the traditional Japanese culinary art of packing a seasonal, multi-course meal inside a delicately folded wooden box called an ori-bako.
“Our goal with Hayashi Taro is to create an immersive space around our Orizume House concept, where guests can experience the craftsmanship behind tea and food preparation,” says Chef-Owner Lewis Lin. “We wanted to make high-level omakase and Japanese cultural experiences far more approachable and unpretentious, offering a refined meal that guests can easily share and enjoy at home.”
Hayashi Taro at a Glance
Opens: October 29, 2026
Address: 714 N Mills Ave, Orlando, FL 32803 (Mills 50 District)
Cuisine: Japanese omakase bento boxes, matcha tea ceremonies
Price range: $25 to $75 per bento box
Website: hayashitarofl.com
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