Crooked Can Brewery & New Minneola Food Hall at Hills City Center
Blog Author: Jen Durben | The Funk Collection, Brokered by eXP Realty
Hills City Center is a new mixed-use destination in Minneola, Florida, anchored by the Crooked Can Brewing Company and a food hall-style market featuring local restaurant vendors, outdoor gathering spaces, and community-focused amenities. For those familiar with the Plant Street Market, this new concept mirrors the Minneola space as one of downtown Winter Garden's most recognizable dining locations. The new Minneola location brings the concept to the west in a larger space of nearly 43,000 square feet, including a 2,000-square-foot taproom. So, for anyone searching for Crooked Can Minneola, new restaurants in Minneola, or what's coming near Clermont, Hills City Center is the name to know.
Must-Know Details About Hills City Center
- Where is the new food hall and Crooked Can Brewery in Minneola?
- Located just north of the Florida Turnpike, convenient to the Minneola Exit 278, Hills City Center is at N. Hancock Road and Crooked Can Loop, less than 0.5 miles from the new AdventHealth Minneola Hospital (1600 Crooked Can Loop, Minneola, FL 34715).
- What is the opening timeline for the Hills City Center?
- UPDATE: Crooked Can Brewery opened Wednesday, July 15, 2026. Additional food vendors are still finishing up completion. The current opening timeline is expected for Summer 2026, and many of the vendors are currently hiring for staff.
- What types of food can be found at the Food Hall in Minneola?
- A selection of favorites, including barbecue, sushi, Mediterranean, pizza, coffee, cheesesteaks, Brazilian dishes, Cantonese barbecue, donuts, empanadas, seafood, local beer, and so much more.
- What else can be found at the Hills City Center at Minneola?
- A planned outdoor area for dining, outdoor stage, beer garden, splash pad, and green spaces. Don't forget the taproom, complete with brewery tours (coming soon).
- How large is the Hills City Center?
- This 2-story food and drink destination is nearly 43,000 square feet, including the 2,000 square foot taproom.
Which Food Vendors Will be at the Crooked Can Minneola location?
We now know which local dining options will be available at the Hills City Center. The food hall lineup brings together a mix of local favorites, Michelin-recognized names, comfort food, coffee, barbecue, pizza, seafood, Mediterranean dishes, and more. Let's take a look at all of the recently announced vendors:
Three Birds Cafe
Now open in Minneola! Start your visit with Three Birds Cafe, a local favorite that originated in Winter Garden in 2021 and is now calling Minneola home. Serving a variety of coffee drinks like their Cinnamon Toast Crunch Latte (pictured), matchas, cold brews, and more, this little cafe will pack a punch. We've heard that they'll be serving their mini pancakes among other tasty treats.
Kai Kai Barbecue
We are so excited for Kai Kai to bring their Cantonese cooking to Minneola. Known for their Michelin Guide-recognized spot in the Mills 50 district, serving up handmade dumplings, siu mai, bao buns, and BBQ meats.
PITA Street Food
Taking a trip to the Mediterranean with food, PITA will bring fresh flavors, including gyros, rice bowls, falafel, and loaded fries.
The Local Butcher & Kitchen
Known for their location in the Plant Street Market, The Local Butcher is coming to Hills City Center with their old-style butcher shop with high-quality meats and a new Kitchen concept offering an oyster bar, seafood counter, and southern-style comfort food.
This Little Piggy
Now open in Minneola! Another local favorite in Winter Garden is heading to Minneola. This Little Piggy is bringing their classic barbecue favorites, scratch-made sides and sauces, and hand-cut fries.
AJ's Pizza Joint
Now open! AJ's has become a local favorite in downtown Winter Garden at their Plant Street location since opening in 2024. They are bringing their 3 styles of pizza, along with Italian favorites, to the Minneola food hall.
Braza
Now open! Braza is heading to City Center Market with their Brazilian Steakhouse-inspired dishes, including steak sandwiches, Picanha, and more.
Taste of Plant Street (Sir Benji's Donuts & Empanada & Co.)
Combining two Plant Street Market staples, Sir Benji's Donuts & Empanada & Co. are joining up to bring their classic mini-donuts and scratch-made empanadas to Minneola.
Daniel's Cheesesteak House
Now Open! Daniel's Cheesesteak House has become a household name in Winter Garden and at the Montrose Market in Clermont, and will now be adding its next location at the Hills City Center. Known for their delicious cheesesteaks, burgers, and fries. Don't miss their Cheesesteak fries and wings too.
Norigami
Norigami, known for its 8-seat sushi bar inside Plant Street Market, will bring its Michelin Bib Gourmand experience to Minneola with even more seating. How lucky to have not one, but two Michelin-recognized eateries.
What Else Will Hills City Center Have Besides Food and Drinks?
Not only will Crooked Can Brewery have its flagship brewery on-site alongside a variety of food options, but there will be additional features that bring locals and visitors back time after time.
- Event Space with indoor/outdoor options including the Taproom & Food Hall, 2nd Floor Event Space, and outdoor beer garden & stage with flexibility to host up to 2,500+ guests.
- Brewery Tours of Crooked Can, complete with a 45-barrel system, producing more than 3 times their Winter Garden location.
- Splash Pad & Kid's Play Area
- Outdoor Stage & Lawn
- Future On-Site Additions include additional retail spots and more.
Living Near Hills City Center in Minneola
With all of the new construction around the Hills City Center, it's easy to make Minneola your new home base. Communities like Hills of Minneola and Villages of Minneola (located just across the street), Del Webb Minneola, Sugarloaf Ridge, among others, offer newer homes and townhomes within quick proximity to the Florida Turnpike, local schools, and medical services with the new AdventHealth Minneola campus.
In addition to Minneola area homes, Clermont is just moments away, making access to additional shopping, dining, and services easy. If you thought Winter Garden and Plant Street Market were the only ones to have trail access to destinations like Crooked Can, don't forget the excellent trail system in Lake County. The Hancock Trail offers riders access to Hills City Center and Crooked Can Brewery. This trail runs from Clermont along Hancock Road and extending north past Minneola to the Green Mountain Scenic Overlook and Trailhead, were it connects to the Lake Apopka Loop Trail. The South Lake Trail also connects to the Hancock Trail which leads to the West Orange Trail, so access to Oakland and Winter Garden is not hard to find.
>> Explore the Communities of Minneola
>> Explore the Communities of Clermont
Considering a Move to Minneola, Clermont, or Southwest Orlando?
Projects like Hills City Center are part of the bigger story happening across Minneola, Clermont, and South Lake County. New restaurants and gathering places do not just give people another spot to grab dinner, although nobody is complaining about more barbecue, sushi, coffee, and Crooked Can in one place. They help shape how an area feels day to day.
For buyers comparing Minneola, Clermont, Winter Garden, and surrounding Central Florida communities, details like this matter. Access to dining, coffee, outdoor spaces, major roads, healthcare, recreation, and everyday conveniences can all influence which location feels like the right fit.
That is where local guidance matters. Jeffrey and Renee Funk have spent more than 25 years helping Central Florida buyers and sellers understand not only the homes, but the communities around them. Through The Funk Collection, brokered by eXp Realty, they help customers look beyond the listing photos and ask better questions about location, lifestyle, timing, and long-term fit.
Hills City Center is one more reason people are paying attention to Minneola, Clermont, and South Lake County. If a move in this direction is on the radar, start with a conversation. The right home matters, but so does understanding what is growing up around it.
Schedule a call with Jeff to start the conversation.
Frequently Asked Questions about Crooked Can Minneola & Hills City Center
What is being built at Hills City Center in Minneola?
Hills City Center is a new mixed-use destination coming to Minneola, Florida. The project is planned to include Crooked Can Brewing Company, a food hall-style market, restaurants, outdoor gathering spaces, shopping, wellness uses, and community-focused amenities.
Is Crooked Can opening a new brewery in Minneola?
Yes. Crooked Can Brewing Company is opening a new location at Hills City Center in Minneola. The Crooked Can space is more than 42,950 square feet, with a 2,000-square-foot taproom, food hall vendors, and gathering areas.
Is Hills City Center open yet?
Crooked Can Brewery opened Wednesday, July 15, 2026. Additional food vendors are still finishing up completion. As with any large development, construction schedules and individual tenant openings can change.
What restaurants are coming to Crooked Can Minneola and Hills City Center?
The City Center Market food hall lineup is expected to include The Local Butcher & Kitchen, PITA Street Food, Norigami, Braza, This Little Piggy, AJ's Pizza Joint, Kai Kai Barbecue, Sir Benji's Donuts, Empanada & Co., Daniel's Cheesesteak House, and Three Birds Express.
What is the connection between Hills City Center and Plant Street Market?
Crooked Can is the connection between Hills City Center and Plant Street Market. Crooked Can is already well known for its Winter Garden location at Plant Street Market, and the new Minneola location brings a similar brewery and food hall-style experience to South Lake County on a larger mixed-use scale.
Is Crooked Can leaving Plant Street Market in Winter Garden?
Crooked Can will still feature its Winter Garden location at Plant Street Market. The Minneola location is an expansion of the Crooked Can brand, not a replacement for the Winter Garden location.
What else will Hills City Center have besides restaurants?
In addition to food hall vendors, the space includes the Crooked Can taproom, 3 bars, beer garden, event space, outdoor stage, splash pad, green spaces, and future shopping and wellness options. The goal appears to be a broader gathering destination, not just a place to grab a quick bite.
What does Hills City Center mean for living in Minneola and South Lake County?
Hills City Center adds another lifestyle anchor to Minneola and South Lake County. For people comparing Minneola, Clermont, Winter Garden, Groveland, and nearby Central Florida communities, projects like this can influence day-to-day convenience, dining options, gathering places, and the overall feel of the area.
Posted by Jen Durben on
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