New Restaurant Ora de Nuit to Soft-Open in Cocoa Village’s Old Beer Garden This Month

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COCOA VILLAGE — A new restaurant and lounge is coming to the heart of historic Cocoa Village, taking over the former Cocoa Village Beer Garden with a menu its owner describes as Italian regional cooking rebuilt around a French Creole flare.

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Ora de Nuit — French for “moment of night” — is set to soft-open in late July at 415 Delannoy Ave., the longtime home of the Cocoa Village Beer Garden, according to a press release announcing the venture. Local chef Kevin Andersen is behind the project as chef and owner.

The concept, as pitched in the announcement, centers on reworking the staples of Italy’s regional cuisines and pricing them for regular, rather than special-occasion, dining. “I want people to be able to eat here every week, not just once a year,” Andersen said in the release. “We’re taking the staples of Italy’s regions and rebuilding them around the best ingredients we can get our hands on, with a little Creole flare woven through. It’s upscale food, but it’s food for the neighborhood.”

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The release describes a menu driven “first and foremost by ingredients,” aiming for food that is both upscale and affordable enough to work into a weekly routine.

Beyond the kitchen, the owners are positioning Ora de Nuit as a full evening destination. Plans outlined in the announcement include a craft cocktail program, live music, a rooftop cigar lounge, and expansive outdoor seating. The remodel of the historic beer garden is being handled by Southern Ranch Construction and Roofing, which the release says is preserving the building’s original character while reworking the space for the new concept.

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Andersen has worked as a professional chef for more than 20 years and previously opened was is the former owner of Ember & Oak, an upscale restaurant in downtown Melbourne, along with a venture the release identifies as Tren. He holds degrees in Hospitality Management and Business Finance from the University of Central Florida, according to the release.

Ora de Nuit is scheduled to soft-open in late July 2026. The owners say hours, reservations, and menu previews will be announced at OradeNuit.com and on social media in the coming weeks.

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