NAIA is coming from The Restaurant People. ETA: October 2026.
Credit: The Restaurant People
For months, rumors have swirled that Mangos would somehow make a return to the high-profile corner at 904 E. Las Olas Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale. Instead, one of South Florida’s biggest hospitality groups is bringing something entirely new to the stretch.
The Restaurant People (TRP) announced this week that it will debut NAIA in October 2026, introducing a Mediterranean-Asian fusion concept to one of the most closely watched restaurant spaces on Las Olas Boulevard.
The new restaurant is slated for the freshly constructed single-story building at the gateway corner of Southeast Ninth Avenue and Las Olas Boulevard — a spot long tied to nightlife memories, speculation and plenty of neighborhood chatter. According to TRP, the venue will feature an indoor-outdoor design centered around a lively bar scene, with cocktails, premium wines and shareable dishes intended to create a social dining atmosphere.
“NAIA represents the next evolution of how we think about dining on Las Olas,” Tim Petrillo, co-founder and CEO of The Restaurant People, tells Browardist. “It’s globally inspired, design-forward, and intentionally social... a place where cuisine, atmosphere, and energy intersect in a way that feels fresh for Fort Lauderdale.”
NAIA also continues the expansion of one of South Florida’s most influential hospitality operators. Since launching in 1997, TRP has opened and operated over 70 concepts across the region, including YOLO, Boatyard, S3, Casablanca Cafe and Rosa Sky Rooftop.
Additional details on the menu, interiors and opening festivities are expected in the coming months. For now, the biggest takeaway may simply be this: Las Olas is certainly getting another big-time restaurant player this fall.
For more information, visit therestaurantpeople.com.
