Universal Helios Grand Hotel officially welcomed its first guests just last week ahead of its scheduled opening, and the official opening of Epic Universe on May 22nd. Along with a coffee bar & market, poolside restaurant, and rooftop bar, Helios Grand has a signature sit-down restaurant, Flora Taverna. Flora Taverna is nestled inside of the resort lobby, and offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as a full-service bar. Reservations are highly recommended and can be made through Resy here.
Flora Taverna Hours:
BREAKFAST | 7:00 AM – 11:00 AM
LUNCH | 11:30 AM – 2:00 PM
DINNER | 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM
We recently enjoyed a delicious meal from Flora Taverna (check that out here), which we paired with some refreshing cocktails that are truly brunch-worthy. Now for the good part… let’s dive into the drinks we sipped and loved at Flora Taverna — ones we think you’ll enjoy just as much.
Mykonos Spritz | $16
Campari, The Botanist Gin, Lemon Juice, Cane Syrup, Lunetta Prosecco
Served in a super-tall flute glass, this plussed-up mimosa was the quintessential brunch beverage to me. The combination of the herbal gin, lemon juice, and cane syrup lended itself to a bittersweet grapefruit-like flavor, which I loved. Mixed with my beloved Prosecco? I was in sparkling heaven.
Flora Southside | $16
Ketel One, Tanqueray, Strawberries, Mint, Strawberry & Rose Syrup, Lemon Juice
Served in a coupe glass and dehydrated rosebud on top, it’s very dainty, but goes down easy! Hannah loved this one; it was well-balanced with just the right amount of sweet from the strawberry and rose, with the acidity from the gin and lemon.
Spicy Melone | $19
Patrón Reposado, Cantaloupe & Hot Honey Syrup, Lemon Juice, Grand Marnier
Ryno found this to be very refreshing! Patron can be a sneaky little tequila, as it goes down like water… The cantaloupe melon flavor lightly comes through, while hot honey sweetens it, and offers a nice and warm finish.
Coconut Mojito | $19
Cruzan Aged Light Rum, Reàl Coconut, Lime Juice, Mint, Club Soda
I felt like I should have been poolside with this one! It’s vacation in a glass, complete with the mint leaf “palm tree” decoration. The combination of the creamy coconut and cool mint combined with the crisp, bubbly soda was truly refreshing. It paired well with our savory food, but could also be enjoyed on its own as a dessert or pool deck companion.
Athens Sour | $17
Angel’s Envy Helios Barrel Selection, Lemon Juice, Grapefruit and Pinot Grigio Cordial, Egg White, Orange Bitters
This was nice and refreshing. As far as a bourbon sour goes, this one is pretty good. Ryno was surprised to see this included Helios’ own reserve of Angel’s Envy bourbon. While he enjoyed his first drink selection a little more (see Spicy Melone above), he still recommends this one!
Antonio Collins | $17
Weber Ranch Vodka, Lemon Juice, Cane Syrup, Raspberries, Ginger Beer
Oh you know, the cousin of the Tom Collins… Hannah really enjoyed the fresh raspberries included throughout. It had a genuine raspberry taste, and she could distinguish each of the other ingredients coming through, including a small bite of ginger from the Ginger Beer. It wasn’t too sweet, tasted fresh, and complemented our lunch fare quite well.
Watch For More!
These lovely alcoholic beverages were all fresh and presented beautifully, and our waiter, Chris, was superb with his recommendations. We can’t wait to return for more! Watch our full video review to learn more about Flora Taverna and Universal Helios Grand Hotel.
