Sharing a Meal With Orlando’s Beloved Chef Trina Gregory, Owner of Se7en Bites

Se7en Bites doesn’t feel like a restaurant you simply visit by accident. It feels like a place that you calls you home, let's you settle in, and somehow already belong at the first bite of a biscuit. From the moment you pull into the Milk District parking lot—where art, color, and quiet defiance spill onto every parking space—you can tell this is more than breakfast and baked goods. It’s a love letter to Orlando, written in butter, grit, and unapologetic joy.

A Shared Ethos

Sitting down with owner Trina Gregory made it clear that Se7en Bites exists for the same reason we chase our unique food stories in the first place: to spotlight small businesses, small neighborhoods, and places that don’t always have the loudest megaphone. Trina lit up when talking about that shared ethos, explaining that the goal is often “to give it a marketing boost that maybe it doesn’t have the financial backing for, or just connect locals to places in their town that maybe they don’t even know exist.”

The Origin Story of Se7en Bites

Even after more than a decade, she still loves watching first-timers walk through the door, laughing about guests who say they’ve lived in Orlando for years without realizing Se7en Bites was right there. That sense of discovery mirrors Trina’s own journey. Se7en Bites was born out of necessity, not a carefully staged business plan. What began as dessert-making for other restaurants evolved after she realized how unsustainable renting commercial kitchen space could be. “That’s how Se7en Bites was born,” she said, a matter-of-fact origin story rooted in survival and hustle.

After spending 23 years in the spa industry, Trina made a career pivot driven by motherhood and the desire to stay close to home. She put herself through culinary school in her forties, earning degrees in culinary arts, baking and pastry, and restaurant management in just three-and-a-half years. While surrounded by classmates half her age, she knew she had no time to waste. “I’ve got to hit the ground running,” she recalled, and that urgency still fuels the business today.

The Southern Breakfast Food of Your Dreams

The physical space carries just as much history as the food. Trina grew up in Orlando and deliberately chose a location tied to her own memories, including walks with her grandfather to grab sandwiches in the neighborhood. “I’m a hometown girl,” she said simply, and it shows. Se7en Bites doesn’t try to replicate Southern food; it remembers it. Many of the recipes come directly from her family, including the buttermilk pancakes that taste unmistakably as if someone’s grandmother made them on a lazy morning. Trina smiled when sharing that detail, explaining that most of her recipes are family recipes, carefully preserved and occasionally perfected with the benefit of culinary training.

The food itself is comforting, indulgent, and fearless. Dishes arrive layered, stacked, smothered, and unapologetic. The Elvis Pigsley—a brittle banana bread topped with salted peanut butter cream, fresh bananas, and spicy candied bacon—feels like a dare and a hug at the same time. The Seventh Trimester, one of the restaurant’s most beloved creations, came to Trina in a dream and combines a biscuit, egg, applewood bacon, and five-cheese mac and cheese in a way that defies restraint. “People are either gonna love this or they’re gonna be like, why are you putting macaroni and cheese on a biscuit?” she laughed. Turns out, Orlando loved it.

Se7en Bites is More Than Just Great Food

But Se7en Bites isn’t just about indulgence. It’s about belonging. Trina describes the goal as making the space feel like home, “like your grandma had cooked your food, but she doesn’t look like your grandma.” Before the pandemic, nearly every table was communal, reinforcing the idea that strangers could sit side by side and leave as neighbors. Even now, that energy remains. Large parties, work celebrations, families, and friends all flow naturally through the space. “I just wanted people to feel like it’s a safe place,” Trina said. “Everyone is welcome. You don’t have to worry about who you are or what you look like.” That philosophy extends outside the restaurant walls.

The art-filled parking lot and sidewalk weren’t accidental; they were a response to tension, anger, and exhaustion. Trina wanted to offer something different—an outlet that leaned toward resilience and creativity instead of division. Despite a handful of negative reactions, she says the overwhelmingly positive response made it worth it. Se7en Bites became not just a restaurant, but a visible declaration that Orlando’s identity is rooted in art, diversity, and community.

The Orlando Food Scene as a Community

When asked about the broader Orlando food scene, Trina spoke with deep affection rather than competitiveness. She described a city where small businesses actively support one another, sharing resources, advice, and encouragement. “We’re not competition for each other,” she said. “We’re here to lift each other.” It’s a sentiment that feels especially true in Orlando, where distinct neighborhoods and districts each bring their own flavor, personality, and loyal following.

After more than a decade, Se7en Bites continues to evolve. The core menu remains consistent, while weekly specials rotate to give locals a reason to return again and again. Trina still thrives on research and development, dreaming up new dishes, traveling for inspiration, and asking herself how to make something “southern, modern, with a twist.” There’s a cookbook on the horizon, she promises, filled with stories, family recipes, and maybe even those famous pancakes.

Why Supporting Small Businesses Matters

Before wrapping up, Trina offered a reminder that feels especially relevant for Only In Your State readers. Even when a small business looks busy, it still needs support. Rising costs, staffing challenges, and overhead never disappear. Her advice was simple and heartfelt: show up, eat breakfast, have lunch, and keep choosing local. At Se7en Bites, you’re not just eating a meal. You’re stepping into someone’s story, one biscuit, one pancake, and one shared table at a time.

Our visit to Se7en Bites Orlando was part of a States of Discovery podcast series. Learn all about the places we visited outside of this meal, from our Day 2 Visit Orlando itinerary.