Apr 10

Apr 10 Orlando City Guide

ESCAPE THE THEME PARKS AND DISCOVER THE REAL ORLANDO WITH THIS LOCAL GUIDE TO ‘THE CITY BEAUTIFUL.’

DISCOVER CHARMING NEIGHBORHOODS, TASTE THE VIBRANT FOOD SCENE, EXPLORE INDEPENDENT SHOPS AND OTHER HIDDEN GEMS IN ORLANDO, FLORIDA.

*Updated in 2024

Florida is a multicultural melting pot with a rich history, and Orlando has always been so much more than the theme parks it's known for. This is thanks to the many immigrants who have made their way here since Disney and NASA helped to launch the modern version of the Sunshine State over the last 50 years. Check out my favorite places to eat, drink, and shop in this Orlando City Guide, a homage to my hometown.

My roots are in Florida, I grew up and went to college in the Orlando area. Terrible politics aside, there's lots of sunshine and liberal people in Orlando. Plus, plenty of nature to explore so it's a pretty great place to live (it just wasn't where I saw myself long-term). Sprinkled with strip malls, many have been transformed into shops, restaurants, bars, and community spaces. I must admit, the area has grown up to be much cooler than it was when I was a kid in the 90s, and I credit a lot of that to Millenials who stuck around (or moved to town) to build exciting new initiatives and make sure that #OrlandoDoesntSuck.

While Greater Orlando is a sprawling suburban area of 2.5 million people, it's really a mix of unique historic areas and up-and-coming neighborhoods. A few of my favorite areas include Downtown Orlando, the Milk District, Colonial Town, Audubon Park and Winter Park (where I went to college). I love to see that Orlando's food and cultural scene has grown immensely in the last decade, and every time I visit home, there's always another new spot to explore!

Even though I've lived in Amsterdam for a decade, I make my way home every winter for a sunny visit to the Orlando area and have brought many Amsterdam friends along with me. Fortunately, many of my hometown friends are in the creative and hospitality scene, so I'm lucky to get the inside scoop on what's new in town.

As always, I encourage y'all to shop local, support small businesses and independent entrepreneurs who keep communities alive with their innovation, creativity, and community initiatives. Before making your way through this delicious list, I highly recommend starting with a Florida classic: the PubSub!

WHERE TO EAT + DRINK IN ORLANDO

Redlight Redlight Brew Pub A cornerstone of Audubon Park Garden District neighborhood, you’re guaranteed to find delicious local beers (and a handful brewed on site) plus a wide variety of imports here. What started as a cozy attic serving only Belgian imports has become a cheerful community space in Audubon Park that hosts fun events, including Orlando’s beloved Galentine’s Day, outdoor movie nights, and the Burned Book club. Redlight Redlight recently opened their new brewpub kitchen in collaboration with Chef Jes Tantalo. They host

Tamale Co. With origins in Orlando's epic food truck scene, Tamale Co. now has a brick-and-mortar spot in Lake Como that serves authentic Mexican food including a variety of street food favorites like tamales made with fresh masa, plus some very tasty vegan options too!

Sampagurita Ice Cream New in town, has been making a splash in the ice cream scene since its opening. With unique flavors like pineapple cake, banoffee pie, soy sauce butterscotch, and creamy ube soft serve (my favorite). Their namesake Sampaguita flavor is made with almond, vanilla bean, jasmine, and lychee jellies. Take a bite of their legendary Philipino classic, Halo Halo a shaved ice dessert that's a treasure trove of flavors and textures filled with soft serve, coconut pandan jellies, palm nut fruit, macapuno (coconut strings), ube jam, corn flakes, toasted rice, flan, jackfruit, ube sauce, and condensed milk. If you're in Downtown Orlando or Sanford, check out their sister store, Greenery Creamery too!

Black Bean Deli One of my longtime favorite spots for Cuban food I ate here frequently during my college days when BBD was a hole in the wall take away spot. Today, it’s grown to fill two dine-in locations with an expanded menu. If you haven’t tried a Cuabn sandwich get on here! Or sample other favorites like empanadas, the vegetarian platter with maduros (sweet fried plantain) and a guava pastelito for later.

Pink Beans for brunch at Redlight Redlight

Sampagurita Ice Cream Waffle at Redlight Redlight

Tori Tori Japanese Izakaya with a modern twist, this contemporary restaurant offers tasty small plates to share and great cocktails. It's one of our favorite spots for gal's night out! Try the blue crab and corn croquettes and wok-seared Brussels sprouts okonomiyaki.

Matcha Café Maiko If you're a fan of the subtly grassy and umami flavor of matcha green tea, this is the place to go. They serve a variety of hojicha and matcha-inspired drinks with unique ingredients like honeycomb, rose petals, black sesame or yuzu plus everything from hot and cold matcha to ube and cereal milk soft serve. I love the boba sundae with ube soft serve!

Black Rooster Taqueria is perfect for quick bites. They dish out a 'farm to taco' menu with modern Mexican flavors and fresh ingredients. My favorite order is crispy fish tacos, kale salad, chips, and guac with an agua fresca.

Sideward Brewing Co. Owned by three Orlando natives, this brewery in the trendy Milk District has 20 rotating beers on tap and a large patio for tasting beers in the fresh air. I recommend ordering the Rachel Sandwich for lunch or a side of boiled peanuts and pretzels with pimento and beer cheese wash it down with a wild berry sour or mango hard cider.

Reyez Mezcaleria Located in Downtown Orlando, Reyez is one of my favorite spots for weekend brunch with my hometown lady gang. Their head chef is a Mexican woman who brings a twist on traditional cuisine along with craft cocktails and 150 agave spirits that are best sipped on their large outdoor terrace.

Over the top donuts from The Salty in Audubon Park

Mexican Brunch at Reyez in Downtown Orlando

The Monroe Part of Orlando's new Creative Village, this vibey midcentury restaurant and coffee bar serves southern-inspired favorites like buttermilk chicken salad with pickled peppers. It has been voted one of Orlando's best many times over. Pop in for a morning coffee, tasty lunch or happy hour cocktails and dinner.

The Strand This family-owned neighborhood restaurant serves a rotating seasonal menu of contemporary food made from scratch. Served in a cozy diner vibe, their classic cocktails, snapper cakes, and citrus rosemary olive oil cake are top of my mind.

Curious for more? Check out my guide to Audubon Park, one of Orlando’s best neighborhoods.

DISCOVER ART, HISTORY AND CULTURE IN ORLANDO
The History Center Full of interactive displays, this wonderful museum tells the story of Orlando's many chapters — from Native American roots to pioneer days, the citrus industry and the theme park boom. Fun fact: I worked here in college!

The Morse Museum Discover a collection of vivid stained glass, Art Nouveau design, pottery, and other impressive works by American artist and designer Louis Comfort Tiffany.

Cornell Fine Arts Museum Located on Rollins College campus, this museum has a rotating collection of American, African, European, and contemporary works. It's free to visit, and you can take a stroll around the lovely, historic college campus. Fun fact: Rollins College is my alma mater and one of Florida's oldest colleges!

Hannibal Square Heritage Center is an important cultural institution rooted in preserving the history and heritage of residents from the African American community in West Winter Park. They also host a monthly walking tour, giving visitors an opportunity to explore the neighborhood’s history with those who have lived it.

Wells' Built Museum of African American History & Culture This museum pays homage to Orlando's African American community history and shares important stories of the achievements and struggles of the Black community in Central Florida.

Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour Explore Winter Park’s famed local chain of lakes and canals with views of the lavish mansions along them.

INDEPENDENT SHOPS AND MARKETS IN ORLANDO

Audubon Park Market Every Monday night (rain or shine!), this outdoor market is the place to be for fresh produce and other locally sourced products like honey, fish, mushrooms, and more. They also feature a rotation of delicious food vendors. Don’t miss it!

Writer's Block Bookstore: Find a new book while supporting a local, women-owned independent business. This bookstore is a new addition to Winter Park’s thriving Park Ave. shopping district. It’s filled with contemporary and classic titles, fun gifts and postcards.

Veer Collective A locally owned boutique in College Park, Florida featuring handmade art, jewerly, clothes, and crafts.

East End Market In 2009, this food hub and market hall created a culinary wave in Orlando’s adorable Audubon Park neighborhood. It’s definitely with a visit and be sure to arrive hungry! Check out Freeland Goods, Lineage Coffee, Skyebird Organic Juice Bar, and The Neighbors Cocktail Bar.

Owls Attic Voted Orlando’s Best Vintage shop for a reason — this boutique has an excellent range of vintage t-shirts, accessories, and home goods. They also host Mellow Market, a quarterly outdoor market for local artists and food vendors.

Winter Park Farmer's Market Every Saturday morning, this local favorite community spot features dozens of vendors. Be sure to arrive early, this popular Orlando market is guaranteed to be equally busy and fun. I’m forever nostalgic for childhood memories of shopping for new plants, picking up artisinal bread, and watching catepillars turn to butterflies. Today, I’m still sure to pick up a giant cup of pineapple lemonade while crunching a big bag of freshly popped kettle corn (the perfect mix of sweet and salty).