iwna2018no1

23 / 47

Best Foodie Cities in America by , to multiple
visits by various Food Network stars — Alton Brown and Guy
Fieri, to name a couple — looking for great places to profile.
And independent food artisans know that Orlando’s
local ’hoods are where it’s at. So if you’re looking to take a
pass on your FastPasses for a day in order to get to know
the city on a more personal level, here are a few districts
(and dishes) to check out.
AUDUBON PARK GARDEN DISTRICT TAKES THE CAKE
This eco-minded community is home to East End Market,
a collection of local merchants offering fine foods, phenom-
enal home goods, and loads of knowledge to those seeking
to adopt a more farm-to-table lifestyle. Coming for dinner?
Domu serves up some of the best ramen in the city, along
with Asian small plates and exceptional cocktails in a mod-
ern, inviting space.
The Olde Hearth Bread Co. and Gideon’s Bakehouse
also are located at East End Market. The former is a purveyor
of all manner of breads, rolls, tarts, and granola; the
latter is a cookie-lover’s mecca. Gideon’s cookies
(and cakes), inspired by recipes that date back to
the late 1800s, are truly timeless — and delightfully
chocolate chip–encrusted.
Across the street, the Blue Bird Bake Shop beck-
ons with its award-winning cupcakes in eight everyday
flavors and a host of varieties that branch out. Way out.
On any given visit you might find options in Kahlúa and
cream, coffee toffee, or strawberry balsamic. A few
doors over, you’ll find P is for Pie Bake Shop, where
from-scratch pies come in traditional tins, hand pies,
glass jars, and even pie pops.
The Gourmet Muffin is one of this neighbor-
hood’s newest additions. Here, the proprietor makes
all kinds of muffins, along with cannoli, brownies, bread
pudding, and a unique muffin-croissant hybrid known
as the “cruffin.”
ART IS EVERYWHERE: MILLS 50
Art abounds in Mills 50, so much so that aside
from the many beautiful murals gracing the building
facades, you’ll find it on the electrical boxes, on the
sewer drains, and yes, even on the dumpsters. The
neighborhood’s various urban-art projects have made
the scenery around Mills 50, which bills itself as “the
intersection of creativity and culture,” as colorful as the
dishes served at its many independent eateries.
But let’s start with the name: Mills 50. That’s actu-
ally the intersection where Mills Avenue meets Colonial
Drive (also known as State Road 50). It’s about a mile north
of downtown and just south of the city’s museum zone,
where various hubs of science and art draw culture seekers
in droves.
It’s also an intersection of Asian influences. Orlando
has a large Vietnamese community, and visitors would be
remiss not to try one or more of the authentic restaurants
concentrated here. Pho 88 and Anh Hong are no-lose prop-
ositions, but they’re hardly the only games in town. There are
Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Thai eateries, too.
Only have time for one? Consider Hawkers Asian
Street Fare. True to its name, the small plates are inspired
by the street hawkers found in Malaysia, China, Korea,
Singapore, Vietnam, and Thailand.
“What started as a forgotten neighborhood on the edge of
downtown has blossomed, over the [past] five years, into the
epicenter for eclectic eateries and entertainment in Orlando,”
Kaleb Harrell, co-founder of Hawkers, says of Mills 50.
INTERVAL WORLD ■ Issue 1, 2018 43 42 INTERVAL WORLD n Issue 1, 2018
SuperStock; Johnson/PhotoResourceHawaii.com; Michele Bigley; Douglas Peebles Photography/Alamy Stock Photo P is for Pie Bake Shop; Kirsco
MILLS 50
BLUE BIRD BAKE SHOP
P IS FOR PIE
BAKE SHOP