MT. Dora marketplace

Thanks to some good friends that live in the most adorable studio apartment in downtown Mt. Dora, I’m kept in the know on all the new happenings in the downtown area. As soon as the new Mt. Dora Marketplace opened, I got a text that it was time for another visit so we could explore it together.

The first phase is inside a large two-story building on the main drag, where many restaurants have fought to leave a mark. Right now, it would appear the main attraction for locals and visitors would be Wolf Branch Brewing, which takes up most of the space on the bottom floor. There are rumors more seating for the brewery may be added upstairs. The rest of the area is quite tight and cramped as you walk through it, which means at peak times, you may be taking your food outdoors. During my visit, I purchased, or split with friends, goods from Claire’s Creperie, Keto on 4th, Bubbles + Juice, and European Breads.

The stand-outs were my refreshing mimosa, and my bacon and cheese croissant from European Breads, which fans of the Plant Street Market in Winter Garden will recognize. The second phase in the building next door will house more food vendors along with with some retail goods, and the exciting addition of Deland's Trilogy Coffee. The second building previously was home to local artists and artisans in a slight maze-like layout, so I’m interested to see what they do with that space. Sadly (probably only to me), the alley between the two buildings that once was home to a mural of cartoon characters was painted over. I’ve seen some familiar faces listed on the tenants for phase two, so I’m excited to see how that space comes to fruition.

The Salted Fry

While I was doing a little exploring, we decided to check out the Salted Fry, one of the newest eateries in Mt. Dora. When we walk into this small shop, I can only describe it as if you’re walking into the homey trunk of a tree, not unlike the 80’s cartoon David the Gnome. The wooden benches stood out as unique and functional decor, and when I commented on them, the owners mentioned it took a year to track them down. So sit with care.

The menu offers a few different options of savory fries with various toppings. I ordered what I believe was called the Gnome Garden, which came with cheese, sour cream, bacon, green onions. I enjoyed my fries, but the only miss for me was that the toppings don’t come on the fry. You can dip them, or as my friends and I tried, you can do your best to layer the toppings and other available sauces to the cone on your own. The cone holders in the counter come in very handy. There are several drink options to pair with your fry indulgence, including kombucha, wine, beer, and ciders.

Allyson’s Bake Shop

Just steps from the Mt. Dora Marketplace is a beautiful bakery with a case full of cookies, cupcakes, lemon bars, and all the other goods that make your mouth water just by looking at them. When I visit Mt. Dora, I opt to go here for an iced latte made with Javatino coffee, a local roaster. It’s normally a peaceful place to sit and hang and get a slight reprieve from rain, or Florida humidity so you can cool down in the sweetest way.

Le Petit Sweet

When it comes to sweets, my favorite spot right now is Le Petit Sweets. Their bite-sized goods are quite decadent, so you can be fully satisfied with a small purchase, as individual desserts are all under $3. The owner makes some seriously beautiful custom cakes as well, so be sure to check her out for all your fancy cake needs.

PizzAMore

Very few restaurants in downtown Mt. Dora draw me away from my favorite, which until further notice is PizzAmore. I wish I had more pictures to share, but I'm often too busy stuffing my face, and the last thing I want my greasy hands to grab is a camera. It’s a spot locals love, and it feels very homey as the building itself is a large, yellow house in downtown Mt. Dora. I am a lover of several different types of crust, and PizzAmore offers a thick, soft crust on their pizzas. They also provide cheese-less pizza for the lactose intolerant. The wings, garlic knots, and salads are also immensely satisfying. I crave their wings crispy, grilled wings regularly.

Modernism Museum

I visited the Modernism Museum almost a year ago to see The Ultimate David Bowie Memphis Collection, and I’m happy to share the exhibit will remain here through 2020. If you are a Bowie fan, the personal pieces from his collection are sure to draw you. Still, you will leave with a much fuller understanding and appreciation of the Memphis Design Group thanks to a short film you are encouraged to watch before examining the collection. It’s beautiful and inspiring, and I highly recommend it. Standard admission is $8 and you really can’t beat that for an hour of getting to look at such beautiful work.

Other places to consider visiting:

Checkered Moon - a stylish and trendy boutique with gifts, home goods, and baby items.

WAVE Asian Bistro & Sushi - the Instagram famous eatery is a tourist favorite.

Goblin Market: A Mt. Dora staple for 23 years.

Barrel of Books & Games: A quaint bookstore with lots of titles, comic books, and games.

Windsor Tea Room: A fanciful, romantic tea experience.

All images in this article are property of LemonHearted Creative. All goods pictured and mentioned were paid for, nothing was given to me for free in exchange for its inclusion.