I Spent the Day at Orlando's East End Market: Here's What I Got

Standing two stories tall in the Audubon Park Garden District, East End Market has been a major pillar for local chefs and merchants in the East Orlando area for over a decade. This indoor and outdoor market is a diverse one-stop shop from unique vintage finds and jewelry to hand-crafted goods and even a Michelin-recognized restaurant.

I’ll be honest, I have driven past this place countless times on my way to work and have only stopped by once. Not because it didn’t pique my interest, but because usually I’m rushing to work and don’t give myself enough time to stop for a little retail therapy.

One day, however, I stumbled upon the place after a friend recommended I try Wafu, the Japanese taiyaki waffle and ice cream shop located on the second floor. Blindly putting the location into my Apple Maps, I was pleasantly surprised to put two and two together.

Walking up, I was greeted by a small garden and a free book exchange box, which really cemented the feeling of community that the market emphasizes. Inside, you’ll find Winter Park Biscuit Company, a vegan restaurant to your left, and Dochi, the Japanese mochi donut shop to your right. Throughout the market, you’ll find all sorts of different vendors, including the ones I stopped at.

The Owl's Attic

Dubbed the best “vintage or used clothing store” and second best “antique and used/vintage furniture store” this year by Orlando Weekly, I knew I couldn’t miss out on visiting The Owl’s Attic.

Founded in 2011, The Owl’s Attic is a shop for all things hand-picked vintage. From vinyls and CDs to jewelry, toys, and of course, unique clothing. According to their website, they collect anything from the 1950s to the 1990s, with an emphasis on the ‘60s and ‘70s. They also feature some collections of art and clothes made by local artisans, not only at their East End Market location but also at their full-size store across the street.

As a lover of all things vintage, I couldn’t help but notice the amount of exciting little trinkets littered throughout the shop. From old PEZ dispensers to tiny trolls, they embody nostalgic Americana to a tee.

I gravitated to the first table I saw when walking into the stall. There were old puzzles, books, unique glassware and pottery, incense holders, and perhaps one of my favorite things that caught my eye, a Disneyland Pinball game (far left) from the 1960s.

I couldn’t not take a peek at the clothes, shoes, and accessories while I was there. The stall offered an array of cowboy boots, heart-shaped sunglasses, band tees, crochet tops and so much more. My favorite section to flip through was the jackets, which offered some hefty denim and fur pieces.

After staying in the shop a little longer than I should’ve, I found a piece I knew I couldn’t leave without.

I could always use a good bag and this bright red Marlboro mini duffle caught my attention immediately. The color makes it such a fun accent piece and its shape and small size makes it multi-use. Whether it be for the gym, traveling, or just to add a pop of color to an outfit. I spent $32 on this bag.

Freehand Goods

Right next door to The Owl’s Attic, you’ll find Freehand Goods, a Florida-based craftsman shop that sells leather goods, skin and grooming products, clothing and art.

The shop, founded by Jacob Zepf and Seth Daniels in 2017, started as a pop-up in the back of a military trailer and joined the Market in 2018. They have since flourished into a full-time business, including two locations and an online store.

I wanted to stop in here specifically for their leather pieces, as I’ve been on the hunt for getting my boyfriend a good wallet for months. The first thing that caught my attention, however, was the adorable prints they had of Florida wildlife. These were created by the brand’s designer, Veronica Steiner. You can find Steiner’s work all over the entire shop, from t-shirts to the labeling on all their products.

All the leather goods are 100% English Bridle and are cut, burnished and sewn by Daniels himself. They offer a variety of products, from money clips, card holders and wallets — all named after streets here in Orlando.

My boyfriend decided on getting the Primrose Snap Leather Wallet in the shade Chestnut, for a classy and traditional look, for a total of $69.

The Neighbors

While we were at Freehand Goods, we got to talk with Daniels, who recommended we check out Freehand Goods’ sister business The Neighbors, a cocktail lounge, scratch kitchen and retail store on the second floor of the Market.

Something notable about The Neighbors, like the Market itself, is its emphasis on community. They refer to the different small businesses featured in the store as their, get this, “neighbors.” There is also a massive range of products, including prints, soaps, candles, cocktail mixes, tote bags, mugs and even composted food scraps.

I’m always in need of a good candle, so I gravitated toward the shelf in the front corner of the store filled with soaps, candles and other scented items.

I settled on this $24 Sauvignon Blanc candle from Wash and Wik, a local handcrafted soap and candle business. I love any kind of clean, refreshing scent and this one reminded me of crisp apples and fresh linen.

Their bar offers all-day happy hour on Mondays and Tuesdays, so we knew we had to check out what they had to offer before moving on. We tried their $5 Old Fashioned, which was sweet and spicy with that distinct bourbon flavor at the forefront.

Domu

Perhaps saving my most anticipated for last, Domu was at the top of my list for my East End Market day trip.

As a huge foodie, I’ve heard a lot about chef and owner Sean “Sonny” Nguyen and his renowned restaurants, including Chibi Ramen in Waterford Lakes and Tori Tori on Mills Avenue. Awarded the Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand since 2022, this place has been high on my list of local restaurants that I’ve been dying to try.

We were seated at the bar, which turned out to be a really great experience. You could watch the inner workings and behind-the-scenes of the kitchen’s preparations.

We came on a Monday, so we decided to try their Monday special, Build-A-Ramen, where you can build your own bowl starting at $8.50. With add-ons, which I was pretty generous with, my bowl came out to an even $17.

For my bowl (right), I chose their Tokyo broth; a shoyu chicken broth seasoned with duck fat and garlic scallion confit, with chashu, or braised pork belly, soft-boiled egg, Japanese beech mushrooms, scallions and nori.

The broth was rich and flavorful without being too heavy and the noodles were thin and bouncy. The chashu was so tender it practically melted in my mouth. I’m a big mushroom fan, so getting the beech mushrooms was perfect to add some extra umami flavor to the bowl.

My only regret was not trying some of their other dishes, like their wings or the lobster bun. Needless to say, I will be back.

Finishing up my day trip to East End Market, I would definitely recommend it to anybody who hasn’t been to go check it out. Its many vendors and convenient location near Park Ave CDs and Stardust Video and Coffee make it a great stop for a day of retail therapy. Whether you’re looking for a specific gift for someone special or want to bring your friends and loved ones on a little day trip, the market is a great stop to get a feel of Orlando’s artisans and small businesses.

Strike Out,

Orlando

Writer: Jessica Battisti

Editors: Nina Rueda & Makayla Gray

Jessica Battisti is a Journalist for Strike Magazine Orlando. An aspiring entertainment journalist and food critic, Jessica's love of music, art and fine cuisine, companied with her passion for storytelling, has landed her where she is today. When she's not producing content, you can find her exploring dowtown Orlando's culinary scene, digging for gold at your local vintage markets, working on a painting or playing with her cat, Teddy. You can connect with Jessica via email at jessicabattisti24@gmail.com or on Instagram @jesswritesneats.

I Spent the Day at Orlando's East End Market: Here's What I Got

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