Downtown & Ivanhoe Village

The story

Downtown Orlando is the central business district around Lake Eola. Orange Ave and Church St form the core on the west side, Central Blvd runs east to Lake Eola Park, and the brick streets of Thornton Park, Washington St and Summerlin Ave, sit east of the lake.

Retail is thin here. The draws are the Sunday farmers market, galleries and a handful of specialty shops, from a cigar bar on Orange Ave to a used bookstore inside the public library. It suits a Sunday at the lake or an evening art walk more than a full shopping day.

What to Expect

On S Orange Ave, Corona Cigar Co. (127) has a deep walk-in selection that includes vintage pre-embargo Cubans, and its Diamond Crown Lounge pours Cognac, single malts and bourbon until late. CityArts, a gallery in the Rogers-Kiene Building, marked 20 years in 2026. The Friends of the Library Bookstore, on the third floor of the Orlando Public Library, sells used books, DVDs, CDs and vinyl at low prices. Up N Orange Ave, Uncle Tony's Donut Shoppe (703) is a record store despite the name.

Near the lake, Eola Eyes carries designer and independent frames, and Eola General, a few blocks north, has groceries, natural wine and sandwiches for a park picnic. West in Parramore, The Story Room Collective sits inside Van Goghblin Café with fantasy, sci-fi, romance and indie reads.

Best Time to Visit

Sunday is the day. The Orlando Farmers Market runs 10am to 3pm at Lake Eola's southeast corner, with baked goods, plants, crafts, jewelry, a wine and beer garden and live music. The library bookstore opens Sundays at 1:30pm and Monday to Saturday at 10:30am. For evenings, Thornton Park holds a Wine & Art Walk on the 2nd Thursday of each month, and CityArts hosts Third Thursday openings. Corona Cigar Co. stays open until midnight, or 1am Wednesday to Saturday. Church St is being rebuilt as a curbless Festival Street in phases through summer 2028, so expect detours.

If You Only Have an Hour

On a Sunday, start at the farmers market at E Central Blvd and N Eola Dr. Walk west on Central Blvd to the Friends of the Library Bookstore once it opens at 1:30pm, then finish on Orange Ave at Corona Cigar Co..

Up Orange Avenue: Ivanhoe Village

Ivanhoe Village is a Main Street district on N Orange Ave just north of downtown, on the shore of Lake Ivanhoe. The shopping runs from about the 1200 block, where Tim's Wine Market sits, north to the 1800 block at Washburn Imports and Boom-Art, with Loch Haven Cultural Park at the north edge.

The south end is Ivanhoe Row, across from Gaston Edwards Park: Yay! Tiny Shop (1211) for local artists' prints, jewelry and candles, Oxford Eyes (1213) for niche designer frames, Tim's Wine Market (1223) with tasting classes, and Maffrey's Good Goods (1225) for made-in-USA gifts and home goods. At the north end, Washburn Imports (1800) is a high-ceilinged warehouse of furnishings from Thailand and Bali, Rock & Roll Heaven (1814) has records, posters and stereo gear, and Boom-Art (1821) sells pop art and novelty pieces. In between, smaller shops specialize in furniture, mid-century barware, vinyl or fashion.

Where to Eat

In Thornton Park, Osteria Ester, new for 2026, serves gnocco fritto, truffle arancini and a butterscotch budino, and June, also new, does wood-fired, share-friendly Mexican with patio seating. Sushi Saint is a temaki lounge inside a brewery building, with hand rolls like snow crab with truffle. Sparrow is a lounge-like wine bar with pan con tomate and filet au poivre.