Mills Market and the Growing Legacy of Mills 50 (feat. the decline of Downtown Orlando)

Downtown Orlando is almost dead.

Mills 50 is picking up the slack.

But Mills 50 just doesn’t have the space to continue making up for downtown’s social deficiencies. And there’s no better example of this situation that is a mix of quality and worrying limitations than the spectacular Mills Market—a place that should exist in Downtown if not for the bad decisions made over the years by those in power.

Mills Market has nothing to do with the wreckage known as Downtown Orlando, but they stand to benefit because now the focus and (deserving) attention from foodies, travelers, locals, and Michelin folks is on them and the neighborhood they are a part of. Within the last decade, we have seen a wonderful increase of restaurants, food halls, coffee shops, and bars in this zip code that has delivered consistent quality to the masses while remaining true to the culture of Orlando as well as the cultures that inspire their cuisine. The Mills 50 district transformed from a nice quaint Vietnamese neighborhood into a foodie powerhouse whose popularity has exceeded expectations and quietly frustrated nearby homeowners.

Mills Market is a great representation of this transformation, as within this small but friendly space there’s food from Japan, China, Vietnam, with products and drinks from other East Asian countries. Even more impressive is that at least three of the food stands are Michelin-recognized, whether it be the Cantonese BBQ or the popular Japanese rice balls. It will take multiple visits to experience this food hall in its entirety because there is so much to choose from----

----and also because it can be quite crowded, especially on the weekends.

Let’s start with some of my personal favorites. Honorable mention to the banh mi sandwiches and spring rolls, as well as the Unigirl’s light but satisfying onigiris. But, the cowboy curry with their chicken katsu is a delightful hefty meal that could (and should) be shared with someone else or suffer the consequences of being full without even being able to sample from the other stands. The beef curry itself goes through a lengthy process of achieving its flavor and you can tell from the first bite at how much time was needed. With pieces of beef and vegetables hiding within the thick sauce, that curry mixed with the rice is almost perfect. It almost didn’t need the katsu, but I refuse to believe in a meal that whenever katsu is offered you turn it down.

Next, the sugarcane juice. Get the sugarcane juice regardless of what food you are ordering. Banh Mi Boy specializes in sandwiches, but their juice skills are some of the best around. The snacks in the mini mart section can be hit and miss (don’t get the Portuguese tarts if you’ve experienced this dessert magic in Canada, you’ll be disappointed) but the ube flan is really good. Also extra points for having a wide variety of bottled and canned juices and sodas you usually won’t find at your typical supermarket.

The honey BBQ chicken and crispy pork from Kai Kai gets my vote for best thing to get in the entire Mills Market. No shade to anyone within the market, as everyone will have their favorites depending on their preferences, the variety is that strong. But for my money, their rice dish with those two proteins is phenomenal work. Kai Kai also makes great dumplings that I’ve enjoyed multiple times. But, their rice dishes with their array of meat options stand out in such a way, you’d think you would be at a five-star restaurant instead of a crowded food hall where their magic is being made from a space that’s about the size of my kitchen.

What is likely the biggest beautiful tragedy is how this food hall has more magic, more energy, more variety than Downtown Orlando. We have seen the Downtown area strip away all of the popular local late night haunts, the clubs, the grittier establishments, in favor for a more sanitized attempt at recreating Disney Springs without realizing that you can’t duplicate what’s happening in Lake Buena Vista without sacrificing the soul and history of Orlando entirely.

Mills 50 is the result of a large influx of east Asians escaping Cold War turmoil and conflict, mostly from Vietnam as the war raged on and the violence increased to insurmountable levels. The Vietnam War affected every country in that region, especially Laos and Cambodia; with China, Thailand, and Malaysia also ending up within the crosshairs. Do you see Downtown Orlando creating spaces to represent the Asian community that helped build the city? Not really, same goes with how Downtown doesn’t seem to want to recognize the Black community on the other side of I-4 whose neighborhood got split in half by design during the late stages of the Jim Crow era. Also, where can you find the Puerto Rican representation in Downtown?

The concept and energy of Mills Market should be in Downtown; it should be located in what should be the cultural heartbeat of a wonderful city that deserves better management and better planning. Instead, you have seen neighborhoods like Mills 50, Audubon Park, Milk District, and Ivanhoe Park pick up the slack and offer consistent, varied, and culturally relevant options for the local population.

If you aren’t going to see a Magic or Lions game, then outside of Lake Eola (with the farmer’s market) and their great downtown library, I don’t have much of a list of reasons to enter Downtown. And I didn’t feel that way before, and I don’t like feeling this way. I want to see spaces like Mills Market fill up the empty corners of Downtown, instead of another overpriced and sanitized restaurant or another unaffordable apartment complex.

Until then, visit Mills Market. Multiple times. Bring friends and family, for this place is at its best when it’s a shared experience and you share different snacks, drinks, meals, and desserts. But if you skip the sugarcane juice, I will be mad at you.