East End Market
Rating
Price
Free
Duration
1-2 hours
Best Ages
Best for all ages
About
East End Market is a curated artisan food hall in Orlando's Audubon Park neighborhood that represents the best of Orlando's local food scene. This two-story market houses a rotating collection of independent food vendors, coffee roasters, bakers, and specialty shops, all under one roof with a sunny courtyard.
The market's food hall model is inherently family-friendly because it eliminates the most stressful part of family dining: choosing one restaurant everyone agrees on. Each family member can order from a completely different vendor and eat together at communal tables in the courtyard or the upstairs mezzanine.
Gideon's Bakehouse is the market's marquee tenant and arguably the most famous bakery in Central Florida. Their cookies are not dainty cafe biscuits -- each one weighs nearly half a pound, made from a recipe involving 48 hours of preparation. The Original Chocolate Chip is a masterwork of texture (crispy edges, fudgy center).
The line at Gideon's can exceed 30 minutes on weekends, but weekday mornings rarely have a wait.
For families, East End Market works as a lunch destination, a mid-morning snack stop, or a rainy-day activity combined with browsing the market's vendors. The courtyard is stroller-friendly and spacious. The neighborhood location means parking is easy, and the surrounding Audubon Park Garden District has additional local shops and cafes worth exploring.
East End Market is closed on Mondays. Saturday late morning is the most vibrant time to visit.
Age Suitability
Parent Logistics
Stroller-Friendly
Yes
Nursing / Changing
Limited
Kid Meals
Available
Setting
Indoor & Outdoor
Rainy Day
Great option!
Plan Your Visit
Best Time to Visit
Saturday late morning is the most energetic time to visit with the best vendor selection. Weekday lunches are quieter and easier with young kids. Closed on Mondays. Arrive before noon on weekends if you want Gideon's Bakehouse cookies without an extreme wait.
Wait Times
None for most vendors. Gideon's Bakehouse can have a 30-90 minute wait on weekends.
Nearby Food
East End Market IS the food destination. Within the market, current vendors include Gideon's Bakehouse (cookies), Txokos Bagel (bagels/sandwiches), Lineage Coffee, and rotating food vendors. The surrounding Audubon Park neighborhood has Se7en Bites, The Salty Donut, and Bikes Beans & Bordeaux -- all within a 5-minute drive.
Why Kids Love It
East End Market is a curated food hall where every single vendor is a local Orlando artisan -- no chains, no corporate food. Kids love being able to choose their own meal from completely different vendors: one kid gets a Vietnamese banh mi, another grabs a wood-fired pizza, while parents order poke bowls or salads. The variety eliminates the nobody can agree where to eat problem that plagues family dining.
The market has a comfortable, neighborhood-living-room feel. The two-story building with exposed brick, local art on the walls, and a sunny courtyard creates a space where families naturally slow down and linger.
Gideon's Bakehouse, the market's most famous tenant, makes half-pound cookies in flavors like Original Chocolate Chip, Pistachio Toffee Dark Chocolate, and a rotating monthly special. These are not normal cookies -- they are dense, rich, and legitimately one of the best baked goods in Florida.
Pro Tips from Parents
- Gideon's Bakehouse has the best cookies in Orlando -- go on a weekday before noon to avoid the long weekend lines
- Let each family member order from a different vendor -- the food hall model is the cure for the where should we eat debate
- The outdoor courtyard is the best seating option with kids -- more space and a relaxed vibe
- Check which vendors are open before you go -- the lineup rotates and not every stall is open every day
- East End Market is in the same Audubon Park neighborhood as The Salty Donut, Leu Gardens, and Se7en Bites -- combine multiple stops for a local Orlando morning
What to Bring
- An appetite
- Cash and card (most vendors take both)
Cost Info
Free Admission
Estimated Cost (Family of 4)
$40-$65 (lunch for 4 from various vendors at $10-16/person; Gideon's cookies $6 each extra)
Tips to Save
- Each family member can order from a different vendor -- the food hall model lets everyone get exactly what they want.
- Share a Gideon's cookie (they are half-pound each) rather than buying one per person.
- The outdoor courtyard has free seating.
- Skip Gideon's on weekends if you do not want to wait; go on a weekday instead.
Hours & Contact
Hours
- Friday
- 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
- Monday
- Closed
- Sunday
- 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
- Tuesday
- 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
- Saturday
- 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
- Thursday
- 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
- Wednesday
- 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM