The neighborhood just west of downtown has had more than its share of trouble over the years, but a slow flowering of business and art may turn it around yet. Local African-American history and culture is preserved at the Wells’ Built Museum, while the West Art District is a joyous explosion of brand-new culture and history yet in the making.
EAT
Chef Eddie's
595 W. Church St., 407-826-1731, chefeddies.com
Just steps away from Amway Center, find some of the best comfort fare in the city. Smothered pork chops, saucy oxtails, chicken and waffles, chunky mashed potatoes, jalapeño crackling muffins – all will elicit superlatives.
Goff's Drive In
212 S. Orange Blossom Trail, 407-286-3421
Goff's has been in the same freestanding cement-block building on OBT between Church and Jackson streets since 1948, serving real-deal soft-serve, dipped cones, milkshakes and sundaes.
DRINK
Broken Cauldron
1012 W. Church St., 407-986-1012, brokencauldrontaproom.com
Pleasantly industrial space is home to two unique breweries – Broken Strings and Black Cauldron – that set up shop together in mid-2016 with an eye toward the opening of Orlando City Stadium.
Stonewall Bar Orlando
741 W. Church St., 407-373-0888, stonewallorlando.com
A gay bar in the heart of Parramore may seem incongruous, but they've fit comfortably in this live-and-let-live neighborhood for over a decade.
SHOP
Re-Runz Record Store
642 W. Church St., 321-239-6325, rerunzrecords.com
New and used vinyl, CDs and music memorabilia. Dig here for funk, soul, R&B and jazz, and pine for the vintage posters on the walls.
Palmer Feed Store
912 W. Church St., 407-841-8924, palmerfeedstore.com
It's a real live old-fashioned feed store where you can buy live chicks and ducklings, animal feed, seeds, hay bales, and penny candy.
GO
West Art District
1011 W. Central Blvd., westartdistrict.com
A former auto-parts machining factory is now a 50,000-square-foot explosion of ever-changing murals, street art and graffiti, painted by artists from around the world alongside kids from the neighborhood.
Orlando City Stadium
655 W. Church St., 407-480-4702, orlandocitysc.com
The Orlando City Soccer Club cut the ribbon on its new stadium, which seats 25,500 fans, in February 2017.
Wells' Built Museum of African-American History & Culture
511 W. South St., 407-245-7535, wellsbuiltmuseumofafrican americanhistoryandculture.org
In the 1920s, the former hotel and casino built by Dr. William Wells hosted entertainers on the Chitlin' Circuit; now it houses memorabilia of Orlando's African-American community.
