Park Avenue's hidden culinary gems — served with a side of local history
About this tour
Winter Park's Park Avenue has long been Central Florida's closest thing to a European sidewalk café district — brick streets, canopy oaks, and an improbable density of independent restaurants where European-trained chefs serve homemade dishes to regulars and visitors alike. This 2.5-hour Saturday morning tour threads you through up to eight of them, with guides who clearly know the neighborhood. You'll sip Bloody Marys and sake, sample a Key Lime Cream Puff at Choulala's French patisserie, taste estate olive oils at Ancient Olive, and linger over grouper tacos at Blu on the Avenue. The history runs alongside the food: the story of Winter Park's peacocks, its celebrity visitors, and why a Florida city decided to name itself after winter.
Tour Highlights
What You'll Experience
8 Food & Drink Tastings
Curated stops at locally-owned restaurants, from casual bites to chef-driven plates
Craft Cocktails & Local Beer
Optional beverage package with pre-chosen drinks from neighborhood craft bars
Neighborhood History & Stories
Your guide shares local lore and the stories behind every stop
The Route
8 Stops, One Neighborhood
Stops and tastings may vary by season and availability.
Winter Park Farmers Market
The outdoor Saturday market along the railroad track sets the local tone. The tour typically starts with a handheld savory bite — past offerings have included a seasoned Bearded Vegan plant-based pie and Jamaican chicken patties.
Highlight: Savory handheld pie / Jamaican chicken patty
Choulala Bakery
A French-owned Park Avenue patisserie where the tour stops for a signature pastry. The Key Lime Cream Puff has been called 'perfectly Parisian and very Florida' in the same breath.
Highlight: Key Lime Cream Puff
The Ancient Olive
A boutique olive oil and balsamic vinegar store that turns into one of the tour's most educational stops. Staff walk guests through tasting techniques and pour generous samples of flavored oils, blueberry balsamic, and dips.
Guests Say
People Are Talking
“Michael and Sara were super guides. They were full of knowledge about the area as well as super friendly and helpful. Extra kudos to the two of them for helping search for and find our lost gift. The tour didn't miss a beat. The food was excellent and the locations were beautiful. I would recommend the tour to anyone.”
— James L, October 25, 2025
“Dan and Sarah were GREAT Guides!! We loved all our stops. We definitely recommend going on this tour!! They did a wonderful job of telling us the History of Winter Park...”
— Sharry S, July 1, 2025
“Excellent tour guides, interesting history and food stops. Great way to learn about Winter Park with friends.”
— Mary P, June 2025
“This tour was very well run. Guides are friendly, helpful and share great history and stories about the city and its people including some well known celebrities. Tastings were delicious and the staff in charge of the tastings were also fantastic. The walking around was not bad at all because you stop at short intervals to visit the restaurants. Even wine was included at the end of the tour with a very kind and cordial gentleman named Lucky.”
— Janie R, June 2023
“We had such a great time on the Flavors of Winter Park tour! We have both lived in the Orlando area for quite some time and are familiar with Winter Park but we learned so much! The tour wasn't just food, it was also about the history of the area and some fun facts sprinkled in here and there. We stopped at 8 Park Ave spots and got varying sizes of samples. Some spots included Choulala and Blu on the Avenue. It's definitely an activity i'll recommend to friends, locals and out of towners, and something i'd do again.”
Based on 43 verified reviews across multiple platforms, weighted toward recent experiences.
▸How we calculate this
The Gastropub Score is a proprietary rating that blends lifetime and recent review performance across TripAdvisor, Google Business, Viator, and other platforms. We weight recent reviews more heavily, factor in review volume, consistency, response patterns, and cross-platform agreement. Unlike simple star averages, our score accounts for recency, review depth, and platform credibility to give you a single, trustworthy number.
Practical Details
Good to Know
Ready to Taste Winter Park / Park Avenue?
$89/person · 3 hours · Walk ~0.8 mi · Last two Saturday mornings of the month. Arrive 10:15–10:20 AM; departs promptly at 10:30 AM. Private groups by appointment (Tuesday evenings available).
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