Exploring Florida: 801 E. Main

Welcome to my first post all about exploring Florida! I love my home state; it is so beautiful and truly has so much more to offer than just theme parks and a long drive on Interstate 4. This first post is dedicated to one of my most favorite places located in my hometown of Lakeland. Lakeland is an awesome city, smack dab right between Orlando and Tampa, offering pretty much everything you can imagine for all walks of life. From small coffee shops to outdoor malls and a huge movie theatre to a beautiful downtown area that hosts a farmers market every Saturday. Community is key to a strong city and the local small shops and unique restaurants truly bring this place together.

801 E. Main a.k.a The Poor Porker, is my favorite spot to visit in Lakeland. If you love a gorgeous, outdoor atmosphere, fresh beignets and delicious coffee, this place is perfect for you! Even if those things aren’t at the top of your list, you will find yourself falling in love with this magical corner of the city.  I look forward to the Sunday mornings that I get to spend at this place because they are truly delightful. If you’re ever looking for the most “Instagrammable” spot in town, this is the place. Photography is something that I hold near and dear to my heart and taking photos here is always so fun because you can always get a different shot every time you go. Succulents are planted absolutely everywhere. There is even a succulent wall which just always makes me want to go home and create my own wall covered in different cacti and echeveria.

What’s on the menu? Basically the most delicious things you will ever put in your mouth, to say it lightly. Home-made beignets are the speciality and they are made fresh right when you order! Normally they have a seasonal special, like lemon custard or a Snickers variety, but it changes throughout the weeks/months so if you like trying new things, this is definitely a fun way to cure that aching sweet tooth. They do have regular items that you can get that don’t change seasonally like the traditional beignets which are tossed with powdered sugar or the Brown Butter Caramel which, as the name suggests, are drizzled in homemade brown butter caramel, with a touch of powdered sugar. Brown butter caramel is definitely my go-to when I’m getting beignets, unless the lemon custard is there, because that was the most delicious set of beignets I have EVER had! They also offer a variety of toppings like Nutella, cinnamon sugar, maple syrup and bacon for those that need to add that little extra something special to their order! Princess Tiana would definitely approve of these scrumptious beignets!

Alright coffee lovers, your world is about to change, but for the better, of course! Campfire Coffee is freshly brewed daily at the Poor Porker and it is, by far, without a doubt, the best coffee I have ever had. Even though am I someone that drowns her coffee with vanilla flavoring and half and half milk, when I order this drink, it doesn’t have to be touched. I don’t know how they do it, but this beverage is perfectly sweetened to the point where it isn’t too sweet, but just sweet enough to be absolutely mouth-watering! I am a fan of their Campfire cold brew, which is what I normally get, even if it’s 50 degrees outside. Although I generally get it cold, their hot coffee is also delicious! Some other  offerings include hot chocolate, horchata, water and soda for those that may not be huge fans of coffee. This venue truly has it all.

Besides the great menu, 801 E. Main has a magnificent story and should be an inspiration for us all. Serving as a fantastic spot to meet up with friends, this is a place for anyone and everyone to come together to be inspired, get creative and find a home within its walls. Looking more into the background, this area was transformed from an abandoned service station to a haven for the community. Instead of tearing down the building it was made into a marketplace called Bearcat and Big 6 and includes an inside area that houses more seating and a small bar called Calexico. The night life is always an interesting and ever-changing atmosphere with karaoke, live music and a small selection of wine, local beer and some specialty drinks. For those of us that like to sleep in and love to play at night, this is the perfect place in which to do so.

For anyone out there that loves an eclectic and unique place that can inspire creativity, create connections and make a mean cup of coffee, this is home. I hope that the next time you have a free moment and feel like taking a drive over to Lakeland, head over to 801 E. Main, and I promise, you won’t be disappointed.

Open hours:

• Friday 7pm-12am
• Saturday 8am-12am
• Sunday 9am-3pm

Head over to their website here and check out their Instagram here!

Here are some of my outfit details!

• • Betty and Veronica overalls (on sale now!)
  • Minnie Mouse Varsity top from Uniqlo
  • Minnie Mouse bow pin
  • Pink and red flannel

Thank you for following along and I can’t wait to share more of my unique finds throughout Florida with you all!

-Allyson