The Hidden Sandwiches Of Downtown Orlando

Of all the locations I have visited since I started this blog, this location is easily the friendliest for the locals. It was a pain to find, a pain to get to, and was embedded nicely in the center of a beautiful neighborhood that looks (and feels like) is miles upon miles away from the hustle and bustle of the city—when its actually right next door. This building was made purely for the surrounding neighbors, not to attract outside visitors. I almost felt like an outsider finding the spot and occupying one of its half-dozen parking spaces. 903 Mills Market has been part of Orlando since 2003, but the building has stood around since 1903, carrying a heavy history amongst the locals.



I mention the difficulty of finding the spot because Downtown Orlando’s notorious assortment of one-way streets and constant construction within them. As you can tell, I am not the biggest fan of the Downtown area when compared to the southern end of Orlando---which features the edges of Kissimmee, Sea World, International Drive, and the Disney area. I had to rely on a guess-and-check method and weaving in-and-out of the Downtown area in order to find this spot. A bit irritating, but I am sure this is beneficial to the locals, as they don’t want too many people finding this place and realizing its worth. Le Tub in Hollywood, Florida suffered this fate after a popular magazine announced that it has the best cheeseburger in the country—resulting in visitors traveling from around the United States and forcing 2-hour waits to get their meals.




903 Mills Market is in a beautiful location. The neighborhood is gorgeous, as it has nice houses, and visually delightful lakes. The local scene contained a bit of eye candy, which is always an added plus. Dogs are allowed in the outdoor area, just not inside the building. Inside the restaurant is where you order, and you get to se its extensive lineup of alcohol. In a mature manner, they present the variety of wines that they offer as well as a few options of beer. The other coolers contain a great variety of drinks, ranging from your typical sodas to healthier options, to the classic Yoo-Hoo. The menu itself is quite extensive, as they offer breakfast as well as lunch, and over 60 items.


It was quite difficult selecting just one sandwich, so I decided my luck on two of them. I ordered the Grateful Bread, which was their most popular item. This sandwich is the handheld version of Thanksgiving, as it offers turkey, cranberry mayonnaise, bleu cheese stuffing, and red onion. That is all on wheat bread. The other item I ordered was the 903 Club, simply because I am such a big fan of sourdough bread (Why Burger King, why did you get rid of that burger?). The 903 Club features ham, turkey, bacon, swiss, lettuce, and tomato on good ol’ sourdough bread. Both sandwiches cost $6.89 each, excluding the sides.

Michael and Josh ordered the same sandwich, which was the Roger Dodger ($6.89). The Roger Dodger consists of roast and corned beef mixed with swiss cheese and thousand-island dressing; topped off with lettuce and tomato. The other sandwiches that sounded awesome included the Crazy Bird, the Italian, and the Tuna Salad Chocky. We sit outside, and were greeted by bees. They seem to like the food too. After about seven minutes of waiting, we all receive our sandwiches.






The Grateful Bread was spectacular by all means. I did not have onions on mine, but it definitely did not need it. The sandwich was very tall, but when you hold it altogether and take a bite, it doesn’t feel thick. It was very soft, and very easy to chew. The turkey was plentiful, the cranberry mayo was interestingly delicious, and the stuffing was a great addition to the sandwich. I’m not even a fan of stuffing, but the bleu stuffing was incredible. I was temporarily transported to mid-November, when the leaves start fall----never mind, I live in Florida, nothing major happens. It was clearly one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever had; no ingredient was out of place. Michael and Josh enjoyed their Roger Dodgers, as it was a warm and gooey heavenly mix of meat, cheese, and dressing. It was a super-powerful Reuben, with more flavor (and no sauerkraut).



Moving on to the 903 Club, that was also a magnificent sandwich. Before 903 Mills Market, I was a bit hesitant to pay nearly 7 bucks for a sandwich, a type of food that is among the easiest to make at home (My grilled cheese sandwich is the greatest you’ll ever eat). But the Grateful and the Club convinced me that you can get a good deal for a sandwich outside of home. The Club was packed with meats, there was no cutting back. And, most importantly, it has bacon (Therefore continuing the Golden Rule of Bacon). The mix with mayo and sourdough bread made this is a success for the taste buds. Josh shared the Club with me, and also loved the combination. We were all thoroughly satisfied, with the overall meal and the overall experience. There were even some friendly dogs that wanted to join in on our meal.

Bottom Line: While I might be delivering more harm than good in mentioning this hidden treasure to the masses outside of Downtown Orlando, 903 Mills Market is a must-visit if you are a fan of sandwiches. They have among the best sandwiches I’ve ever eaten outside my household. The Grateful Bread was definitely interesting, as it’s literally Thanksgiving packed in between two pieces of wheat bread. While I am not a drinker, the crazy assortment of wine and beer is an added bonus as you can sit back outside, relax, observe the nice scenery, and partake in a glass of red wine and let the day pass by. That, my friends, is a total contrast to the neighboring atmosphere of Downtown Orlando. If you live closeby and want a true escape from the modern-day Orlando and temporarily experience a calmer, older Orlando, this is the place to visit.







Just beware the #(*&#&@@ one-way streets.



903 Mills Market
903 South Mills Avenue
Orlando, FL 32806
(407) 898-4392

While the calorie stock will skyrocket visiting this place, so will the happiness

Man vs. Food has done an incredible job in introducing local joints around the country to the viewers. During one visit to Sarasota, he introduced the world to a delight known as the salty dog, which was a fried hot dog. That’s right guys, a fried hot dog. As if the hot dog isn’t enough calories, now we are going to dip it in batter and fry it to a crisp. Sounds spectacular nonetheless. The Old Salty Dog has been serving food to Sarasota locals and tourists for over 20 years. Being close to the beach also helps its success. While a second location opened recently (and is on the much better location---right next to the ocean water), I decided to go with the original.




The original location is on a bustling street full of bars, restaurants, and nice-looking houses that are inches from the ocean. The parking lot was very small, and full to the brim. So I had to park in an abandoned building next door. According to one of the employees though, the bank and the building closeby don’t mind the extra customers. Inside, the place seemingly had more people than the cars parked outside could physically handle. Looks like the locals walk far to eat there too.

I ordered a salty dog and thinking that the dog would not be enough, also ordered a blackened grouper sandwich. Josh orders clam chowder and the killer dog, which is the salty dog combined with multiple cheeses, sauerkraut, mushrooms, and bacon. So applying the Golden Rule of Bacon (anything with bacon has to be good—no matter what the surrounding items are), the killer dog was going to be killer in flavor and in calories. Michael orders the fried mahi-mahi sandwich, which came with fries. We waited around 7-15 minutes for our food while we watch the Mariners play the Yankees.

(Also good---the clam chowder)

(This is heaven. I swear)




The salty dog was brilliantly brilliant. Words cannot describe the incredibleness that was contained between the hot dog buns. It was a thick juicy hot dog, and then was enhanced by a crunchy, juicy outer core that for a moment takes you to heaven. Unlike the failure that was Munchies 420 (where Adam Richman did his Sarasota challenge), the salty dog was worth every single penny. Fried hot dog is definitely something I wish I had discovered years before, because it was an out-of-the-ordinary experience, a perfect combination. I really wanted to eat at least three of them, but I know my heart would stop if I did such a thing. Luckily, I have the grouper sandwich to calm my nerves. It was a little spicy, but very rich in flavor. The fries resembled those from Wendys before they switched recipes—not the best, but still enjoyable.





While the grouper sandwich was good, Michael’s fried mahi-mahi sandwich was the sandwich of the hour. It wasn’t as thick as most spectacular mahi-mahi I’ve had before, but it was still a delicious delight because of the fried outer core and richness of the fish. Josh’s killer dog was massive, vicious, and all-around a treat. While the hot dog does not become the dominating flavor, its mixture with all the cheese and extra ingredients made it more a meal than a snack—unlike your usual hot dog. We were all heavily satisfied with our meals. And then came dessert.






I ordered the only dessert item they make at the Old Salty Dog, which was their Key Lime Pie. Michael orders the peanut butter pie, and Josh ordered the triple chocolate cake. All three desserts were fantastic; the triple chocolate nearly made Josh melt, the peanut butter pie was heavy on the flavor, and the key lime pie was among the best I’ve ever had outside the South Florida area. It is very odd that a place known for fried food delivers such good dessert, but the old Salty Dog is definitely full of surprises.

Bottom Line: This place is a must-visit by all means necessary. I know I have become almost a cliché with these places, but I seem to be very lucky at picking the spots to visit. That or the west coast of Florida really knows how to make good food. The fried hot dog known as the Salty Dog is one of the best foods I have ever had in my life, honestly. Everything else about this place stands out, from the food to the service to the dessert. I have nothing more to say. Whenever you have the chance, come here immediately.



You can thank me later.



P.S. Your guilt streak about your health will skyrocket after this meal. You’ve been warned.


The Old Salty Dog
(The Original)
5023 Ocean Boulevard,
Sarasota, FL 34242