- My dad, Kevin Edmonds, has lived in Orlando for over 25 years.
- He shared three hidden gems people can visit to escape the cold this winter.
Orlando is the perfect place to stay warm this winter — just ask my dad, Kevin Edmonds.
While parts of the country are battling winter storms, my father enjoys the heat and sunshine in Orlando, where temperatures sometimes reach the 70s and 80s in January. He's lived in the Central Florida city since the late 1980s when he and my mother relocated from Ohio.
Although many people associate Orlando with warm weather and outdoor activities, he has a few go-to spots that visitors can enjoy this winter.
Here are three hidden gems in Orlando where people can bundle up and relax this winter.
Hanson's Shoe Repair is a secret speakeasy where guests need an ever-changing password to enter
A few blocks from the Orlando Public Library is Hanson's Shoe Repair, a small venue on the 3rd floor of an unassuming building near South Eola, a downtown neighborhood.
"It's basically a speakeasy," Edmonds told Business Insider. "The building was built around 1883."
The cozy speakeasy offers live music and good drinks for those who can guess the daily password. According to Yelp, the spot isn't known for its food, but customers can find delicious cocktails at various price points, including $12 daiquiris and $15 original Hanson's Shoe Repair cocktail.
Fortunately, the venue shares its daily password on X, formerly known as Twitter.
If you love old-school hip-hop, grab a drink at The Commission Beer Chamber
The Commission Beer Chamber is a small bar that Edmonds often frequents for its chilled craft beer and nostalgic playlists near the Hourglass District. The bar offers daily themes like Wu-Tang Wednesdays and A Tribe Called Quest Thursdays.
The bar's interior is a homage to legendary rappers and often has nostalgic movies on the TV screens.
"Most of the people who come there are from the neighborhood," Edmonds said, referring to our home in central Orlando. "But we've stopped by on the weekends, and they had chefs visit because of the craft beer selection."
Edmonds added that The Commission Beer Chamber rotates their beer selection, but he usually sticks with IPAs. Drinks cost as low as $6, depending on the product.
Orlando's Pom Pom's Teahouse and Sandwicheria is a tiny restaurant that offers big eats
Edmonds told BI that Pom Pom's Teahouse and Sandwicheria is a locally beloved restaurant that tourists may not know about.
"It's always a classic," Edmonds said.
The restaurant is near Orlando's Milk District, a neighborhood known for its good eats and quirky venues. The restaurant sells pressed sandwiches for as low as $11 and has a variety of teas that cost around $6.
A classic Edmonds family go-to is Mama Ling Ling's Thanksgiving Sandwichs made of turkey, Gouda, stuffing, ginger cranberry chutney, mashed potatoes, and cream cheese with a side of gravy for $13.