One of my favorite ways to spend a Winter Park morning starts at New General — the charming café and modern general store tucked on East New England Avenue, just a block off Park Avenue.
From national brand-builder to neighborhood café
New General opened in 2017 in the former home of Colonial Drugs, and its origin story is part of what makes it special. Founder Tracy Liffey spent her career in corporate retail — she worked on the launches of Old Navy and PINK by Victoria's Secret — before leaving that world to build something personal and local. The result is a "contemporary general store": part coffee bar, part café, part curated shop stocked with apothecary goods, kitchenware, pottery, and finds from local artists.
Coffee and food worth the trip
The kitchen leans health-forward and scratch-made, with a menu built around fresh, wholesome ingredients and plenty of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. Regulars rave about the vegan breakfast sandwich, the double-chocolate pancakes, and the Buddha bowl — all paired with a proper craft coffee and tea program.
The Winter Park lifestyle in one stop
What I love is how completely it captures Winter Park: thoughtful, design-forward, and community-minded. Grab a coffee, browse the shop, then stroll the oak-lined blocks of Park Avenue — its boutiques, galleries, and the scenic Winter Park chain-of-lakes boat tour are all steps away.
This is exactly the kind of everyday charm that makes Winter Park one of Central Florida's most sought-after places to live. Curious about the area? Explore Winter Park or reach out — I'll show you around, coffee included.
