Mount Dora Business and Real Estate

9 days to eat your way through Mount Dora

7/22/2026

Restaurant Week kicks off in Mount Dora this Saturday, right on the heels of the town's recent national accolades for its thriving food scene.
The Mount Dora Area Chamber of Commerce is rolling out its first-ever Restaurant Week from July 25 through August 2. The timing of this summer promotion isn't an accident; it follows the town's third ranking in USA TODAY 10 Best's 2026 Readers' Choice Awards for Best Small Town Food Scene.

The mechanics of the nine-day promotional event are simple. Participating restaurants will offer special prix fixe-style menus for lunch, dinner, or both, with lunch capped at $30 per person and dinner capped at $50 per person. The restaurants' regular menus will also be available at their regular pricing. Diners get an incentive to explore something new, plus an excuse to finally try the place they've been driving past for months.

The promotion is designed to give residents and visitors a chance to try something new and delicious, while supporting local eateries during the slow summer season. Considering much of Mount Dora's identity runs through its destination dining and shopping district, it's a logical program to get diners out and about.

Participating restaurants are required to be members of the chamber and at the time of publication, the its website listed Pisces Rising, Eden Abbey Brewing Community, Whiskey Kitchen, Back Porch Pizza, Fifth Avenue Streatery, Botanico Tacos & Tequila, Lakeside Inn, Las Palmas Cuban Restaurant, Shadrach's Fiery Furnace, Beirut Bites, Anthony's Pizza, Claire's Creperie, Salt & Ember, The Salted Fry, Highland Street Cafe, Mount Dora Bistro, and The Yardery as the participating restaurants in Mount Dora. However, this isn't strictly a Mount Dora affair — a handful of restaurants in Eustis and Tavares are also participating, including The Troff, Puddle Jumpers, and Crafted Concoctions.

Other Mount Dora fan favorite restaurants like Shiva, Goblin Market, JK Thai Sushi, 1921, Cafe Gianni, El Mezcal, Dark & Light Cafe, Copacabana, Frog & Monkey, Deli Llama, Allyson A. Bakeshop, Serendipity Brews, A Little Something Different, Fiesta Grande, Funky Monkey, Magical Meat Boutique, Tony’s Seafood, Roots Cafe, Cody’s on 4th, Jeremiahs, Pizza Stop, Funko’s Poke Bowls and Mount Dora Pizza are not participating, but are still great choices for summer dining in Mount Dora.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, visit Mount Dora Buzz's website, its Instagram and Facebook page.

New yoga studio and café bring wellness to downtown Mount Dora

7/10/2026

A new wellness destination has arrived in downtown Mount Dora, pairing a full-service yoga studio with a café built around fresh, healthy, seasonal food. The bright new space is designed for movement, nourishment, and community connection, not just a place to roll out a mat.

Daybreak Yoga Collective offers hot, warm, and cool yoga classes for practitioners of every level. Along with the yoga studio, the historic building is also now home to Roots Café. Those seeking a healthy breakfast, lunch, or snack can enjoy fresh smoothies, house-made baked goods, açaí bowls, cold-pressed juices, grain bowls, specialty toasts, nutty bento boxes, and coffee drinks. Café owner and experienced chef Sede Clark focused the menu to accommodate an active lifestyle. Cozy indoor and shaded outdoor spaces offer room for eating and gathering, and the eatery is open to the general public as well as yoga practitioners.

"Our vision is to create a space where people can care for themselves and build community at the same time—whether they're stepping onto a yoga mat, sharing a meal with friends, meeting someone new, or simply taking a moment to pause in the middle of a busy day," said Daybreak Yoga founder Mary Beth Wallis, a seasoned and compassionate yoga instructor.

Daybreak Yoga Collective offers a blend of classes designed for mind, body, and spirit connection. Its schedule will be filled with various yoga classes, meditations, sound healing, and holistic workshops.

"Our vision is to create a space where people can care for themselves and build community at the same time—whether they're stepping onto a yoga mat, sharing a meal with friends, meeting someone new, or simply taking a moment to pause in the middle of a busy day," said Mary Beth Wallis, owner of Daybreak Yoga Collective.

Beyond daily classes and café service, the two businesses plan workshops, wellness events, educational programs, teacher trainings, and community gatherings throughout the year.
Daybreak Yoga Collective and Roots Café are located at 430 North Alexander Street in the former Segway location in Mount Dora. Hours are Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, visit the area's website and sure to follow Mount Dora Buzz's Instagram and Facebook page for more local info.

Technology Helps Lake County Homes Stand Out in Today’s Market

7/1/2026

By Brooke Vermeulen Mount Dora Buzz Contributor & Lake County Real Estate Broker

In Lake County's real estate market, first impressions often begin online. Before buyers ever schedule a showing, they're scrolling through listing photos and comparing properties, deciding which homes deserve a closer look. Those impressions can make all the difference, and the local market presents a unique opportunity for virtual staging because so many buyers begin their search long before setting foot inside a home.

Continued residential growth, fueled by a steady influx of retirees, relocation buyers, and seasonal residents, only reinforces that trend. Buyers are often making up their minds well before a showing is even scheduled.

The local housing market remains active, and buyers have more choices than they've had in recent years. According to Stellar MLS SmartCharts, new listings increased in May 2026 compared to the previous year, giving buyers a wider range of options. That makes effective marketing more important than ever for sellers.

One of the biggest challenges in marketing a vacant home, or one with outdated furnishings, is helping buyers envision its potential. Empty rooms can feel smaller than they actually are, and leave buyers wondering how a space might function. With significant new home construction underway county-wide and inventory continuing to grow, resale homes have to work harder to capture attention with a strong first impression. Professional photography, strategic pricing, effective marketing, and, when appropriate, virtual staging all work together to showcase a home's full potential.

Using digital technology, virtual staging adds realistic furnishings and updated décor to empty rooms, helping buyers better understand a home's scale, layout, and functionality. Unlike traditional staging, which often requires renting, delivering, and arranging furniture, virtual staging offers a cost-effective alternative while preserving an accurate representation of the home's permanent features.

(ABOVE: Before and after virtual staging of a local home)

According to the National Association of REALTORS®' 2025 Profile of Home Staging, 83 percent of buyers' agents said staging makes it easier for buyers to visualize a property as their future home, 49 percent of sellers' agents reported that staging reduced the amount of time homes spent on the market, and 29 percent of real estate professionals said staging resulted in offers 1 to 10 percent higher than comparable unstaged homes.

Virtual staging should always enhance a home's presentation, never misrepresent it. Furniture and décor may be digitally added to listing photos, but permanent features such as walls, windows, flooring, cabinetry, countertops, paint colors, room dimensions, and views should always remain accurately represented.

The goal isn't to create a home that doesn't exist. It's to help buyers appreciate the one that does. After all, seeing is believing.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, visit Mount Dora Buzz's website, its Instagram and Facebook page.

Fun pottery painting at Yada Yada Pottery helps feed those in need

7/1/2026

(Photo credit: Yada Yada Pottery)

The annual community pottery painting has begun! For the next few months Yada Yada Pottery will once again host fun pottery painting in its studio to benefit Lake Cares Food Pantry. The handpainted bowls will be used for the Empty Bowls community fundraiser on October 30. Anyone feeling creative or community-minded can stop in the downtown studio on Wednesdays or Saturdays from 5:30 to 8 p.m. to help paint bowls.

The cost to paint a bowl is $7 which will also be donated to Lake Cares. After the months-long effort to create hundreds of uniquely painted bowls, the Empty Bowls fundraiser will take place this fall. The community gathering features a fun soup supper where attendees select from the one-of-a-kind bowls and then fill them with delicious soup donated by generous area restaurants. Every penny raised goes directly to support Lake Cares Food Pantry, the local nonprofit food pantry. The event also features live music, pottery demonstrations, and a large silent auction in the heart of downtown Mount Dora.

Founded in 1990, Empty Bowls has grown into an international project t;o fight hunger, personalized by artists on a community level. The event raises funds for local charitable organizations dedicated to providing nourishment to those in need within their immediate communities. Over the years, Empty Bowls has successfully generated millions of dollars to combat hunger in cities across the world.

Lake Cares is a local independent, nonprofit food pantry that provides food, resources and services to residents who are in need of assistance in Lake County, Florida. This is accomplished with the help of numerous donors, volunteers and a caring community.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, visit Mount Dora Buzz's website, its Instagram and Facebook page. Download the area's free mobile app for info on the go. For local food recommendations, follow Mount Dora Foodie's Facebook and its official Instagram account.

Business &
Real Estate Buzz

9 days to eat your way through Mount Dora

New yoga studio and café bring wellness to downtown Mount Dora

Technology Helps Lake County Homes Stand Out in Today’s Market

Fun pottery painting at Yada Yada Pottery helps feed those in need

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Business & ​Real Estate Buzz

9 days to eat your way through Mount Dora

New yoga studio and café bring wellness to downtown Mount Dora

Technology Helps Lake County Homes Stand Out in Today’s Market

Fun pottery painting at Yada Yada Pottery helps feed those in need

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