Back in 2005, during a day trip to Lakeland, I visited what at the time was Lakeland Brewing Company. Settled right across from Lake Mirror, it was a peaceful spot to try local beers. It was cute, but my recollection of the food was hot dogs and popcorn, or something of the sort. Food certainly was not the main attraction.

Now, five years later, this building has undergone a beautiful transformation. Husband and wife duo (who I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting) Jonathan and Sarah Bucklew are at the helm of upgrading and running this new venture, The Joinery, a modern food hall that I believe currently rivals anything we have in Orlando. 

The space is barely recognizable unless you happen to spot the old Lakeland Brewing logo on the floor as you walk around. The building is now bright, airy, and elevated without being pretentious. On the day I visited, there was a good mix of patrons old and young, looking excitedly from stall to stall. The glimmer in their eyes as they pointed things out to each other all but said: “look at what we have in Lakeland now.”

The décor feels very Florida fresh with pops of orange and teal, gingham and stripes, and decorative breezeblock at every turn.

I was solo on my visit coming back from an appointment in Brandon, and while I wanted to try something from each vendor, even my stomach has its limits, so I had to make my selections wisely. I spoke with the lovely girl operating the Bloom Shakalaka booth, and she recommended tacos, ramen, and ice cream, so those were the three I visited. The food offerings go well beyond that.

The full list is below:

• ATO Burritos and Bowls

• AVA Neapolitan Pizzeria

• Bloom Shakala (create your own bouquets and full-service florals)

• Gallito Taqueria

• King + State Coffee

• Mayday Handcrafted Ice Creams

• Sabu Ramen and Japanese snacks

  Super Duper Spot (hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, fries, etc.)

There is also a bar where you can get drinks and rotating craft beers.

This is the rundown of the food I tried:

Sabu Ramen

I’m often hesitant to order ramen in a new place without having prior knowledge or a backstory about the person behind the bowls. There’s a lot of disappointing ramen out there masquerading as authentic and delicious. I ordered the tonkatsu and added crispy pork belly to my bowl. I took a deep breath and smelled the flavor, and my mouth started to water. The broth, which really carries the dish, was very rich. The addition of the crispy pork belly set it off. The noodles were delicate yet hearty, and I’m so glad it was a very satisfying bowl. I’m not a ramen expert, but it was a yes for my taste buds.

Gallito’s Taqueria

I ordered two tacos at Gallito’s. The pork belly and the carne asada. I definitely preferred the pork belly since it was perfectly crisp, and the pairing with the mango worked nicely together. I was wondering where the additional toppings bar was; perhaps I missed it. I love adding extra lime and cilantro to my tacos, so I’m hoping that is made available at some point or given upon request.

Mayday Ice Cream

If you’ve visited St. Augustine or Jacksonville recently, you may already be acquainted with Mayday Ice Cream. They are also a part of the larger sweet family that includes The Hyppo Gourmet Ice Pops and Cousteau’s Waffle and Milkshake Bar.

I chose two flavors. Their Blueberry Toast Crunch, which is a play on cinnamon toast crunch-soaked ice cream with a homemade blueberry compote swirl, and Raja Honey, which is a floral green tea steeped in cream and swirled with wildflower honey. Guys!! This ice cream is SO GOOD! To top it off, I had them scoop it in a pretzel cone, which was salty, and brought all the flavors together. Mayday is a must-try.

King + State Coffee

I had my first King + State experience recently on a trip to Tampa. Their coffee is now available inside The Joinery, and I’d highly recommend you try them if you haven’t already. They also have a small offering of their sandwiches here as well. I love that even in this tiny space, you still get the same vibe as their full-scale cafe with their decor. I was greeted with the same warmth and hospitality here as I was at their shop. Lots of love for King + State.

Overall, I really appreciated the flow of this space (granted I was not here during a peak rush hour), but there is ample seating, something sorely lacking in many establishments like this. I also think it’s a smart mix of vendors that don’t compete with each other, and some recognizable ones among them to attract people. I hope Lakeland embraces it because I think overall, it is a thoughtfully curated space. The only thing that may be a pain point is parking. The Joinery regularly posts parking options on their Instagram stories so you can check that for guidance. Outside of their lot, there is street parking and other lots within short walking distance. If there were ever a place to take a stroll in Lakeland to get to your destination, it would be around Lake Mirror.

I can’t wait to go back and try the other vendor’s offerings.

The Joinery is located at 640 E. Main Street in Lakeland and the operating hours are as follows:

Monday - Thursday 11 AM - 10 PM

Friday and Saturday 11 AM - 11 PM

Sunday 11 AM - 8 PM

This is not a sponsored post for The Joinery, I was not invited by the establishment or the vendors to come and review it. All food and drinks were paid for personally and all images are property of LemonHearted Creative and cannot be used without consent.