Orlando Pirates Visit the Citrus Club During Membership Appreciation Night
April 3, 2026
Coffee Shop Thoughts at Bynx Coffee in Orlando
Cafes are a window into a city’s soul. Locals buzz by, day-in and day-out, for their daily dose of artisanal lattes paired with croissant sandwiches. Everyone is there for a different reason, and there’s much you can learn just by asking your table neighbor about what they did today.
In Downtown Orlando, Bynx Coffee is a beloved third space that locals flock to. Bynx is a unique cafe as it houses not only a coffee shop, but also a record store, vintage market, recording studio, and performance space.
Orlando Life spent a Tuesday afternoon at Bynx with the goal of speaking to locals and cafe regulars to hear their thoughts and experiences about The City Beautiful and what brought them in.
Plain bagel with avocado
Hayden | Photo by Leah Lascano, Orlando Life
“My name’s Hayden (@haydonnes). I work at the dog store down the street, Eola Pets. I really like working there. Bynx is close to my job and also, I like the vibes in here. It’s very cozy, and they’ll just let you sit in, order, and work on stuff. It’s nice to just have a space to chill. I come here a lot.
I’ve been living in Orlando since August. I came from Philly, where I didn’t have a car, it was just walkable. So I moved to Downtown Orlando to be able to walk around still, because I love to walk. I love the weather here. I mean, everyone says that, but it’s so nice.
I really like it [in Downtown Orlando]. There’s a lot of artsy people; I originally went to school for animation, so I really like the art scene. I love seeing the murals, I did some mural painting on the side here recently, so I love seeing all the art. And, I love the Orlando Public Library and the farmer’s market.
Everyone I’ve met here has been so nice and welcoming. I’m new here, and everyone’s been so down to make friends, which is nice, because I feel like in this day and age it’s hard to make friends. You just have to know where to look and be willing to introduce yourself.
Orlando in three words: "Creative, diverse, and… can I say dogs? There’s dogs everywhere. There’s so many dogs, I love it.”
Iced matcha latte, cuban panini & oat milk latte
Left to right, Catrina Love Lace and Koko Momo | Photo by Leah Lascano, Orlando Life
While visiting from New York City, drag queens Koko Momo (right) and Catrina Love Lace (left) shared what brought them to Orlando.
KOKO (@kokomomocity): We’re in town for a drag pageant that I’m performing in, and Katrina is my drag mom. There are pre-lims all over the States. But we’re in the big week where all of the winners in the first alternates are doing their pre-lim nights. So Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday at Southern Nights, there’s the Comedy Queen Pre-Lims, so you do presentation, talent, and gown, and you’re judged on that. The final night with the top ten finalists is held at The Plaza Live.
CATRINA (@catrinalovelace): I love the gay nightlife culture in Orlando, everyone is very close knit. It’s a very tight community here, so it kind of reflects and mirrors what New York City nightlife is like.
KOKO: Yeah, it’s shocking to me because sometimes people are like “oh, Florida, you’ve gotta be careful”, but Orlando is such a beautiful bubble, and it feels very inclusive. Even in this coffee shop, we were like “Ah, this is kind of like Brooklyn!”
Iced latte, lightly sweetened, with whole milk and some vanilla syrup
Megan Reid | Photo by Leah Lascano, Orlando Life
“My name is Megan Reid (@meganreidhair), I’m a hairstylist. I’ve been doing it for about ten plus years now, and I work at Tres Ivanhoe Salon. Bynx is actually my family’s coffee shop.
I’m a mom, and I’m not very exciting as of late because I’m working at home, but when I go out, I love the Mills area and the Ivanhoe area, food and drinks wise. I love Santiago’s, GB’s Bottle Shop, The Strand, and their new bar, d.b.a.
I’ve been living in Downtown Orlando for probably about twelve years now. I like that there’s honestly a little bit of everything for everybody, I think that’s what’s really cool. Every area has something for literally anyone, and it’s super artsy too. I think people are really into culture and things to do around downtown, so I really like that.”
Love Potion Latte & iced mocha with vanilla cold foam
Left to right, Sophie Gooden and Mackenzie Beam | Photo by Leah Lascano, Orlando Life
Space Coast locals Sophie (left) and Mackenzie (right) shared their love for Orlando’s food scene, and what places keep them coming back for more.
“We come up to Orlando either once a week or every few weeks. It’s pretty diverse, we feel pretty comfortable walking around and everything. Everyone seems super chill and nice.
We really love Jinya Ramen. Lobos coffee is a good underrated spot too, it’s right by Stardust. Eola Wine Company too, that’s our favorite spot. They have lots of good appetizers, and a buffalo chicken flatbread that’s really good.”
Cold brew with sugar free vanilla, two stevias, and almond milk
Jordyn Strauss | Photo by Leah Lascano, Orlando Life
“My name is Jordyn (@scentedpeppermint). I’ve been living in Orlando for two years now, I think. I go to UCF, I transferred here from University of Tampa.
The dating scene in Orlando, I can’t lie, it’s rough. I mean, I haven’t really been actively looking, but I’ve been looking passively. There’s a ton of cool places to meet people, so if I really did want to find someone, there are ways to do it. A lot of coffee shops and cafes do speed dating events, or just events to meet people. I wouldn’t go by myself, I’m just very awkward. I find it hard to put myself out there, which is why I tend to rely on dating apps a lot. It kind of takes away the awkwardness of first talking to someone. If I were to go with a friend though, it would make me more likely to go to those events.
When people ask me where to go on a date I always recommend Stardust first, you have to stop at Stardust first, then Park Ave CDs, then The New Romantics, and end at East End Market. That’s the method, that’s where I take all my dates.
I feel like everyone I’ve dated in Orlando is so cool, it’s a bit like imposter syndrome. Everyone is just so interesting and they’re all here for a reason. Like if you’re in Orlando, you’re here for a goal, and it’s really interesting to just hear how every single person has been brought to this one place to achieve something, and I really like driven people.”
Downtown Orlando evidently brings in a wide variety of people from all over. Praised for its diversity and welcoming community, there is never a dull moment when it’s shared with an Orlando local. Bynx, and all of Orlando’s beloved coffee spots, are the third spaces we need and appreciate in an increasingly digital world.
Next time you find yourself spending time in your favorite coffee shop, talk to the person next to you! You’ll be surprised how much you can learn with just one conversation.
