Bib Gourmand Zaru, an udon shop in Orlando, is stylish, with imperial red shelving stocked with swirly noodle bowls and pops of neon on the walls. You’d never know you were dining in the former frozen goods section of a supermarket.
That is, unless you’re one of the many Central Florida locals who watched the Tien Hung Market, a beloved neighborhood Asian mart, transform into Mills Market, where Zaru and a host of other MICHELIN-favorite restaurants have set up shop.
Reopened last year by husband-and-wife restaurateurs Johnny Tung and Cecilia Nguyen, Mills Market regularly draws all day lines at its half-dozen stalls, showcasing cuisines from across Asia prepped in the hands of an expert chef team.
At Kai Kai, Jerry and Jackie Lau handcraft dim sum beside a case of glistening barbecued meats. At UniGirl, William Shen makes Japanese onigiri rice triangles to order with an ever-changing list of options for fillings.
“It really touches on the history of Little Saigon and the Vietnamese community here in Orlando, but the next phase of the market is bringing Japanese food, Chinese food, and more,” Tung says. “It really caters to where Orlando is going as a melting pot of great cultures.”
Tien Hung Market first opened in 1986 in the Mills 50 neighborhood of Orlando, where Vietnamese immigrants arriving after the war had formed a Little Saigon community. In 1998, Nguyen’s parents set up a small jewelry repair store within the market.
The original supermarket space was a warren of products from the old country: aisles of dry goods, a butcher shop, fish counter, and Bánh Mì Boy, a popular sandwich stall making the traditional herby baguette subs.
When the owner of Tien Hung Market decided to retire, Nguyen was crestfallen – and determined to carry on the market's legacy.
“I took over from my parents – I am the next generation of the jewelry store – so I was like, ‘Oh no, absolutely not.’ I grew up here. It has so many memories,” she says.
With her husband, whose Bento Group has established itself as one of the state’s most successful restaurant groups, they moved into the property in 2023 with a goal of keeping it rooted in authentic regional offerings.
As they refurbished, a plan to demolish the space in favor of a trendy, new food hall was dismissed.
“We wanted to keep the charm and the original layout of the market and really not deter the people that have been coming here for decades,” Tung says.
Bánh Mì Boy made the transition, too. Today, the restaurant is run by Chef Hung Huynh, a Top Chef winner, who has built a menu of classics and twists, like a French dip version that comes with a side of pho broth.
With the market’s stalls sharing a kitchen and other common areas, they are not above some healthy synergy, either. For the roast duck bánh mì, crisped up fowl from Kai Kai is served on a fresh-baked Bánh Mì Boy loaf with all the fixings: homemade pate, cucumbers, cilantro, and hoisin sauce.
Up next for Mills Market, a speakeasy whisky bar and plans for night market events with a DJ and after-party vibes.
“One of my favorite things when people come into the market is everyone saying, ‘Oh my gosh, I went there with my grandma when I was little and I'm bringing my family there now,’” Nguyen says. “It’s a nostalgic place, but also innovative and moving forward with what the new generation wants.”
Hero image: Mills Market / Mills Market Crowd
