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When I came to Jacksonville, I had no earthly idea what this city had to offer. The only things I knew about the Bold City were that it was two hours from my hometown of Orlando, and they had a middling-at-best and abysmal-at-worst football team.
Needless to say, I did not have high hopes for my adopted city.
Before I moved into my first-year shoebox, I had gotten a haircut back home from a former UNF student. We had discussed the typical barbershop pleasantries as he gave me one of the best beard trims I have ever received, complete with a hot towel. When I asked him what he liked about Jacksonville, the food scene was at the top of his list.
This immediately piqued my interest. I have been obsessed with food for all 23 years of my life. Everything about the culinary field—from cooking to flavor profiles to exploring the restaurants around me—has been one of the most consistent passions in my life. I immediately made it my mission to spend the next four years digging into the River City’s gastronomic delights.
I’m happy to report that my barber was correct—this city has some amazing food. After four years of exploration, here are my top five favorite culinary spots in Jacksonville, Fla.
Best Brewery: Ink Factory Brewing
[Ink Factory’s “Big Duval Energy” Imperial IPA (Ethan Leckie)]
Founded in 2021 by UNF alum Aaron Meisenheimer, Ink Factory Brewing serves up a constantly-changing and always-delicious selection of beers in Jacksonville Beach.
I came across this spot early in the fall semester, eager to dip my toes into Jacksonville’s craft beer scene. My personal favorite is their milk stout, “Into The Dark Vol. 2,” which tastes akin to a glass of white chocolate peanut butter cups.
Best Barbecue: The Bearded Pig
No assessment of a southern city’s culinary scene is complete without crowning a winner for best barbecue. In this regard, The Bearded Pig reigns supreme in the 904.
The establishment hails from humble beginnings in 2016, when founders Chad Munsey and Michael Schmidt opened their first location in the San Marco neighborhood. Since then, the restaurant has expanded to two locations, with the second having opened in Jacksonville Beach in 2021. Jacksonville’s take on the South’s greatest culinary tradition left me feeling full and grateful for my time in the city.
Best Late-night Spot: Kickbacks Gastropub
Looking for some quality grub after a night out? Kickbacks Gastropub has you covered. Since 2005 the establishment has been serving patrons in the Riverside and Avondale neighborhoods.
What makes this the premiere late-night munchies hub, though, are its operating hours. From 7 a.m. to 3 a.m., Kickbacks’s kitchen is open for business. Along with their otherworldly hours, the food ain’t too shabby. Their diverse—and sometimes head-scratching—selection of burgers and Cheesecake Factory-amount of menu options ensures crowds of every time of day are satisfied.
Best Coffee Shop: Jacksonville Coffee Company
As a student journalist, I am always in need of caffeine. Thankfully, Jacksonville Coffee Company has always had great options for eyebrow-raisingly low prices—no $8 lattes here! With three locations within a ten-minute drive from campus, they’ve become a great option when I want a locally sourced energy boost.
Best Student-Friendly Promotion: Buffalo Wild Wings “BOGO Boneless Thursdays”
No, I haven’t sold out to corporate interests—yet. However, I included this non-local chain in my list of Jacksonville’s best because, in full disclosure, I’m a little biased. The St. Johns Town Center location has been the site of many late-night, post-office meals with my good friend, Spinnaker Editor-in-Chief Madelyn Schneider.
In particular, we chose this spot to be our near-weekly haunt because of their famous BOGO Boneless Thursday promotion. In short, any order of boneless wings is doubled for free every Thursday. I don’t know about you, but 12 wings for less than $10 is a pretty sweet deal to me.
What I love about food is its ability to tell a story. Every part of the culinary process paints a picture, from the type of cuisine to where it’s served and what ingredients are used.
The idea of bringing together raw materials to form something delicious is an art form far too often overlooked. In our drive-through-laden, fast-casual world, I’m glad that there is at least one city that continues to use the kitchen as an anthology of our human story.
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