Spanning miles of scenic waterfront, Downtown Jacksonville is a delight to explore on foot, and for when you’re in need of re-energising, there’s some top-notch food spots here, too.
(Photo: Estrella Cocina)
The Floridian city’s main business district and historic core combine the hustle and bustle of commuter life with a tranquil riverside atmosphere and a sprinkling of cultural attractions. If you’re planning to venture into Downtown and would like to find somewhere to eat while here, there is a fine spread of options awaiting you, from casual eateries through to gourmet dining destinations. We’ve picked out 7 of the best below.
Plan your trip: If you need a parking space in downtown Jacksonville, check out this article.
Estrella Cocina
The big, bold flavours of authentic Baja-Mexican cuisine are the name of the game at Estrella Cocina, a funky restaurant and lounge with a hip and happening rooftop bar. Situated on the 7th floor of the Vystar Campus skyscraper in the heart of downtown, the venue combines top-quality food with scenic views of the city skyline and St. Johns River. All-day dining is available from brunch onwards – although the later sittings might be more appropriate for the range of speciaity cocktails served up by the gifted bar staff.
100 W Bay St Ste 701
St John’s Dining Room at The River Club
(Photo: The River Club)
Established in 1954 as one of Jacksonville’s premier dining destinations, the members-only River Club boasts a rich heritage. But this is far from somewhere that has rested on its laurels, with its St. Johns Dining Room continuing to attract a steady stream of well-heeled diners for everything from business luncheons for impressing clients to special occasions. Towering above downtown at the Wells Fargo Center, showcasing picture-postcard views of the city and its buzzing waterfront, the food here is gourmet to a fault, both in terms of quality and presentation – as is, indeed, the attire of its clientele, with jackets and shirts with collars required for gentlemen, and ties preferred.
Wells Fargo Center, 1 Independent Dr # 3500
Morton’s The Steakhouse
It’s fair to say that Morton’s has come a long way since opening its first restaurant in Chicago back in 1978. Today it has grown to become one of America’s most famous steakhouse franchises, renowned for its USDA prime-aged beef, succulent seafood, signature sides and other traditional fare, along with extensive wine menus. The Jacksonville branch of the upscale eatery can be found at the Hyatt Regency hotel, where it draws meat lovers in their droves who come to savour the top-class food, relaxed ambience and attentive service from waiters who stand ready to answer your every foodie question.
Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfron, 225 E Coastline Dr
Bellwether
(Photo: Bellwether)
Farm-to-table fare has experienced a major boom in recent years as consumers have become more conscious of their eco-footprint and the benefits of locally sourced produce. Featuring outdoor dining and a full bar, this refined but relaxed restaurant is Jacksonville’s contribution to this growing trend, featuring minimalist décor and a menu centred on thoughtfully crafted, fresh food that took the fast-track to your plate having been grown and sown just miles away. The core menu also expands seasonally to include dishes that reflect emerging regional trends and flavours.
117 W Forsyth St
De Real Ting Café
Close your eyes and focus on the Caribbean flavours and background of reggae music and you could easily imagine yourself to be ensconced deep in the tropics, rather than surrounded by the urban paraphernalia of downtown Jacksonville. That’s the magic of De Real Ting, a cheery café serving up an intoxicating mix of classic Caribbean delicacies and dishes such as jerk chicken, oxtail stew and conch fritters, often against a toe-tapping backdrop of live music and revellers dancing the night away. For sheer sensory overload, there’s nowhere quite like this in the city.
Juliette’s Bistro
(Photo: Juliette’s Bistro)
It’s tempting to avoid the phrase ‘fine dining’ when it comes to describing this delightfully warm and welcoming bistro at the Omni Hotel, lest it give the wrong impression, but there’s no denying the elegance and flair that go into the food here. Self-styled as offering elevated American cuisine with a quintessentially Southern touch, the all-day dining room manages to pull off the neat trick of being both chic and informal, stylish but unstuffy, modern but characterful, all at once. It works a treat – as evidenced by the challenge in store for anyone seeking to book a table here at short notice.
128 W Adams St
Cowford Chophouse
Carnivorous types have not one but two high-end steakhouses in downtown Jacksonville that are guaranteed to satisfy their meaty yearnings. Along with the aforementioned Morton’s, there’s also the Cowford Chophouse, a stylish restaurant housed within a bank building dating back to the start of the 20th century. Named after the city’s original moniker which came from the narrow point in the St. Johns River where settlers would ford the river with their cattle, the eatery serves up tantalising steaks and seafood dishes in the main dining room where guests can luxuriate in a refined setting featuring high ceilings and arched windows, before venturing up to the rooftop bar for a post-dinner nightcap.
101 E Bay St