Jacksonville is a paradise for foodies. The most populated city in Florida, with almost a million residents, Jax is home to various delicacies and cooking. If you’re planning to visit and check out the best restaurants in Jacksonville Florida and the various dishes they offer, here’s a list that might help.
Breakfast Food
Waffle House
Do you fancy a hearty breakfast with waffles, sandwiches, or cheese ‘n eggs? Or perhaps some good-old burgers, hashbrowns, and pies? Check out the Waffle House for more delightful breakfast-type choices to try out. They have 14 branches in Jax and all are open 24 hours. Find the one nearest to you and see why this American fast-food chain has been running successfully since 1955.
Operating Hours: Open 24 hours
Specialty: All-Star Special (Two Scrambled Eggs with Toast & Jelly; choice of Grits, Hashbrowns or Sliced Tomatoes; a Waffle and your choice of Bacon, Sausage or City Ham)
Website: https://www.wafflehouse.com/
Maple Street Biscuit Company
If waffles are not your thing, then how about some biscuits? The Maple Street Biscuit Company offers amazing breakfast options, a great number of which are freshly prepared biscuits. Check out their menu and start your day with some delicious comfort food, pastries, and great coffee. This popular breakfast place is open every day from 7:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Head on over to San Marco Boulevard to dine in their restaurant or pick your order up from there.
Address: 2004 San Marco Blvd, Jacksonville FL
Operating Hours: Daily 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Phone: (904) 389-1004
Specialty: Plain Flaky Biscuit with Apple Butter or B2 Jam, The Squawking Goat, Iced Pecan Maple Biscuit, The Farmer
Website: https://www.maplestreetbiscuits.com/
Metro Diner
The Metro Diner offers traditional American breakfast – waffles, pancakes, some bacon and eggs, omelets, burgers, and sandwiches. If this is the type of dish you’re currently craving, then you can get it anytime at Metro Diner. They serve breakfast food even after breakfast hours. They’re open from 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
You can choose from any of their branches – San Marco, Ortega, Southside, or Mandarin – to see which one is closest to you. Check out their full menu here.
Branches: Mandarin, Orange Park, Ortega, Ponte Vedra Beach, San Marco Southside, Jacksonville Beach
Operating Hours: Daily 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Phone: (904) 389-1004
Specialty: toasts, omelets, sandwiches, chicken and waffles
Website: https://metrodiner.com/
French and Italian
Maggiano’s Little Italy
Maggiano’s Little Italy is the go-to place for pasta and Italian food. With a wide range of choices for pasta, salads, chicken, and seafood dishes to choose from, you will spend more time choosing your food than finishing them. Found at Mid Town Parkway, it’s just a few steps away from St. John’s Town Center – making it the perfect place to rest and eat in between shopping.
In case you’re wondering, they’re open every day from 10:45 to 10 on most days, except for Sunday when they close early at 9:00. Check their menu here.
Address: St. Johns Town Center, 10367 Midtown Pkwy., Jacksonville
Operating Hours:
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- Monday – Thursday (11 a.m. to 10 p.m.)
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- Friday – Saturday (11 a.m. to 11 p.m.)
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- Sunday (11 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.)
Phone no:
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- (904) 380-4360 – for reservation
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- (904) 380-4370 – for carryout
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- (904) 380-4382 – for event space reservation
Website: https://www.maggianos.com/
Restaurant Orsay
If you want fine dining, then you should definitely check out Restaurant Orsay. This French bistro serves creative Parisian cuisine for a local fine dining experience with a touch of Southern warmth. Their menu is quite extensive, offering choices from brunch to dinner to nightcap cocktails. They also provide vegan dishes, a raw bar, and plenty of wines to choose from.
However, if you’re bringing your partner here for a quiet meal and the perfect opportunity to get down on one knee, then you might want to rethink this option. Restaurant Orsay is a pretty popular place and finding that peaceful and quiet moment (to pop the question) might not be as easy as you think. But, if you’re willing to try, you can book a spot and time with them. They are open from Tuesdays to Thursdays (4:00 to 10:00 PM), Fridays (4:00 PM – 12 midnight), Saturdays (11:00 AM to 12 midnight), and Sundays (11:00 AM – 4:00 PM).
Address: 3630 Park Street, Jacksonville
Operating Hours:
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- Tuesday – Thursday (4 p.m. to 10 p.m.)
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- Friday (4 p.m. to 12 midnight)
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- Saturday (11 a.m. to 12 midnight)
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- Sunday (11 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
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- Monday (closed)
Phone no: (904) 381-0909
Website: https://www.restaurantorsay.com/
Enza’s Italian Restaurant
If you happen to be in the Mandarin Landing on San Jose Boulevard (or somewhere near it), you can try Enza’s Italian Restaurant. Their menu consists of traditional Italian cuisine – salads, pasta, soup, pizza, chicken, and seafood dishes. Plus, dinner times at Enza’s are made special with live music.
If you’re interested in an Italian dinner complete with a live band performance, consider checking out Enza’s Italian Restaurant. They are open every day from 4:00 PM to 9:30 PM except on Mondays (closed).
Address: 10601 San Jose Blvd #109, Jacksonville
Operating Hours:
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- Tuesday – Thursday (4:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.)
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- Friday – Saturday (4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.)
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- Sunday (4:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.)
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- Monday (closed)
Phone no: (904) 268-4458
Website: https://www.enzas.net/
Asian food
Hawker’s Asian Street Food (also known as Hawkers 5 Points)
Hawker’s is the perfect place to go if you are craving Chinese, Malay, Korean, or Thai food. They have an extensive collection of dim sum, noodles, rolls, salads, and rice dishes. They offer delivery, pick-up, and dine-in options. However, the place is usually packed, so reservations might be a good idea. Also, parking is often difficult so getting dropped off there might be more convenient than bringing a car.
If you are closer to Neptune Beach, you can visit Hawker’s Neptune Beach instead. It’s their second branch in Jax and they offer the same menu. Both branches open at 11 AM and close at 10 PM, except for Fridays and Saturdays when they close at 11 PM.
Address:
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- 1001 Park St. Jacksonville (5-Points)
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- 241 Atlantic Blvd. Neptune (Neptune Beach)
Operating Hours:
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- Sunday – Wednesday (11 a.m. to 10 p.m.)
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- Thursday – Saturday (11 a.m. to 11 p.m.)
Phone no:
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- (904) 508-0342 – 5-Points
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- (904) 425-1025 – Neptune Beach
Website:
Kaika Teppanyaki Grill and Asian Fusion
Kaika, as most locals call it, is another great restaurant to go to in Jax if you’re looking for that Asian taste. They offer a fantastic and entertaining service, a wide variety of Asian dishes (Japanese, Malaysian, and Thai), wines, beers, sake, and signature cocktails.
Kaika is open on weekdays from 11:00 AM to 2:30 PM and from 4:30 PM to 9:00 PM. It closes at 10 PM though on Fridays. Weekend hours start at noon and end at 10 PM on Saturdays and 9 PM on Sundays. You can also order online for pickups or deliveries.
Address: 1012-1 Margaret Street, Jacksonville
Operating Hours:
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- Monday – Thursday (11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.) (closed from 2:30 – 4:30 p.m.)
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- Friday (11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.) (closed from 2:30 – 4:30 p.m.)
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- Saturday (12:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.)
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- Sunday (12:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.)
Phone no: (904) 355-5168
Website: http://www.kaikajax.com/contact-us/
P.F. Chang’s
Located at the busy St. Johns Town Center, P.F.Chang’s is a popular choice for locals and tourists looking to taste Asian food in Jax. The restaurant offers plenty of drinks, dim sum, soups, noodles, sushi, rolls, and a wide mix of Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Malaysian, and Thai dishes.
The restaurant is open from 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM every Monday to Thursday, and from 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM on Fridays and Saturdays, then from 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM on Sundays. You can also book a reservation since the place gets full during dinnertime, or order online and get your food delivered straight to your doorsteps.
Address: 10281 Midtown Pkwy. #137 Jacksonville
Operating Hours:
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- Monday – Thursday (11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.)
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- Friday – Saturday (11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.)
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- Sunday (11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.)
Phone no: (904) 641-3392
Website: https://www.pfchangs.com/
Bar and Grill
The Bearded Pig (Southern BBQ and Beer Garden)
If you are looking for some grilled food, you might want to check out The Bearded Pig. It offers a traditional Southern taste and some of the best grilled meat dishes and BBQ in Jax. They have two branches in Jax – one on King Avenue, in the San Marco neighborhood, and the other one at Jax Beach on 3rd Street South. Both branches are closed on Mondays but are open from 11 AM to 9 PM on all other days except Fridays and Saturdays (when they close at 10 PM).
Address:
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- 1808 Kings Ave, Jacksonville (San Marco)
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- 1700 3rd St South, Jacksonville (Jax Beach)
Operating Hours:
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- Monday (closed)
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- Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday (11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.)
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- Friday, Saturday (11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.)
Phone no:
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- (904) 619-2247 San Marco
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- (904) 518-3915 Jax Beach
Website: https://thebeardedpigbbq.com/
Dave and Buster’s
If you’re looking for a sports bar with good old American food and beer, then you should check out Dave and Buster’s along Salisbury Road. They offer not just great food but also a ton of activities that can be enjoyed by the whole family – arcade games, virtual reality games, and even bowling. The place opens every day at 11 AM and closes at midnight from Sundays to Tuesdays, or at 1:00 AM from Wednesdays to Fridays, or at 2:00 AM on Saturdays. If you’re not up for dining out, you can also order online for pickups and deliveries.
Address: 7025 Salisbury Rd, Jacksonville
Operating Hours:
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- Monday – Thursday (11:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight)
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- Friday – Saturday (11:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.)
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- Monday (10:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight)
Phone no: (904) 296-1525
Website: https://www.daveandbusters.com/us/en/home
Firebirds Wood Fired Grill
If you’re searching for a bar and grill with a more upscale setting, the Firebirds restaurant in the Town Center Parkway might be the one you’re looking for. Firebirds is an American Restaurant and Steakhouse that offers hand-cut, aged steaks, fresh seafood, crafted cocktails, and select wines. See their menu here for yourself.
They are open every day from 11 AM to 10 PM, except on Fridays and Saturdays when they close at 11 PM. Take note that there is a dress code to be followed if you’re going for the dine-in option – smart casual. However, if you want to eat at home in your PJs, they also offer curbside pickup and delivery.
These are just some of the most popular restaurants in Jacksonville Florida. If you’re willing to stay a bit longer and are not afraid to try out new things, there’s a lot more to discover in this bustling city. Foodie or not, if you give yourself a chance, you’ll enjoy the many tastes that Jax has to offer.
Address: 4826 Town Center Parkway Jacksonville
Operating Hours:
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- Sunday – Thursday (11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.)
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- Friday – Saturday (11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.)
Phone no: (904) 831-3950
Website: https://jacksonville.firebirdsrestaurants.com/
Frequently Asked Questions
When people talk about distinct food in Jacksonville Florida, Gullah Geechee Culinary specialties are always part of the conversation. Some of the more famous of these specialties include garlic crabs, seafood boil, shrimp and grits, Hoppin’ John, salmon patties, many rice dishes, she-crab soup, and barbecue.
No, they don’t have a dress code. You can wear whatever you like.
With its proximity to the Atlantic, Jacksonville has access to fresh seafood every day. This is probably why most restaurants in the city have seafood dishes to offer, and the biggest reason why their seafood delicacies taste exquisitely good.
Definitely. Foodies consider Jax as a paradise because of the number of dining options that the city offers. The mix of cultures also adds a special bonus to the dishes available in the city. In Jax, you can find everything from low-key eateries to fine dining in all parts of the city.
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