Top 25 Restaurants in Jacksonville, 2010

[simms3]

Jacksonville Magazine puts out its annual list at the end of each year.  You can find the list with descriptions, reviews, pictures, prices, and menu items here:

Jacksonville Magazine Top 25 for 2010

They judge on cleanliness, pleasant decor, value, consistency, friendly service, and taste.  The restaurants are in the urbanized Jacksonville area (the core, Southside, Northside, Beaches, Julington Creek, Orange Park, etc).  St. Augustine, Amelia Island, and outlying areas are not included.

The 2010 List

1) 13 Gypsies in Avondale
Was featured on Guy Fieri's "Diners Drive Ins and Dives"

2) 619 Ocean View in Sawgrass Marriott, Ponte Vedra

3) Aqua Grill in Sawgrass Village, Ponte Vedra

4) b.b.'s in San Marco
Can attest to this...great desserts

5) Biscotti's in Avondale
Can attest to this...great desserts like b.b.'s and closest thing we have to a loud New York style restaurant

6) Bistro Aix in San Marco (Chef Tom Gray is widely known in the culinary world)
Can attest...one of the coolest/trendiest restaurants in town

7) Blackstone Grille in Julington Creek

Blue Bamboo on the Southside

9) Brick Restaurant in Avondale
I have had no problems in my time going there, but the food isn't exactly the most consistent...fun fun place though!

10) Chew Restaurant in Downtown
I have heard some great things about this one...Jonathan Insetta has two restaurants on this list...see Orsay

11) Dwight's Bistro in Jacksonville Beach
Decent...don't remember it much

12) Eleven South in Jacksonville Beach

13) Lemongrass Restaurant in Baymeadows

14) Marker 32 near Jacksonville Beach on the ICW
Decent, seemed kind of pricey when I went, but maybe it's worth it?

15) Matthew's in San Marco (consistently rated among the top in the state)
Experience varies here.  Smaller portions for sure.  Bring a fat wallet.

16) Meza Luna in Neptune Beach
Worthy.

17) Nineteen at the TPC Sawgrass (the former White House chef just acted as a guest chef there for a few days)
I'm dying to try this place out.

18) North Beach Bistro in Atlantic Beach

19) Ocean 60 in Atlantic Beach
All I know is that my parents and their 55-65 year old friends love this place, especially for the drinks.

20) Pastiche in Avondale
A worthy little secret.  Very very small, but definitely very exquisite and has a lot of savory food (borderline sweet).

21) Restaurant Orsay in Avondale
Some say it's the best French in town, but I forgot about Pastiche.  They are near each other and both are actually really really good.  Pastiche caters.

22) River City Brewing Company in Downtown
Cliche, but this is one of my favorite restaurants in town.  I have never been let down by the food or the service.  The service may be the best I have experienced in Jacksonville and you can't beat the view.

23) The Row in Riverside

24) Sorrento near San Marco

25) Zaitoon Mediterranean Grille in Atlantic Beach


2009 Jacksonville Restaurant Hall of Fame Inductees:

-Beach Road Chicken Diners
I went to Episcopal...I ate here *a lot* LoL

-Bobo's Pit BBQ
(I don't think Jax has any good BBQ)

-Chart House Restaurant
We are fortunate to have one, but for such a place the crowd is absolutely tasteless.

-Chizu Japanese Steak and Seafood

-The Hilltop

-The Homestead
mmmmmmmmm, yummy...a Jacksonville staple since the 40s

-Giovanni's Restaurant
Heard it closed, but I guess not?

-O'Steen's Restaurant

-Ragtime Tavern and Seafood Grill
Used to go here more often when I was younger...very lively place

-Wine Cellar
Definitely a fixture...along with the old Grotto which is now closed I think

Amelia Island

-29 South

-Beech Street Grill
Best restaurant in Amelia Island methinks

-Espana

-Joe's 2nd Street Bistro

-PLAE

Orange Park

-Blu Grotto Trattoria and Pizzeria

-Sarnelli's Ristorante
Worthy of a mention

-Sorbello's
Also worthy of a mention

-Thai Garden

-Whitey's Fish Camp
Oh yea, a take your boat, all you can eat, fried and grilled seafood Jacksonville staple!

Saint Augustine

-Bistro de Leon

-Collage

-Opus 39
I have heard great things about it

-Present Moment Cafe

-The Reef

(Bye bye 95 Cordova, you were the best Saint Augustine had).

A Few of Jacksonville's Favorite Chain Restaurants

-Bonefish Grill
-Roy's (same Jax Beach shopping center as the above restaurant)
-Morton's Steakhouse (first time I had a souffle was here)
-Ruth's Chris (has never let me down)
-Melting Pot
-The Capital Grille
-Cantina Laredo
-Mitchell's Fish Market (this and the above 2 are at SJTC...a new popular restaurant place...and I can attest to all three)
-Shula's 347 (something else now)

A Couple Restaurants that Need to Be Mentioned Somewhere

-La Cena...easily the best Italian in town.  Moderately expensive, small, and quaint.  In downtown.

-Medure in Ponte Vedra (I mean if you're going to mention Matthew's, might as well)

-Salt...the restaurant at the Ritz Carlton and the only local restaurant to be awarded 5 stars (I know portions are really small, but someone else recently told me that food was over-seasoned...appropriate for the title I guess)

Tidbits, Interesting Facts, and Private Dining Experiences Everyone Should Try to Try

-Ponte Vedra Inn and Club's pastry chef made it very far on the first, and so far only season of Top Chef: Just Desserts.  Her name is Erika Davis.

-The former White House chef was recently in town to guest chef at the TPC Sawgrass

-Former Top Chef contender and former head chef at Salt at the Ritz Carlton is back in town to open his first of an exclusive chain of upscale seafood/Carribean inspired restaurants.

-Some of the best chefs (some with storied histories) in town cook for Ponte Vedra, Florida Yacht Club, River Club, Epping Forest, Timucuana, and San Jose.  Try to get a meal at any of these places when you can.


Now Add Your Own Reviews! 

[Clem1029]

Two comments mainly based on comparisons...

1) Not sure how Ragtime's gets a mention, but even the St. Aug section leaves A1A Ale Works Out.

2) Not sure how Whitey's (which is FANTASTIC IMHO) gets a mention and Clark's (with a much more diverse menu and incomparable environment) get's left out.

[dougskiles]

Taverna, in San Marco Square, needs to be on this list.  Great service, atmosphere and food.  One of the few places in Jacksonville where you can get the european outdoor dining experience.

And on top of all that, the owners are very involved in the community and regularly donate food and time to charitable events.

http://www.tavernasanmarco.com/home.html

[KenFSU]

Both Giovanni's and The Homestead have closed.

[copperfiend]

And the newest version of The Homestead was terrible. Took some out of towners there this past October on a week night. There maybe three other tables in the place and our food took an hour. And the food was pretty mediocre at best. The owner blamed the road construction for the closure but the construction didn't seem to cause any lost business for Angie's Subs.

[ChriswUfGator]

Not sure how 13 gypsies is first on the list? I mean their food's OK (well the sandwiches and risottos are anyway, the tapas is often poorly done with subpar ingredients) but to compare that to an Orsay or an AIX or a Taverna and say it's #1 is really something of a stretch. I just don't see it anyway. And ragtime? Seriously? Top 25? Home of the watered down cocktails and wilted lettuce? Something's hokey with this list, like some undisclosed advertising arrangements.

[ben says]

Not sure how 13 gypsies is first on the list? I mean their food's OK (well the sandwiches and risottos are anyway, the tapas is often poorly done with subpar ingredients) but to compare that to an Orsay or an AIX or a Taverna and say it's #1 is really something of a stretch. I just don't see it anyway. And ragtime? Seriously? Top 25? Home of the watered down cocktails and wilted lettuce? Something's hokey with this list, like some undisclosed advertising arrangements.

I completely disagree...I think 13 Gypsies is the most unique restaurant we have in Jacksonville. I don't know where they source their ingredients...but I do think their menu is creative, and the food outstanding. Anytime I have out of town visitors I bring them here, and all agree, this restaurant could be in any major city in America.

I cannot, cannot believe The Brick made this list. I can't say more without going into a rant. On another note, while bb's and Biscotti's are good, I do not think they warrant being in the top 5. Maybe because I've been eating at these places for 10+ years, but they are starting to resemble The Brick for me, i.e. "For the love of god please update your menu". I don't think either restaurant would be a top 25 establishment in any city but Jacksonville.

I remember Marker 32 being amazing (back in the day). Went there recently, and I do believe they are overpriced, and pretty average.

River City Brewing Company? Really? Put them in ANY location but where they are, and I guarantee they wouldn't be so esteemed.

Food for thought!

[Miss Fixit]

This list was never intended to rank restaurants from 1 to 25; it is simply a list of the top 25 in no particular order.  I think 13 Gypsies deserves its mention.  Agree with many of the others, but Taverna should be there and the Brick should not.  Not sure exactly what the "2009 Hall of Fame Inductees" represents but while I agree that the quality of Ragtime's food has declined it was certainly a pioneering bar/restaurant when it opened and has hung in there for many years!

[The Compound]

UGH, River City Brewing, Really!?
That is the worst restaurant in the Downtown/SanMarco/Avondale/Riverside area.
I have NEVER had good food or service there. The service has always been horrible, and the management is very rude.
The ONLY thing going for it is the location.

[ben says]

This list was never intended to rank restaurants from 1 to 25; it is simply a list of the top 25 in no particular order.  I think 13 Gypsies deserves its mention.  Agree with many of the others, but Taverna should be there and the Brick should not.  Not sure exactly what the "2009 Hall of Fame Inductees" represents but while I agree that the quality of Ragtime's food has declined it was certainly a pioneering bar/restaurant when it opened and has hung in there for many years!

Oops, didn't realize it wasn't a 1-25 ranking. Regardless, I agree...The Brick needs off, and needs off quickly. And I don't mean to be overtly negative, but jeez, what a sad state of affairs this town's food scene is in when places like bb's and Biscotti's (essentially the same place) are in a top 25 list. Being busy and trendy, while maintaining the same menu for 10+ years, isn't a sign of anything good!

[ben says]

UGH, River City Brewing, Really!?
That is the worst restaurant in the Downtown/SanMarco/Avondale/Riverside area.
I have NEVER had good food or service there. The service has always been horrible, and the management is very rude.
The ONLY thing going for it is the location.

Amen.
Honestly, the food makes me gag. Wouldn't go there if you paid me. Terrible vibes too, like I'm stuck in some horrible early to mid 90's restaurant. Oy.

[simms3]

^^^Trendy and modern it is not, but I have never had a bad experience there.  One time food came out wrong, and it was fixed immediately with the utmost courtesy.  Maybe I got lucky.

Just a sidenote, I did not make the list and it isn't ranked from 1-25...it's alphabetical.  I agree a few restaurants (especially the Brick and there are a few I haven't even heard of) could be taken off and perhaps a few others added.  I, too, don't know what the Inductees are, I just put them out there straight from Jacksonville Magazine.

Also, we are talking about Jacksonville's restaurants and food scene here.  Of course it is dismal compared to Atlanta, DC, Miami, or New York.  We don't have rich chefs with rich investors who are going to front for some modern restaurant that seats at least 100 and has a daily changing menu of only the finest ingredients prepared by Tom Colicchio or Jean-Georges Vongerichten.  I still think we could do worse, though.

[The Compound]

I think 'town should definitely be on the list.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

Oops, didn't realize it wasn't a 1-25 ranking. Regardless, I agree...The Brick needs off, and needs off quickly. And I don't mean to be overtly negative, but jeez, what a sad state of affairs this town's food scene is in when places like bb's and Biscotti's (essentially the same place) are in a top 25 list. Being busy and trendy, while maintaining the same menu for 10+ years, isn't a sign of anything good!

What's even worse, is that both restaurants are better known for their desserts and not their food.  Their desserts were purchased from french pantry and sheila's cakes for the last decade, until they opened their bakery in MH.  I don't go in there much anymore, so I can't tell you the ratio of in-house desserts to buy-out desserts today, but it used to be 100% buy-out.

[ben says]

^^Agree with both the last two statements.

And I hate when people beat about the same statements over and over again, but the food scene here is something can change overnight. It's OK to compare our food scene with others, because unlike the downtown issue, these things are malleable. Look how many great restaurants have popped up in the past few years. 13 Gypsies, 'town, etc. A little comparison is healthy.