John Valentino buys The French Pantry. Plans being made for second location

[Captain Zissou]

I don't know if I can wait 2 years, but when the riverside location opens I expect it will be amazing.  2016-2017 will be some amazing food years for Jax.  (2015 isn't bad either. I'm headed up to Gilbert's Underground Kitchen ASAP)

[TheCat]

Pretty exciting time for Jacksonville's dining scene. More details:

http://jacksonville.com/entertainment/food-and-dining/2015-07-30/story/new-era-lunch-landmark

Looks like the current location will not change, and they are looking in the riverside area for location number two (which will have dinner service and a bar).  Awesome news - and a great article on the now former owners

Good.

Maybe and hopefully, Valentino picks a spot that draws the ire of Riverside Avondale Preservation and We Love Avondale (if they still exist).

[MusicMan]

Location in Riverside?  Kind of a bummer. Riverside already has more restaurants than it can realistically support. Do love French Pantry, though. Getting it anywhere closer in to Downtown or one of the historic districts will be good.

[CityLife]

Location in Riverside?  Kind of a bummer. Riverside already has more restaurants than it can realistically support. Do love French Pantry, though. Getting it anywhere closer in to Downtown or one of the historic districts will be good.

The dining scene in Riverside is not supported by just the neighborhood though. Its a regional draw and pulls people from all over NE Fla.

I think its better for Jax to have a few true regional dining destinations like Riverside/Avondale, San Marco, and Beaches Town Center than to have all the good restaurants scattered around town. Winter Park for instance is probably the equivalent of combining all 3 of the aforementioned places into one, and it is a huge asset to Orlando. 

[TheCat]

Pretty exciting time for Jacksonville's dining scene. More details:

http://jacksonville.com/entertainment/food-and-dining/2015-07-30/story/new-era-lunch-landmark

Looks like the current location will not change, and they are looking in the riverside area for location number two (which will have dinner service and a bar).  Awesome news - and a great article on the now former owners

Good.

Maybe and hopefully, Valentino picks a spot that draws the ire of Riverside Avondale Preservation and We Love Avondale (if they still exist).

Just to clarify, I meant this in terms of Valentino getting a bit of sophomoric payback by building/restoring something awesome without regard to those two organization.

[acme54321]

Location in Riverside?  Kind of a bummer. Riverside already has more restaurants than it can realistically support. Do love French Pantry, though. Getting it anywhere closer in to Downtown or one of the historic districts will be good.

It can support as many as can stay open.  So far there seems to be plenty of support because new restaurants keep opening and staying open.

[MusicMan]

Fair point. I'm mean there is that Wendy's in the middle of Five Points, and although it is the worst run place I can think of, it's still open.

[dp8541]

Fair point. I'm mean there is that Wendy's in the middle of Five Points, and although it is the worst run place I can think of, it's still open.

Now that would be a great location for the new French Pantry

[Adam White]

Fair point. I'm mean there is that Wendy's in the middle of Five Points, and although it is the worst run place I can think of, it's still open.

Probably because it does a fairly decent amount of business?