J Magazine Spring 2019

11
10
FULLER WARREN
BRIDGE
ACOSTA
BRIDGE
A DOZEN RIVER
VIEWS IN THE
URBAN CORE
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Cowford Chophouse
101 E. Bay St.
The River Club
1 Independent DRIVE
River City Brewing
Company
835 Museum CirCLE
Chart House
1501 Riverplace Blvd.
Ruth’s Chris Steak House
1201 Riverplace Blvd.
DoubleTree by Hilton
Jacksonville Riverfront
1201 Riverplace Blvd.
Museum of Science
and History
1025 Museum CirCLE
Intuition Ale Works
929 E. Bay St.
Burrito Gallery at
Brooklyn Station
90 Riverside Ave.
River & Post
1000 Riverside Ave.
Black Sheep
1534 Oak St.
The Jacksonville Landing
2 Independent DrIVE
9
2
12
MAIN ST.
BRIDGE
3
7
1
5 6
4
8
ST. JOHNS RIVER
N
location, perhaps William Morgan’s original
design of the Police Memorial Building could
return, which included a rooftop garden with
multiple terraces, plant beds, and a fountain.
Years ago, the publicly accessible rooftop park
was declared a security hazard and closed,
undercutting Morgan’s original vision.
It’s frustrating that there aren’t more public
places where you can eat or drink on the river in
Downtown Jacksonville.
“That’s the thing that bugs me,” said Heather
Adams, a resident of the Berkman Plaza condos.
“I live on the river, but there aren’t many places
where I can have a cocktail and a meal while
overlooking the river.”
The private University Club closed in 2016
after 48 years at 1301 Riverplace Blvd. The main
dining room and lounge on the 27th floor had
some of the most breathtaking 180-degree vistas
of the river. Now, only Ameris Bank executives
enjoy those views.
The night before I got married, we held
our rehearsal dinner at Crawdaddy’s on the
Southbank, one of the few restaurants with river
view at the time. A few years later, the shabby chic
shack was gone.
Construction to rebuild a portion of Coastline
Drive where it runs in front of the Hyatt Regency
has blocked what used to be a street-level river
view from Morton’s The Steakhouse inside the
hotel. I hope the outdoor seating at the corner of
Market Street and Coastline Drive will get its river
view back later this year.
For now, there are at least 12 places where you
can eat and drink in Downtown with a view of
the river. Some barely pass with scant view of the
water; some are eye-popping showstoppers. Each
one is rated on a scale of one to 10 on the quality
of the river view.
The Jacksonville Landing
Only three restaurants with river-level views
remain at this 32-year-old venue — Chicago Pizza,
Fionn MacCool’s and Hooters — and not for long.
Landing owners and the city recently announced
an agreement: If City Council approves, the city
will pay $15 million to terminate the owners’ longterm
lease, clearing the way for demolition and a
new use for that prime location. Stay tuned for a
possible new view of the river.
River view: H H H H H H H H H H
Price: $30 and under
River & Post
This is the highest restaurant glimpse of the
St. Johns River the public can enjoy without a
membership, and it is breathtaking. On the ninth
Perched high above the St. Johns
River in Five Points, River & Post’s
ninth-floor terrace offers stunning
views along with delicious cocktails.
BOB MACK
56
J MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019