Summer 2019

From Bellwether to Cowford Chophouse to
The Happy Grilled Cheese, eclectic restaurant
options are vital to Downtown’s livelihood
Great
downtowns are a smorgasbord for the senses.
They glisten and grind and waft vibrations of coolness
day and night. They exude vibrant diversity and
kitschy, artsy, organic realism without even trying.
And without a doubt, they smell like things are cooking,
whether from a late-night pizza stand, a taco
bus, or a Michelin-starred eatery.
On that last point, I have a grievance with you,
Downtown Jacksonville. I’ve given you nearly five
years of my work life, and I’ve even had a few novel
bites along the way to and from the office. But
through it all, I can’t help but feel the burners are
off in our urban core. How can we make it a true
culinary destination?
Just as winning sports teams and performance
venues are magnets for human activity, restaurants
have much the same effect. Having an abundant
mix of reputable eateries — fast-casual, sit-down,
upscale, ethnic, healthy — is vital to keeping people
interested in working Downtown, living Downtown,
moving hordes of their employees Downtown, and
telling others how much they love Downtown.
Great urban cores boast slurp-worthy ramen,
Indian buffets, doughnuts and sashimi, Barcelona-grade
tapas, artery-aggravating soul food,
pre-concert fuel and late-night not-ready-to-gohome
greasy fries, food halls, old-school ice cream
shops, and sandwich masterpieces from smarmy
service stations.
On one hand, I feel it’s all within reach here in
Cowford. But the ones that have it press up against
our urban core, harass it, lean in suggestively and
whisper, “Don’t you want a taste?”
In Brooklyn, I visit fast-casual trifecta Vale Food
Co., BurgerFi and Zoe’s Kitchen, and occasionally,
“daytime café” First Watch or Burrito Gallery’s
rooftop. But just try to walk there from the core and
you’ll easily blow up your lunch hour and a good
pair of shoes.
Same goes with Southbank treats bb’s, The
Bearded Pig, Clara’s Tidbits, Sake House, The
Southern Grill, The Wine Cellar, Ruth’s Chris, The
Charthouse or River City Brewing Company. Extra
points to the latter three for touting riverfront views
— though dated interiors — and The Bearded Pig for
its enclosed kids’ area. I’ve enjoyed bb’s for years, but
it’s not pedestrian-friendly from the Northbank.
Activity, density,
connectivity
So why are these gems just out of Downtown’s
reach? The simple fact is that restaurants are but a single
piece of what makes urban districts thrive. To fully
understand the dearth of culinary options north of the
St. Johns, I chalk it up to three of Downtown’s chronic
syndromes: lack of activity, density and connectivity.
First, the activity. In most of Downtown after 5 p.m.
and on weekends, street-level activity sputters to a
dim hum. Nightlife is limited. Events are sporadic, but
not consistent. Sports events to the core’s east hardly
register due to the chasm that is our jail and police department,
not to mention the hulking skeleton of a condominium
that creates a virtual east-west checkpoint.
A popular restaurant (or restaurants) theoretically
should drive traffic to an area. Ongoing programming
— daily and nightly, not just weekly or monthly —
should drive traffic, too. Marry the two in regular ceremonies,
and the guests will soon follow. Then throw
in a bodega or standard grocery to appeal to would-be
residents.
Anthony Hashem, owner of fast-casual eatery The
Happy Grilled Cheese on Hogan Street, echoes this
sentiment. “The gorgeous apartments going in one
block from us on Adams Street [Continued on page 90]
« Giovanni Roman, front of house director at Cowford Chophouse, inspects glassware on the table settings before customers arrive.
SUMMER 2019 | J MAGAZINE 25