Summer 2019

Hunger Games
Continued from page 25
are about to open with no grocery store, nowhere to eat after 5 p.m.,
and you can’t walk two steps without getting asked for change.”
He cites safety as a concern. “At night there are zero eyes on the
street and zero feet on the ground patrol-wise for safety. There is no
revitalization until there are people in the urban core 24 hours a day
— living, working, shopping, eating, drinking and partying.
“Operating a small business Downtown has often proven more
challenging than it should be,” Hashem added. “The policies and the
actions being taken to overregulate Downtown business are dissuading
growth. I plan on having restaurants all over the city, and I hope
that Downtown can be a thriving part of The Happy Grilled Cheese’s
future. As a Jacksonville native, I plan on doing business and living in
Jacksonville for the rest of my life.”
Then there’s density, or lack of it. If Downtown had closely
clustered pockets of noteworthy restaurants, bars, office and retail
— bonafide entertainment districts with their own monikers — we
would thrive. Our limited options are spread well beyond a casual
walk and not well connected, especially for those unfamiliar with
Downtown.
Every good Downtown has a walkable street that’s lined — on
both sides — with bars and restaurants. For those wanting to attend a
concert and grab dinner or drinks at, say, Cowford Chophouse, it’s a
secluded walk afterward to the venue. Florida Theatre and Times-
Union Center, maybe. Daily’s Place, no. No one is going to hoof it in
STRIVING FOR SOMETHING
The NEW Teen Center and Swimming Pool
at the Johnson Family YMCA
LEARN MORE AT
FCYMCA.org
business attire from drinks at Morton’s The Steakhouse at the Hyatt
to dinner at BurgerFi. Same goes for drinks at Dos Gatos and dinner
at Ruth’s Chris.
Jacksonville would benefit greatly from a cluster of restaurants and
bars located together within a two- or three-block radius. Restaurants
meshed with retail shops also help to keep visitors moving along
a corridor. A 30-foot area without retail can cause a visitor to turn
around.
And those hot pockets need pathways to hopscotch between
them — a dose of connectivity. Recently I experienced this as I was
escorting an out-of-town guest for a weeknight happy hour after dark.
As we migrated from Cowford Chophouse to Bellwether, my guest
mentioned how abandoned and ‘scary’ it seemed. “Shouldn’t we just
drive?” she implored.
As we crossed Main Street at Bay, I explained that it would be
okay to walk but quickly saw her point as we dissolved into dimly lit
streets hugged by echo-y parking deck after parking deck devoid of
street-level activity. All of this while encountering an unsavory character
asking for handouts along the way.
All of this to say: We can do better, and need more to fill the many
gaps.
Where we are
doing okay:
These three syndromes aren’t all consuming of the body
Downtown. The area has notched several victories that should be
acknowledged.
Over the past 10 years, we’ve seen a dilapidated, vacant building
at Ocean and Bay transform brick-by-brick into a three-story
fine-dining experience in Cowford Chophouse. Offering one floor
with white tablecloth service, another with a more casual bar, plus
a rooftop bar with the full menu, Cowford has been a welcome
addition to the Downtown dining landscape.
Nearby Bellwether, the fourth installment from popular local
restaurateur Jonathan Insetta, opened in the 100 North Laura
building in spring 2017. Sister restaurants, Restaurant Orsay in
Avondale and Black Sheep in Five Points, are consistently two of
Jacksonville’s best. (Former Insetta darling, Chew, was nearby for
five years on Adams Street and houses Kazu Sushi Burrito these
days.) Bellwether offers lunch on weekdays — with an order, pay
and sit, or full-service option — and dinner and full bar Wednesday
through Saturday with a limited Tuesday menu. A walk-up
counter serving local Bold Bean coffee is a little-advertised option
for caffeine seekers.
Nola MOCA inside the Museum of Contemporary Art is a
gorgeous weekday respite from the office for lunch with its massive
windows and natural light. The menu is diverse and portions generous.
Dinner service is sadly limited to Thursday.
Morton’s The Steakhouse relocated from the Southbank to the
ground floor of the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront Hotel,
but that’s off the beaten path for those wanting to grab dinner and
then head out to most other venues.
Gili’s Kitchen, occupying the former Adams Street Deli, is a
gem. It has quickly become my go-to lunch option. Its chef-driven
items are made fresh and the menu accommodates kosher, gluten-free,
vegetarian and vegan diners easily. It is the only restaurant
on the block open until 8 p.m. for dinner.
Nearby Zodiac Grill offers an affordable, expansive Mediterranean
lunch buffet. Other casual lunch options include Olio, Spliff’s
Gastropub, Akel’s Deli, The Happy Grilled Cheese, Magnificat
Café, Super Food and Brew, Chamblin’s Uptown café, TossGreen,
Desert Rider Café and Urban Grind. There’s also Burrito Gallery,
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J MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019