Restaurant Orsay
French bistro meets Southern soul at this perpetually buzzing Avondale favorite. The menu nails inventive classics: pan-roasted fish with grits, mussels frites, bouillabaisse with a whole poached lobster, and honeycomb-crusted beef Wellington. Weekend brunch brings bacon-spinach-roasted oysters, Southern biscuits and gravy, and bourbon-orange French toast. This is one of the most talked-about spots in town, so book well ahead. The happy hour is solid, the service is sharp, and dishes like truffle-mashed-potato-crusted shepherd’s pie prove the hype is real.
Carolina Jax
From a food truck to a bustling burger joint, Carolina Jax shines with inventive smash burgers and loaded fries. The standout Hurricane burger combines a house beef blend, white American cheese, jalapenos, macaroni, bacon, and chipotle sauce, while the Riverside burger blends sweet, spicy, creamy, and smoky flavors with Key lime, and datil pepper aioli, goat cheese, and orange marmalade on a smash burger. Besides burgers, there’s a selection of sandwiches and hot dogs, including a Hurricane Dog topped with the same lavish ingredients as the Hurricane burger.
Mixed Fillings Pie Shop
There are no mixed feelings about these pies. Natasha Burton founded the shop during the pandemic, and now she’s slinging creative pies with cheeky names: Peanut Butter & Jealous and Blurred Limes (key lime with pretzel crust) are crowd favorites. Traditional pie-making techniques meet innovative flavor profiles that reflect contemporary Southern tastes. It’s a pandemic-pivot-turned-success-story, and the pies prove it.
Cowford Chophouse
Named after Jacksonville’s original moniker, Cowford Chophouse occupies a historic 1902 building Downtown with a stunning rooftop overlooking the St. Johns River. Classic steakhouse done right: tuna tartare and roasted bone marrow to start, then a la carte steaks and seafood ranging from a sharable 40-ounce porterhouse to an eight-ounce American Wagyu filet. Customize with add-ons, sauces, and sides until you’ve built your perfect meal. The views alone are worth the visit.