Sharing local love: Try some of our favorite Jacksonville-area black-owned restaurants
Looking to support black-owned businesses? Or just looking for some really good food? These are some of our favorite black-owned restaurants in the Jacksonville area.
Shut ‘Em Down Authentic Southern Restaurant
6426 Bowden Road
6315 San Juan Ave.
(904) 503-1979
Shut Em Down, with a location on the Westside and a newly opened second location off Bowden Road, has been a locally-owned Southern and soul food restaurant since 2014. Richard Jones and his wife, Cathy, have brought the shared recipes from their home kitchens into the restaurant’s kitchen. Best-selling items include fried chicken, smothered pork chops, oxtails, collard greens, mac ‘n cheese and cornbread. Don’t skip a piece of whatever flavor the cake of the day is.
More: Shut Em Down plans second Jacksonville restaurant
Jazzy’s Restaurant and Lounge
901 King St.
Celestia’s Coastal Cuisine
6765 Dunn Ave.
(904) 551-6089
Jacksonville native Chef Celestia Mobley is a graduate of the Florida State College at Jacksonville’s culinary program who went on to become a Certified Executive Chef through the American Culinary Federation. For almost two decades she helped shape The Potter’s House Soul Food Bistro into the successful eatery it is today. A year ago, Mobley opened Jazzy’s in Riverside’s bustling King Street district. Jazz music meets a menu chock full of Southern delights: Low Country boil, pork chops, cornbread and beyond. She also owns and operates Celestia’s Coastal Cuisine on the Northside.
More: Southern soul food treats rule in Riverside at Jazzy’s
Motion Sweets
1020 Park St.
(904) 551-3665
What began as baker Megan Sugg’s weekend hobby has grown over the years — it’s now a full gourmet sweet shop in bustling 5 Points. Motion Sweets’ treats include colorful macarons, gooey cinnamon rolls and sticky Rice Krispies treats, plus a rotating lineup of cheesecakes — recent creations have included Nutella, blueberry lavender and Bailey’s Irish cream. Pies, brownies and bread pudding also make appearances on the ever-changing menu.
Mixed Fillings Pie Shop
2251 Oak St.
(904) 206-6153
With a sidelined opening due to COVID-19, and a passion for baking pies, Natasha Burton opened the doors to her Riverside pie shop in mid-June and has been busy fulfilling pick-up and delivery orders. Burton offers a changing menu of homemade sweet and savory pies, available as whole pies, halves or slices. Some utilize fresh, seasonal fruits and others lend themselves to fluffy, creamy fillings — like the blurred limes (think key lime meets coconut). Many of the crusts are made using butter for a flaky texture but others use pretzel pieces for a hint of salty-meets-crunchy-meets-sweet.
More: Yelp names Mixed Fillings Pie Shop in Jacksonville No. 1 for best pie in Florida
Pink Salt Restaurant and Wine Bar
5111 Baymeadows Road, Suite 19 (relocated to 1430 San Marco Blvd, Jacksonville)
Chef Richard Robinson recently relocated his farm-to-table Caribbean-inspired restaurant from St. Augustine Road to Baymeadows Road. At Pink Salt you’ll find Robinson’s Island-style short ribs with a soy, ginger and guava glaze, curry shrimp over white rice and my favorite — the Pink Salt pineapple shrimp bowl served in a hollowed-out pineapple half. UPDATE: The restaurant has since relocated to San Marco.
More: Pink Salt brings fresh Caribbean flavors to San Marco beginning Wednesday
Irie Diner
1177 Park Ave., Suite 9, Orange Park
(904) 375-9467
Authentic Caribbean food cuisine awaits at Orange Park’s Irie Diner. Leading the way are Executive Chef Marko Bell, from Jamaica, and partner Peter Jackson, from Trinidad. Chef Bell has more than 20 years of culinary experience. Discover ackee and salt fish (the national dish of Jamaica), jerk chicken and ribs, curry goat marinated for 36 hours, escovitch snapper, and Jamaican-style oxtail. Spices are brought in each week by Caribbean purveyors.
Restaurant review: The Caribbean vibe is alive at Orange Park's Irie Diner
Mr. Potato Spread
9501 Arlington Expressway
(904) 257-4548
With an outpost in Regency Mall and a food truck, Mr. Potato Spread was started by Aaron and Lakita Spann, two native Jaxsons. Their massive potato creations keep the crowds coming. The popular Crab Pot Potato is brimming with shrimp, crabmeat, smoked sausage, sweet corn and egg and is topped with Old Bay seasoning and homemade garlic butter. I can personally attest to the chicken bacon ranch potato with melted cheddar cheese, green onions and tomatoes being a favorite as well. UPDATE: A second location is now open at the Orange Park Mall.
More: Mr. Potato Spread expanding to Jacksonville's River City Marketplace
Jax Bread
8380 Baymeadows Road, Suite 5
(904) 240-0977
At Jax Bread’s helm is Nana Hammond, a graduate of the International Culinary Center, who is both owner and chef. All of her sweet and savory offerings — from freshly baked breads (French baguettes, cranberry walnut sourdough, garlic herb focaccia and African sweet rolls) and pastries (hello, cinnamon brioche buns and buttery French croissants!) are made from scratch daily with no additives or preservatives. The small café space offers dine-in seating for breakfast and lunch, and also serves up sandwiches and soups.
Carb-lovers' heaven: Sandwiches, breads and baked goods await at Jax Bread Co.
TeaPosh Naturals
1818 N. Davis St. (relocated to the Regency Square Mall Food Court)
(904) 683-2099
This historic Springfield eatery serves up vegan offerings and menu items with a focus on healthy ingredients. From colorful, fruit-packed breakfast smoothies to mock chicken and gluten-free waffles to spelt and coconut flour pancakes to vegan lasagna and spaghetti, TeaPosh also features a special Soul Food Sunday and Sunday Dinner menu. Recently this included smothered mock chicken with Cajun quinoa and two sides and a vegan Philly cheese “steak.” UPDATE: The restaurant has since moved to the food court in Regency Square Mall.
More: Forget KFC — 10 local restaurants in the Jacksonville area that also serve vegan chicken
The Cookbook Restaurant
1827 N. Pearl St.
(904) 802-7080
facebook.com/TheCookbookRestaurant
Brandon Byers’ venture, The Cookbook, is an eatery in his home neighborhood of Springfield that offers menu items with a Southern flair: seasoned shrimp atop creamy grits, liver and grits, a BLT sandwich, fried chicken and collard greens with cornbread, wings and more. There are also breakfast bowls and sandwiches, plus changing brunch offerings. Fridays before COVID-19 hit, The Cookbook offered live music in its lounge area from 8-10 pm. Byers’ also owns a local catering company, Enfinity Entertainment.
New to the neighborhood: Springfield resident bringing new eatery to neighborhood
THC Trap House Chicken
5907 Merrill Road
(904) 683-1268
Trap House Chicken is a wing-lovers dream with more than half a dozen varieties — think spicy lemon pepper, garlic butter, Philly-style and beyond — and naked, seasoned “wangs” coated in sauce. There’s also “Dirty South”-style chicken and fried ribs, plus jumbo Mayport fried shrimp and hand-cut potato wedges. Jamal Oakes is owner and chef.
Mackey’s Munchies
868 Blanding Blvd., Orange Park
(904) 458-4246
The creole flavors of New Orleans shine at Mackey’s, a veteran-owned eatery led by husband-and-wife team Brian and Brandye Mackey. The drive to Orange Park is worth it for the powdered sugar dusted deep-fried beignets alone, but be sure to stay for a cup of gumbo and shrimp po’boy or chicken and sausage jambalaya. Can’t go wrong with Mackey’s effin’ jambalaya, which marries jambalaya with etouffee and crawfish.
KraVegan
Food truck; locations vary.
(904) 990-6250
KraVegan’s menu will wow you with big, bold flavors — without the meat. Lew Kaiser and his wife smoke and grill KraVegan’s signature vegan “meats.” The plant-based menu features crabless cakes atop macaroni, jackfruit chik’n smothered in mushroom herb gravy, a sausageless dawg with slaw and fries, and an Italian smoked beefless roast with chickpea chik’n parmesan. There are also vegan desserts: cupcakes, cakes and boozy cupcakes.
More: Forget KFC — 10 local restaurants in the Jacksonville area that also serve vegan chicken
Jenkins Quality BBQ
830 N. Pearl St.
5945 New Kings Road
2025 Emerson St.
(904) 353-6388
For more than 60 years, Jenkins has been a Jacksonville BBQ staple. With locations downtown, on Emerson Street and New Kings Road, the oak wood-fired pit is working hard to crank out a supply of juicy ribs, pork, beef and chicken. Don’t skip the corn nuggets or Jenkins’ signature mustard BBQ sauce which is also available by the bottle!
Matt About Jax: Summertime is the right time for Jenkins Quality Barbecue
Austin's Soul Food
4807 N. Main St.
(904) 619-7006
Since 2006, Austin’s Soul Food has been a simple, soul food spot on the Northside. Currently, in the process of relocating and adding an Austin's On The Go food truck, Austin's is expanding. As for the food, I ordered the fried chicken with collard greens, candied yams and yellow rice smothered with gravy, which did not disappoint. Austin’s mac ‘n’ cheese is loaded with cheese, as all good mac ‘n’ cheese should be. With daily specials throughout the week, you’ll find things like smothered (or fried) pork chops, liver and onions, barbecue neck bones, meatloaf with creamy mashed potatoes, turkey wings and baked chicken. Chitterlings and oxtails also make an appearance on the menu. Sweet tooth? Snag a slice of key lime cake if it’s being offered.
Restaurant Review: Austin's Soul food is a go-to spot in Jacksonville
Caron Streibich is an avid food-lover who reviews restaurants for the Florida Times-Union and Jacksonville.com. Follow her dining adventures at Instagram.com/caroneats.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Black-owned restaurants in Jacksonville: A list of our favorites
