First Coast Hall of Fame

A couple years ago, on the occasion of Jacksonville Magazine’s 25th anniversary, we debuted the First Coast Dining Hall of Fame. Our inaugural class featured 10 restaurants, all of which were required to have been in business for at least 25 years. Five more longtime local favorites were added in 2010. Additional restaurants will be inducted in the coming years. To be considered for induction, a restaurant must be in business for a minimum of 20 years. Jacksonville Magazine welcomes nominations and suggestions from readers.

European Street Cafe

Four Locations: 2753 Park St., 384-9999; 1704 San Marco Blvd., 398-9500; 5500 Beach Blvd., 398-1717; 992 Beach Blvd., 249-3001 Remember Mr. Dunderbaks at the Regency Square Mall? If you lived in Jax during the 1980s, you do. The single New York-style deli/bar grew into European Street, a homegrown string of four restaurants famous for huge [...]

Whiteway Delicatessen

1237 King St., 389-0355 Back in late 2008, Whiteway Deli moved—well, sort of. It relocated about a block away and the interior layout in the new spot is almost exactly the same as before. Change doesn’t come easily to an 80-year-old community institution. The breakfast and lunch menus reflect that. Eggs, grits, bacon, toast, hash [...]

Sliders Seafood Grille

218 1st St., Neptune Beach, 246-0881 Proving an establishment need not be fancy to be loved, Sliders has been a Beaches mainstay for more than 20 years. Its longevity is the result of its no-frills simplicity, consistently good eats and a location about a block off the beach. The picnic tables out front fill up [...]

Luigi’s Italian & American Restaurant

5912 University Blvd., 731-0338 This year marks the 37th that pizzas and pasta have been served from the kitchen at Luigi’s, a neighborhood eatery that pleases with traditional Italian classics. The pizzas topped with the standards—pepperoni, homemade sausage, onions and green peppers—provide a brisk take-out business. And entrées are downright cheap. In fact, $14 gets [...]

Gypsy Cab Co

828 Anastasia Blvd., St. Augustine, 824-8244 This Oldest City culinary pioneer opened its doors in 1983. Over the years, the place has grown and new things have been added here and there. However, on the whole, the recipe for success has remained the same. The menu covers lots of ground and draws upon a melange [...]

Beach Road Chicken Dinners

Time was when there was really only one road to take for a direct route to the beach. And Beach Road Chicken was the place to stop for a bite after a day at the shore. That was back in the 1930s. But Beach Road keeps chugging on, turning out thousands of pieces of crispy [...]

Chart House Restaurant

The innovative architecture and interior design of the waterfront restaurant turned heads when it opened its doors more than 20 years ago. Today, it still ranks among the region’s most eye-pleasing restaurants, complete with postcard views of the Downtown skyline. A string of Chart House eateries stretches from coast to coast, each with a unique [...]

Wine Cellar

The Downtown skyline as seen from the Wine Cellar’s front door has evolved quite a bit since the Southbank restaurant first opened in 1974. The establishment continues to adapt to changing tastes while holding onto its classic Continental style and flavors. A meal of crispy seared roast duckling finished with a Grand Marnier peppercorn sauce, [...]

Beech Street Grill

The mansion in which the Beech Street Grill is located is more than 120 years old, where guests can relive the grandeur of the Victorian era as it was meant to be enjoyed. Noted for its bay windows and two-story verandas, this fine dining destination is an Amelia Island landmark. The menu is comprehensive, from [...]

Raintree Restaurant

The house dates back to 1879. The restaurant that occupies the Victorian beauty is a mere babe, open since 1981. The menu at Raintree covers a lot of ground with the selection of seafood and steaks earning top billing. But, in addition, the kitchen offers housemade sausage, chicken scampi, lasagna puttanesca, pecan-crusted lamb chops and [...]

Saltwater Cowboys

Perched out over the marshes south of St. Augustine, Saltwater Cowboys looks as if it’s been plucked from another era and dropped into present day. Rusted tin, weathered woods, handmade furniture, stuffed and mounted critters—picture a rustic fish camp that serves fantastic grub and you have a hint of why diners have lined up on [...]

The Tree Steak House

Oh, how Mandarin has changed in the 37 years since The Tree Steak House opened its doors. What hasn’t changed much is the Tree’s menu, which is a good thing. In classic steakhouse style, diners are treated to warm bread and a salad bar. The filet kabobs skewered with peppers, onions and mushrooms is a [...]

Bono’s Pit Bar-B-Q

Few topics of discussion bring impassioned opinions to the surface faster than barbecue. That magical combination of heat, smoke and sauce was perfected at the city’s original Bono’s way back in 1948. They’ve been preparing beef, pork, chicken, turkey and sausage ever since, and the legendary Harvey Green has been chopping meat behind the [...]

The Homestead Restaurant

The famed Copper Top Bar at the Homestead is enough to make the restaurant worthy of induction. First opened in the late 1940s, the Homestead has soldiered on through ownership changes and economic hardships. Yet, the establishment remains true to its culinary roots. Fried chicken, country fried steak, chicken and dumplings—we hope she never goes away. [...]

O’Steen’s Restaurant

What does it mean when you see a bench full of people waiting outside of this Hwy. A1A landmark? Simple. O’Steen’s is open. The place is small, it fills up fast, and it’s a cash-only enterprise. Most diners wait for the fried shrimp. They’ll sell you a small portion, but don’t kid yourself. The 24-piece [...]

The Hilltop

For many in Clay County, a trip to The Hilltop is like visiting a favorite relative, albeit a relative who prepares a mean slow-roasted Black Angus prime rib and strawberry shortcake for dessert. The Victorian mansion-like setting has played host to literally thousands of birthday gatherings, anniversary celebrations, wedding receptions, high school prom dinners and [...]

Giovanni’s Restaurant

Over the last 30 years, a lot has changed at Giovanni’s and a lot has stayed exactly the same. The location and presence of the Acireale family are the same. The restaurant itself has expanded like some of the waistlines of longtime fans of the Beaches landmark. Never been? Picture a plate of veal scalloppini [...]

Chizu Japanese Steak & Seafood House

She may not have been the city’s first sushi restaurant, but Chizu is certainly the oldest still in operation under the same owner. At a time when many in the River City thought raw fish was reserved for bait, the chefs at Chizu were stuffing rolls with eel, shrimp, squid and other delights from the [...]

Ragtime Tavern, Seafood & Grill

The taps at the city’s first micro-brewery/restaurant, Ragtime, started flowing at a time when Michael Jackson’s Thriller topped the charts—for the first time. Since the early ’80s, the Beaches gathering spot has attracted a loyal following because of its Cajun-inspired eats, good-times atmosphere and homemade beers including Dolphin’s Breath Lager, Red Brick Ale and A. [...]

Whitey’s Fish Camp

Give the customer what he wants and you’ll be fine. That simple idea works at Whitey’s Fish Camp, a waterside landmark that satisfies hungry diners with oysters, stuffed flounder, steaks, pasta, chicken and more. The fish camp side has been around for more than 40 years, but it wasn’t until the late ‘80s that it [...]

First Coast Hall of Fame

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