Food + Drink

Here at EU Jacksonville, we want to spread the word about everything tasty here on the First Coast. We’ve talked to some of our area’s chefs about what they think you should order at their restaurants this season and why. By Erin Thursby, EU Food Editor & Executive Director of GastroJax   Restaurant Orsay has been one of the standard-setters in Jacksonville for upscale cuisine for some years now, and if you’re looking to impress, it should be on your shortlist. The base here is French, but with American Southern influences and a modern take, so you’ll find international flavors …

Here at EU Jacksonville, we want to spread the word about everything tasty here on the First Coast. We’ve talked to some of our area’s chefs about what they think you should order at their restaurants this season and why. By Erin Thursby, EU Food Editor & Executive Director of GastroJax Situated in the heart of , Bellwether is now open for dinner Wednesday-Friday. It’s part of the of restaurants. Chef Kerri Rogers has been a member of that family since the days of Chew, and she also worked at Black Sheep before rising to the level of Executive Chef …

Tis the season of sugar and flour in abundance!  Let the emotional eaters and food addicts beware! The shelves of our local grocers and retailers are overflowing with cheaply priced candies, caramelized popcorns, and frosted pastries. The sugar and flour fest begins in October with the fall festivals, Halloween parties and trick or treating. Then, continues on with Thanksgiving, Religious Holiday dinners and ends with . But, does it really end? No, we have birthdays and the rest of the observed holidays for the remainder of the year. There is always a good reason to have sugar and flour but …

COWFORD CHOPHOUSE OPENS We’ve been eagerly awaiting the opening of the for over two years, and it was worth the wait. Because of the historical nature of the building, which dates back to 1902, they’ve worked very hard to restore a lot of the architectural details (like the arched windows, exterior bricks, and metal cornice). The lead architect and designer for the Cowford Chophouse was Design Cooperative (DCOOP) and Danis Construction served as the contractor. The old pine in the building was repurposed throughout the building, and you’ll see the beautiful wood in the community tables. While parking after dark …

Four years ago, with its renaissance in full swing, the and Revitalization Committee created a walk-able event to showcase the historic neighborhood with live music playing from the porches of the area’s “Grand Old Ladies.” The first annual was a success, drawing an estimated 4,000 visitors into the community. Now in its fourth year, the Jacksonville PorchFest is bigger and better than ever. The free, family-friendly event is held from noon to 9 pm Saturday on many of the inviting porches in the historic neighborhood. PorchFest begins and ends in beautiful , with a main stage performance from headliner Big …

I’m always curious about how people got to where they are today, especially when it comes to the culinary world. You probably know about 4 Rivers BBQ, but what you don’t know is that they have a dedicated Sweet Shop. I’m talking custom cakes, cupcakes, pies, brownies, and even homemade poptarts. I sat down with Sweet Shop Production Manager Sarah Nieves to talk all things sweet. Did you go to culinary school? I went to the International Culinary Center which used to be the French Culinary Institute in New York. Why did you choose that out of all culinary schools? …

Jacksonville Farmers Market Daily, dawn to dusk, jaxfarmersmarket.com Because so many produce providers are there each day, there’s competition, so prices are excellent even if you don’t haggle. What they have over other farmers markets is an incredible selection, but of course that means not everything is locally grown. If it was, there wouldn’t be enough of a variety to sustain such a great market, with choices from exotics like durian and jackfruit to a booth that specializes just in varieties of peaches! There are locally grown booths to be found, and sometimes a booth that’s largely from other states …

Chelsea DuDeVoire is a working woman’s strongest ally. The founder and CEO of Babes Who Hustle, a website devoted to connecting working women around the globe, never knew that her desire to watch other women succeed would lead to her own success. DuDeVoire started the website after graduating from Florida State University and beginning her professional life in Jacksonville. “I think I hit rock bottom creatively, and wanted to start something,” says DuDeVoire. “I started it for fun—created the blog for myself and my friends, and it quickly grew out of my circles and into something much bigger.” Her mission …

Chris Straw never exactly intended to open a restaurant. “I didn’t follow my dreams,” he says of his entrepreneurial ventures. “I followed opportunity.” In 2009, an opportunity came along for Straw to open his first restaurant. The joint Simply Tasty Thai rapidly grew in popularity, becoming a staple among residents of the . Fast forward to May 2016, when the chance arose for Straw to open a second restaurant in the same shopping plaza as Simply Tasty. That’s how Hangar Bay Café was born. At Hangar Bay, Straw quickly earned a reputation for serving two unique foods—authentic Japanese ramen and …