6 Great Places to Grab Lunch in Downtown Jacksonville

Downtown Jacksonville features perhaps the highest concentration of office buildings in the entire city, with over 48,000 people working in the downtown area on any given weekday.

And once the clock starts creeping closer to noon, most of those workers are unleashed onto the downtown streets in search of lunch.

If you’ve been working downtown for a while, chances are you’ve got your daily lunch routine down already. You’ve picked your favorite spot, learned when the lines are shortest, and so on.

But what about those who have just recently joined the downtown club – or are just looking to grab lunch as they pass through downtown?

We’ve come up with a list of six of our favorite places to grab lunch in the downtown area. Check out our picks, and then let us know your favorites!

SUPER FOOD AND BREW

ADDRESS: 11 E. Forsyth St.

MON-FRI HOURS: 10:30am – 8:00pm

Originally a food truck, Super Food and Brew set up its permanent home in 11 East Forsyth a few years back. The restaurant serves fresh-made selections including salads, bowls, sandwiches and more. Our personal favorite: the fried mac and cheese balls. To top it off, they also serve a rotation of up to 50 craft beers.

BELLWETHER

ADDRESS: 100 N. Laura St.

MON-FRI HOURS: 10:30am – 3:00pm (Mon); 10:30am – 7:00pm (Tues); 10:30am – 9:30pm (Wed-Fri)

Bellwether is part of the same restaurant family that also brought us Black Sheep in Riverside and Orsay, another downtown favorite. It focuses on elevated southern-style cuisine, offering its take on classics such as shrimp and grits and chicken and dumplings along with traditional burgers and sandwiches.

MLG JAX

ADDRESS: 400 N. Hogan St.

MON-FRI HOURS: Closed Monday; 11:00am to 8:00pm (Tues-Fri)

MLG, the new concept from Marcus Lemonis, filled some big shoes in replacing Candy Apple Cafe in the former Seminole Club building. Its upscale New American menu is curated by locally-based Chef Roderick, and it carries on Candy Apple’s tradition of offering great cocktails as part of its full bar. And if you’re having lunch with the whole family, the family-friendly restaurant offers an extensive kids menu.

THE COURT URBAN FOOD PARK

ADDRESS: along the Hogan St. parking garage near the Landing

MON-FRI HOURS: 11:00am to 2:00pm (roughly)

The Court Urban Food Park brings a revolving collection of Jacksonville’s hottest food trucks to the heart of downtown. The trucks generally set up shop from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm along Hogan St. near the Landing. It’s a concept that has become a hit with consumers and those who frequent the downtown area at lunchtime.

THE HAPPY GRILLED CHEESE

ADDRESS: 219 N. Hogan St.

MON-FRI HOURS: 11:00am – 3:00pm

The Happy Grilled Cheese has gone from one of Jax’s hottest food trucks to one of downtown’s hottest brick-and-mortar eateries. The restaurant serves up a variety of unique takes on an American classic: grilled cheese sandwiches. Highlights include the Mac Melt, which features homemade mac and cheese and grilled onions, and the Crunch Melt which boasts the following ingredients: three cheeses, mac and cheese, bacon, grilled onions, chips, and a tomato soup drizzle.

COWFORD CHOPHOUSE

ADDRESS: 101 E. Bay St.

MON-FRI HOURS: 11:00am – 10:00pm (Mon-Thurs); 11:00am – 11:00pm (Fri)

Cowford Chophouse, located in the beautifully-restored Bostwick Building, offers an upscale steakhouse experience with offerings such as 8-ounce filet mignon and 16-ounce New York strip. Its full bar features a collection of specialized cocktails, as well as a large wine and champagne collection. It’s the kind of place that’s perfect for business meetings or impressing out-of-town clients.