REVIEW: Deerwood Deli & Diner

Finding a good breakfast place in Jacksonville can be quite a challenge. Sure, we have all the major chains — Cracker Barrel, IHOP, Denny’s, and so on — but even the best iteration of a breakfast restaurant chain still lacks the authentic, homemade taste that so many of us prefer for our first meal of the day.

This is where local restaurants like Deerwood Deli & Diner excel. The Diner, located next to Hallmark in the Deerwood Village Shopping Center on Old Baymeadows Road, provides an extensive menu of both breakfast and lunch options, all of which uses real ingredients rather than the egg-substitute and fake meats you may encounter at several of the aforementioned breakfast chain restaurants.

The atmosphere of the diner lends further to its authenticity, as they do their best to replicate the feeling of a true, “retro” diner. The look is carried throughout the restaurant’s admittedly small amount of space, from the images of 50s and 60s pop culture icons adorning the walls right down to the sparkling-red booths that have become synonymous with the stereotypical “retro diner”.

The food also provides homemade flavor; we tried the egg and cheese sandwich and the cheeseburger for our review, and neither disappointed. The eggs were made fresh, thoroughly-cooked, and enclosed by a fresh bagel, although they offer several bread options. The burger was also thoroughly cooked and well-seasoned, a rare treat even at most local restaurants.

The wait staff is friendly and laid-back, offering a welcoming environment to all patrons.

This location is one of three operating under the same umbrella — Edgewood Diner and University Diner are the other two locations. Edgewood Diner, as its name suggests, is located off of Edgewood Ave. on the outskirts of the Riverside area. University Diner caters to the Jacksonville University area. While we can’t vouch for the other two locations, Deerwood Deli & Diner is certainly worth checking out for any First Coast residents searching for a good, local breakfast place.