Mike and I spent a week in the areas of Jacksonville and Gainesville, Florida. He had a blast cave and cavern diving, while I enjoyed traveling the area and visiting some of the incredible sites. In the first entry in this two-part series, we looked at the places we visited. In this, the second entry, we’ll look at where we dined.
We ate at this restaurant in High Springs on two separate nights, as it was close to where our friends were staying, and where Mike was diving. The restaurant is nice inside, and has a fun patio with additional seating. The food was good, but not outstanding. They do have some interesting food combinations, so it’s not your standard small town restaurant.
Sweet Dreams is an ice cream shop in Gainesville. It is a locally owned store, with unique ice cream flavors. It was quite tasty and refreshing. The shop had a hip, cool vibe, too.
Boston Market
So I know that this isn’t a restaurant only located in Gainesville, but it’s not located anywhere near my hometown. And I love Boston Market! It’s so, so delicious…and I ate there twice, so I had to list it in my dining guide.
One evening, Mike and I ventured off to have a nicer dinner together. Wahoo Seafood Grill had been recommended by Mike’s cave diving instructor. The food was delicious and not outrageously expensive. The venue is perfect for a date night or a nice dinner with friends.
MoJo Kitchen is located in Jacksonville Beach. It’s a barbecue joint, and had good reviews on TripAdvisor, so we thought we’d give it a shot. The food was pretty tasty, and the vibe of the restaurant is jazz and blues. There is a stage, but no one was performing the night that we ate there. It would be even better to go on a night with a performer, and enjoy some music and BBQ.
Joe’s Crab Shack
Mike loves seafood, but I’m allergic to shellfish. So whenever we travel to a location likely to have fresh seafood, we try to take the opportunity for him to partake. I can always find fresh fish or chicken options for me, and he gets to enjoy foods that aren’t terribly good in Nebraska, and that I can’t cook for him. So Joe’s Crab Shack it was. And the location right on the beach is tough to beat. We sat out on the patio and enjoyed the sunshine and sea breezes, as well as the birds who love to clean up.
After finishing dinner in Jacksonville Beach, we were jonesing for some ice cream. After finding several ice cream shops that had already closed for the night or the season, we stumbled across this gem. The ice cream was thick, creamy and delicious. The flavors were inventive twists on Classic flavors, and we loved them. Even better, the proprietor grew up in Nebraska, went to the same college as Mike, and knew some of the same mutual people, so we had a nice chat with him while enjoying our ice cream. It was a little off the beaten path, but worth the journey to find it.
Overall, we were able to find tasty food while visiting the Gainesville and Jacksonville areas of Florida. Some were locally owned eating establishments, while others were chained, but all left us happy with our choices.