Shops of San Marco
Written by Caitlin Flynn / Photos by laird
Centrally located in the sprawling city of Jacksonville, San Marco offers charm, culture, and culinary delights. Its combination of cosmopolitan and small-town southern sensibility makes you realize you have stumbled upon a gem. The close-knit community and familial ties of San Marco run deep. The majority of businesses in San Marco are either family-run or independently owned. As we approach San Marco’s centennial birthday, let’s take a moment to highlight the stories behind this Jacksonville hot spot and celebrate what makes this neighborhood so unique.
You can’t begin talking about San Marco without mentioning food. Just as every story has a beginning, middle, and end, San Marco offers an array of options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Coffee lovers should try Foxtail and Southern Grounds. Taverna in San Marco Square wins best restaurant awards locally and nationally. Everything from Sunday brunch to dinner, delicious appetizers, and homemade pasta make this fresh perspective on Italian dining a must. Next door you’ll find the owners’ second restaurant, Oceana. Oceana features a more seafood-forward menu with traditional choices from around the world. Oysters, shrimp, insalata di mare, and Vietnamese seafood stew are just some of the options you’ll find. Oceana offers a full event rental space in addition to private dining and catering.
On the outskirts of San Marco Square, on Prudential Drive, you will find City Grille and Raw Bar, now open for lunch from Tuesday to Saturday at 11:00 a.m., for dinner from Tuesday to Sunday at 5:00 p.m., and for brunch on Sunday at 11 a.m. Their Tree House Room overlooks the 300-year-old tree on the back patio. From the raw bar you’ll find an assortment of caviar, oysters Romanoff with a bit of Taittinger brut champagne, a delightful hamachi crudo, escargot in tarragon scampi butter, and much more. Not feeling adventurous with the raw bar? No problem. City Grille and Raw Bar offers an exceptional full menu from prime New York strip steak, New Zealand rack of lamb, and braised beef short ribs.
Top it all off with some live music and delicious cocktails at Grape and Grain. In the cocktail lounge you’ll experience excellent people watching. Head behind the curtain to the Parlour for some live music and a guaranteed good time.
If you’re looking for a special evening of dining in, look no further than Cline’s Custom Meats.
