1527 Penman Road, Jacksonville Beach. 904-241-4496
Cozy and high end, the romantic Dwight’s is one of those gems tucked away in an anonymous strip mall. People go back for the handmade ravioli and the award winning crab cakes. It’s a Mediterranean/French-style bistro with an eclectic twist. Beer & Wine. Open 5:30 pm- 10 pm Tues- Sat. $$$$
2005 Park St. 5-Points. 904-381-9394
Well-priced Mediterranean and Middle Eastern fast food is what you’ll find served up for lunch at this 5-Points favorite (they also have a Regency Mall location). Hummus, tabouleh, wraps, salads and falafel are all available for lunch and dinner. With its strategic location, you can see the shopping district of 5-Points and all the fascinating alt-scene folks, artists, hippies and yuppies who walk through. At 5 pm the menu switches over to dinner and you can order Mediterranean Shrimp and Kebab Platters for about $11-$15. Beer & Wine. Open 10 am-10 pm daily. $
3877 Baymeadows Rd. Southside. 904-731-2898
This Mediterranean restaurant serves traditional Mediterranean entrées, such as spinach pie with feta (called spanikopita) or stuffed grape leaves (dolmades) and Italian dishes of eggplant and fettuccini. A comfortable family-style atmosphere and a spacious banquet room, makes this an ideal place to take large families with a taste for Greek and Italian. Beer & Wine. Open 11 am- 2 pm Mon-Fri; 5 pm- 10 pm Mon- Sat. $$
301 10th Ave North Jacksonville Beach. 904-241-8272
Beer & Wine. Open 6 pm- Midnight Tues- Thu; 6 pm- 2 am Fri-Sat; Closed Sundays & Mondays.
13475 Atlantic Blvd., Ste. 40, Jacksonville. 904-221-7066
(see review to the right) Full Bar. Happy Hour Tues-Thu 5 pm- 7 pm. Open Lunch 11 AM - 3 PM Tapas 3 PM -5 PM, Dinner 5 PM -10 PM Tuesday-Sunday; extended hours through 11 pm Fri-Sat $$$
6271 St. Augustine Rd. Southside. 904-733-1199
You won’t soon forget your experience at Athens Café, which is decorated with the philosophy of “more is more” in mind. This family-owned eatery serves up some of the best Greek home cooking in Jacksonville. Favorites include Moussaka (a Greek eggplant dish). Beer & Wine. Open 11am-2:00 & 5 pm- 10 pm Mon- Sat; Closed Sun. $$
11018 Old St. Augustine Rd suite 107. Mandarin. 904-292-0600
Because it’s family-owned and tucked into a shopping center just off of I-295 on Old St. Augustine, most folks don’t know about the Apollonia Café. Lamb, lasagna and the stuffed grape leaves are all favorites of patrons. Beer & Wine.
Open Tue-Thu & Sun 11am-9:45pm; Fri-Sat 11am-10:00 pm $$
223 9th Avenue South, Jacksonville Beach. 904-270-0080
Forget super snobby French foods and dressing up for dinner. Sometimes you just crave a diner experience, even if you do pay the price for it later with a raging case of heartburn. In a cookie-cutter world of commercialism, it’s refreshing to find a place like the 3rd Street Diner and Bakery. Items you will want to sample are anything Greek (the place is run by a Greek family) and any of the desserts. Many places that are known for their desserts simply buy them from a bakery or someone who specializes in cooking sweet confections. Such is not the case at the 3rd Street Diner, much to the joy of their patrons. Full Bar. Open 6 am- 2 am daily. $
3628 Saint Johns Ave. Avondale. 904-981-9966
Jacksonville’s coolest hookah bar also has some of the best Middle Eastern cuisine in the area. Because it’s open so late, it’s very popular for a late night bite. Try their fool, which is a heartier dip than hummus, made with fava beans. The Casbah also has Turkish coffee to sip with some baklava. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday Nights, you can catch live belly dancing show. Beer & Wine. Open 11 am- 2 am every day. $$
2016 Hendrix Avenue. San Marco. 904-398-4610
With a sultry atmosphere and Thursday night Jazz, Layla’s is a frequent haunt for Theatre Jacksonville patrons before and after shows. They have a picturesque patio area for hookah smokers. Down a few drinks during their Happy Hour (4 pm-7 pm Monday-Saturday) before hoofing it through San Marco’s theater and shopping district. Layla’s is also open late, so it’s a great place to relax, drink and eat. Food selections range from seared tuna entrées and Middle Eastern favorites such as hummus and grape leaves to their Shawarma Lamb Wrap. Full Bar. Open 11 am-11 pm Mon- Fri; 5 pm-11 pm Sat-Sun. $$
4323 University Blvd, Jacksonville. 904-733-1855 & 9735 St Augustine Rd # 1. Mandarin. 904-288-8890
Making every type of Baklava possible, the Hala Café is often a choice for a Middle Eastern lunch buffet and fresh tabouleh. They’ve got three locations. At the locale on University there’s a grocery store attached, so you can shop for exotic ingredients after you eat. Hookah smoking isn’t allowed at any of their locales, but you can buy your own from the place on University. Beer & Wine. Open 11 am- 9 pm Mon-Sat; Closed Sun. $
10771 Beach Blvd, Jacksonville. 904-338-9049
People come in for the kabobs, tabouleh and hummus but they stay for the hookahs and the drink specials. Open late seven nights a week, they have belly dancing on the weekends. If you can’t stand not being connected to the internet, Sahara Café offers free high speed internet on the premises. Hookah enthusiasts can get a deal on Tuesdays, as the price of a hookah smoke is just $6.99. Beer & Wine. Open 4 pm- 1:30 am daily. $$
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