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When it comes to dining in Jacksonville, there are plenty of good restaurants to choose from, including longtime favorites at the Beaches to newer concepts in the city’s historic neighborhoods — and even some surprises tucked away in one of the area’s strip malls.
Some restaurants stand out above the others. They’re favorite spots for a special occasion or the “go-to” places you take visiting family and friends. And some are weekly favorites for a night out or brunch to start the day.
But in a city as big as Jacksonville, and with a robust restaurant scene, narrowing the dining options to one or two for your night out can be overwhelming. That’s where our “Essential Restaurants” lists come in.
In 2025, we’re picking five “essential” restaurants from 10 different neighborhoods in Jacksonville. In 2026, our lists will grow to 10 restaurants each.
And for that, we’re enlisting some help.
Help us pick the next ‘essential restaurant’ of San Marco
We’ve picked our first five Essential Restaurants of San Marco. Now it’s your turn. Help us add to our list of restaurants by voting for your favorite below. (Don’t see your favorite listed? Add it.)
We’ll update our list in 2026 with a “reader pick” determined by Jacksonville restaurant foodies like you.
Nominations and voting are open through Nov. 30, 2025.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Help pick the next ‘essential restaurant’ of San Marco. Vote for your favorite
Reporting by Gary T. Mills, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union
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