There’s plenty of rib sticking eating to be had in the largest city in America as measured by land area. We cleaned plate-after-plate before arriving at this Jacksonville triple play.
TacoLu (1712 Beach Blvd, Jacksonville Beach)
PGA heartthrob Rickie Fowler is a regular at this colorful cantina where golf fans flock during the Players Championship. TacoLu camps out just behind the 12th green at TPC Sawgrass during the top tier tourney that tees off the second week of May. While the banging shrimp and baja fish taco beckoned, I had to order in lock step with golf’s high tops wearing tastemaker. Fowler likes to scarf down their Royale, a carne asada taco stacked with skirt steak marinated in a lime infused soy sauce for 24 hours. Then they chip in a shredded grape salsa that packs heat courtesy of a jalapeño vinaigrette so you’re going to need to wash it down with one of their 130 tequilas.
Mojo No. 4 Urban Whiskey Bar (3572 St. Johns Ave, Avondale)
Wood-fired smokers Q up chicken, beef, and pork all slow and low in the back while bourbon, rye, and scotch pours freely from the bar. Start with the cornmeal dusted fried green tomatoes and the Kansas City burnt ends to get your beak wet. Next, if you’re having trouble honing in on a main, the pro move is to share the Whole Hawg ($36) featuring a smattering of pit smoked barbecue goodness plus a quartet of side dishes—it’s enough grub to satisfy three hungry adults. Be sure to brush up on your single barrel appreciation knowledge by partaking in a Whiskey Flight and for those who don’t enjoy their spirits straight, there are a bevy of whiskey cocktails to sip on.
Trasca & Co (155 Tourside Dr, Ponte Vedra Beach)
When Sara Fresca and Travis Trembath teamed up to open a restaurant based on Fresca’s grandmother’s recipe for rustic paninos they simply rolled up their names and got Trasca. Their signature dish, the panino, is less of a quick study. Picture an Italian burrito where paper-thin dough is baked golden brown in the oven along with all the meats, veggies and homemade sauces. Then it’s all rolled up and sliced in half for easy eating. Trasca trots out seventy-five panino recipes throughout the year but popular iterations like their delizioso spicy sawgrass shrimp and Cuban Connection. Save room for their sinfully delicious signature dessert, an Oreo crusted mud pie with dulce de leche and vanilla ice cream.
