While it is always busy, 4th Ave Food Park is known as a weekend staple for a reason. Just a 15-minute walk from campus, the food park is packed during the university’s downtime. It consists of a perfect selection of savory bites, sweet treats, good vibes, and even better people. I took advantage of my weekend off and tried something from a variety of what 4th Ave has to offer. After grabbing a bite from every spot, you can bring it all to one of the mosaiced picnic benches or old school bus for everyone to enjoy together.
Muñecas
First up on my food tour was Muñecas. I was beyond surprised to find this Mexican restaurant at 4th Ave, as no one I knew had ever talked about it. Luckily, I was pleasantly surprised to see a full menu of burritos, quesadillas, guacamole, and chips that I adore from a Mexican restaurant.
While it was a hard decision, I landed on the chicken burrito, and it blew my mind. The flour tortilla came with rice, beans, pickled onions, lettuce, cheese, and guacamole, which I then topped off with a jalapeño cilantro sauce. Obviously, the order would not be complete without a side of chips, guacamole, and pico de Gallo.
As if this were not enough, something called “brunch papas” called out to me, and if there’s anything about me it’s that I cannot resist a good brunch and potato combo. The side consisted of bite-sized potatoes seasoned to perfection and smothered in cheese and scallions. This combination of flavors solidified me as a returning customer and left me in a food coma.
SquareHouse Pizza
But…..that was just stop number one. Moving on, I went to SquareHouse. Known for its pizza and waffles, the aroma wafting out of the shop lured me inside. While I basically rolled into the restaurant straight from Muñecas, I still went ahead and bought two of their specialty 8×10 Detroit-style pan Pizzas. The more the merrier, right?
My first choice was the Motor City their take on the trending pepperoni and hot honey slice. I have to say that is my favorite pizza flavor, so I am biased, but it was amazing. The spiciness of the honey was just bearable and complemented the sweetness of the tomato sauce, as well as the strong pepperoni flavor.
After just a few bites of goodness, I moved on to the Big Bradford, a slice of chicken, bacon, sautéed onions, and diced jalapeño, all drowned in ranch. While I was a bit skeptical at first, Big Bradford in fact proved me wrong. The slices did further my food coma, but I still left the shop craving the leftovers I was taking home.
Opus Coffee
As an attempt to digest all the carbs I had just consumed, I opted for an Opus coffee. How could I resist a caffeine high, especially a Valentine’s special? There were only four specials on the menu, but this did not my decision easy.
With a colorful concoction of matcha, a mix of tea and lemonade, and an irresistible strawberry cold foam to choose from, I landed on the All Shook Up, a shaken espresso with wild strawberry syrup and mocha, topped with cold foam and dried strawberries. It served as a much-needed pick-me-up and sweet treat that accompanied me on my way back home. A perfect way to walk off my many meals and enjoy a Sunday afternoon.
As I reflect on the diversity of my meals on a full stomach (hours later), I can happily report that 4th Ave is THE spot to eat in Gainesville. Especially on the weekend, if you are looking for a nice place to relax, enjoy some live music, and surround yourself with a nice crowd, this is the next place you should check out. I know I’ll be back for sure, but for now, I need to take a few days off to recover from this food coma (and eat my leftovers).