Ah, brunch. It’s the perfect excuse to sleep in, overeat and drink before late afternoon. Luckily enough, I live in Jacksonville, which is a large city with numerous delectable restaurants—the best of which serve brunch.
Here are the top ten best brunches, with the best booze and even better food, in Jacksonville.
Zeta Brewing Company
Photo courtesy of elliestable.com
This wonderful gem is located in Jacksonville Beach. Though its brunch menu is small, it is filled with classics and innovative twists on commonplace breakfast items. But most importantly, they offer bottomless mimosas for only $8 with the purchase of a meal. Is there anything better than chicken and waffle sliders with an endless stream of champagne and orange juice?
Blue Fish Oyster Bar
Photo courtesy of us.topbrunch.com
Although this local delight is perfect for Jacksonville citizens who love seafood and a good time. It’s located on Jacksonville’s historic St. Johns Avenue. For those of us farther from the Riverside area, this place is well worth the drive. This place is for seafood lovers and those landlocked. They have everything from Shrimp and Scallop Mac & Cheese to a Country Breakfast. But the crowning jewel is the complementary mimosa or Bloody Mary. To make it even better, for only $5 you can make the drinks bottomless.
Culhane’s Irish Pub
Photo courtesy of sjreisner.com
Culhanes is one of my top favorite places in all of Jacksonville. It’s an authentic Irish pub owned by five Irish sisters. When you step in, it feels like you’re transported straight tot the Emerald Isle. On top of the awesome atmosphere, there is now brunch available. The menu is half traditional Irish breakfast fare and southern comfort foods. It’s worth a drive to Atlantic Beach to feel like you’re in Ireland, drinking half-off Bloody Mary’s and mimosas.
Orsay
Photo courtesy of amywesttravel.com
This place is hands-down swanky, especially if you’ve ever been there for dinner. But don’t let previous experience fool you; its brunch is actually semi-affordable. The beef stroganoff is normally $22 but is only $16 at brunch-time, and it is simply delicious. I mean, make you melt delicious. The sheer deliciousness of the everything on the menu will be well worth the extra dollars. To go with your delicious meal, you can get specialty Bloody Mary’s and Iced Irish Coffees.
Derby on Park
Photo courtesy of seriouseats.com
Derby on Park is in one of the epicenters of Jacksonville: 5 Points. This brunch has an upscale feel without the upscale prices—not to mention delicious food and drinks. The highest price you’ll see on the menu is slightly under $14. Derby on Park takes the classics, like Fried Green Tomatoes, and puts a modern spin of goat cheese over a roasted red pepper buerre-blanc sauce. Nothing could start a morning better than this delectable dish paired with an extra spicy Bloody Mary.
Tapa That
Photo courtesy of elequipo.org
Located in Jacksonville’s downtown area, Tapa That is a cozy restaurant with original and local artwork decorating the red brick walls. Tapa That’s food is mostly Spanish-inspired, with items such as Huevos con Chorizo. The artsy place also offers many vegan-friendly options. The inspiring atmosphere is continued with the option of $10 bottomless mimosas. Art, good food and booze—can it get any better?
Copeland’s
Photo courtesy of insiderlouisville.com
Copeland’s is one of the go-to places for brunch in Jacksonville. The sheer enormity of the brunch buffet is worth the $25 price. While that seems hefty to the average college student, rest assured, this will be the only food you’ll need to eat for the entire day.
This place seriously has everything from classic omelet and waffle stations to a roasted prime rim and honey ham carving station. And for those with an overactive sweet tooth, there’s even a beignet station. And I haven’t even mentioned the peel and eat shrimp and crawfish bar.. You’ll leave this place with a fuller belly than you’ve ever had, but you won’t regret it.
Black Sheep
Photo courtesy of amywesttravel.com
Black Sheep is known for its swank. At brunch time you can enjoy all the swank your heart desires without the matching prices. They have an extensive brunch menu with many breakfast and lunch items. Black Sheep has southern classics like their Wild Georgia Shrimp and grits, as well as Cardamom Pancakes for those with a sweet tooth. Black Sheep’s drink are just as posh as you’d expect. The Heaven’s Gate cocktail has blueberry and cucumber infused St. Germain, prosecco and cucumber slices. Even their mimosa is ritzy, topped off with freshly squeezed OJ.
North Beach Bistro
Photo courtesy of the foodiepatootie.com
North Beach Bistro is one of the most talked about places in Atlantic Beach. It’s local seafood is simply delicious, and having it for breakfast—even better. After indulging in crispy calamari for a starter, you can delve right into one of their many breakfast or lunch items, such as Fried Chicken and Homemade Belgian Waffles or a Mahi Sandwich. To top it off, you can add on bottomless mimosas for just $10 with the purchase of any breakfast or lunch item.
Brick
Photo courtesy of cocktailicious.nl
The Brick’s menu is heavy on the eggs and benedicts, but still extremely delicious. Meat lovers, sea lovers, cheese lovers and vegetarians can all find delight in the eggs and benedicts. There are even a few options for those with a sweet tooth, though there are not many. In my opinion, the drinks seem even better sounding than the Surf and Turf Benedict. Nothing could be better than a Spicy Habanero Bloody Mary or a Brick Champagne Mojito on the side of an indulgent benedict or Biscuits and Gravy.