The Neighborhoods Issue

Readers selected their favorite eateries and watering holes in 26 neighborhoods throughout NE Florida, including Murray Hill in Jacksonville.

Back in the good old days (of 2019), when we planned themes for this year’s issues, little did we foresee how well the topics would align with events of 2020. We started with Wellness, with content that reminded readers about the importance of personal and community health, and then followed with the Grow issue, filled with stories highlighting the expansion in the region’s restaurant industry and ways to support local agriculture. Next up was Neighborhoods.

But first, as we all learned how to go about our lives in the face of stay-at-home orders and COVID-19, we made a slight pivot (word of the year?) to focus on our digital platform. We created a robust map of take-out, delivery and local food resources and documented stories about chefs and makers navigating changes in the way they work. We launched Provisions, a free digital cookbook that showcases local culinary talent and provides a resource for readers cooking more at home. (If you missed the cookbook, download a copy at edibleneflorida.com.)

And now back to Neighborhoods. This issue includes a list of our first ever Readers’ Choice picks for favorite eateries and watering holes based on our recent survey. With votes on neighborhoods from Fernandina to Flagler Beach, the results demonstrate the variety of restaurants, coffee shops, bars and other businesses in the local hospitality industry. While dining during a pandemic may look a bit different, with much more being enjoyed off-premises, readers still consider a vibrant food and beverage industry an important factor in the vitality and diversity of their neighborhoods.

Right now it feels even more relevant to celebrate these local small businesses who sustain us not only with food and drink but also economic benefits. The impact of COVID-19 on the foodservice sector has been brutal, to say the least. Yet, throughout the past several months, the community has demonstrated the value it places on the role of local food, whether through ordering to-go family meals, buying gift cards or contributing to fund-raising appeals.

We encourage you to continue supporting those food and drink businesses in your neighborhood. If you’re ready to branch out and discover other areas in the region, grab the list of Readers’ Choice winners as a starting point for culinary adventure in new neighborhoods. Not comfortable heading out just yet? Save the list for later on. We are all adjusting (pivoting?) to a ‘new normal’, so please be safe, courteous and thinking out there, as you support local businesses.

Lauren Titus, Editor

**********

STORIES FROM THE NEIGHBORHOODS ISSUE