Jacksonville Restaurants: Hole In The Wall, Part 10

French Pantry




Image from Emil P.


Image from Emil P.


Image from Emil P.




Image from Bree

I kept meaning to include French Pantry in my previous lists. The times I've gone were simply for visiting not "hole in the walling". I can't combine the two, I guess.

It is absolutely the only place in the Jacksonville to get a life-changing slice of cheese cake or any type of cake, period. Everyone else is just making a flour mush pie in a kid's oven compared to French Pantry. They're the only reason to cake.

They're one of the best reasons to eat out in Jacksonville.

It's just amazing. Large portions of hyper fresh ingredients, prepared perfectly.

It's maddening eating at French Pantry. Your suspicions about being ripped off when you eat out in Jacksonville are accurate. The Jax dining scene is stuck in a twilight zone of high-priced mediocrity.

French Pantry is one of the few exceptions.

It's probably the only restaurant in Jacksonville with legitimate lines out of the door. Understandably, since they're only open from 11am to 2:30pm, Monday - Friday.

Everything is changing, though.  

French Pantry will soon become one of Jacksonville's most iconic establishments (I hope) as they were just purchased by John Valentino (a metroJ sponsor) and owner of multiple Jacksonville restaurants. Plans are on the way for a second location and it's rumored that it will be located in Riverside. Valentino has promised to uphold the the quality of French Pantry's offerings.

He has a positive track record about caring for standards and for the Jacksonville community.

In case you missed it, Valentino was the business man protagonist fighting to restore a historic avondale structure while the historic preservationist groups wanted the structure demolished in the name of more parking. It was a bizarro world situation.

You can search through the stories and conversations related to that controversy here.

6301 Powers Ave
Jacksonville, FL 32217

Phone number (904) 730-8696

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Check out other Hole in the Wall restaurants here.


Written by Arash Kamiar
Arash@MetroJacksonville.com
@ArashWaiting