Southern Grounds & Co. — Restaurant in Jacksonville

Highly recommend this coffeehouse for causal dining any time of day. The atmosphere is open welcoming, light, and comfortable. The food was delicious. The coffee was fantastic. We ordered the eggs Benedict, the southern grits bowl, yogurt parfait the Nutter butter cookie, and the vegan cake pop. The eggs Benedict was slightly overcooked, but still delicious. The flavor profile was a symphony of creamy, smooth textures, with a crisp Gluten Free toast underneath. They carry Gluten Free bread to accommodate those with the allergy. The hollandaise sauce by itself is worth the order. The Nutter butter cookie was very good but I felt was a little overly sweet which made it hard to finish. That’s not to say we didn’t enjoy every bite we took. The vegan cake-pop was a complete surprise. I’ve had mini vegan meals and desserts before and nothing has tasted “normal” until now. It was a decadent delight with a crisp, chocolate outer shell with a traditionally tasting fluffy cake mixture inside. The Southern Grits Bowl was the shinning VIP of our meal. Cheesy, bacony goodness topped with a yolky egg, green onion, on a bed of yummy grits. The flavors married so well together. Now on too the coffee! Can I say it was good? Nope, it was Sooo much better than good! We ordered a cappuccino, a latte, and a chai tea latte with a shot of espresso. Since I didn’t try any of the other coffees, I will be speaking about the chai tea latte. It was silky, smooth, spiced flavor that reminds me of the holidays. Very nice coffee notes from the shot of espresso but nothing too overwhelming. The foam on top was airy and tickled your lips as you drink it making for a fun drink. All in all, we give this coffeehouse a five star rating. We did have the one issue with the overcooked eggs, but with all the flavors that were there, we couldn’t do anything less. We will be...

So I went in after months of not going in only because I moved further out. I was so excited. Ingot there and stood there for over 5 minutes. Meanwhile 3 people behind the counter just looking at me. 2 making coffee, 1 doing dishes, okay no big deal. Then a 4th comes out and starts yelling people's names to pick up their coffee. Then the 2 making coffee joined him. Not once was i acknowledged. So finally I said "excuse me, can I please place an order?" The guy apologized and took my order. I ordered a salmon toast. The most sparce ingredients and 1 piece of toast. $9.50. I'm entirely disappointed. I got a cafe con leche and it tasted like really sour coffee. Nothing but a little foam. It was so bad. I used to get it often. The quality and the service has definitely taken a turn for the worst. The people look miserable, the food tasted and looked like the people in the kitchen are miserable and I'm sorry but one tiny toast with very minimal toppings is not worth $9.50. I can literally make it at home and have 5 days worth of the same items and pay less. So I'll continue to do so at home. There was also a family with 4 young children sitting at the table where the sofas are. These people allowed their children to jump on the couch, run around on top of the table and scream and yelling and act like fools. Not one time did an employee explain what a liability it is to allow their kids ro behave that way. Needless to say, I will not be returning for this over priced, poor...

Wes is the current manager in the afternoons! He’s fantastic— hospitable and he knows the menu very well. He recommended several dishes from their menu and I would rate each in terms of quality, taste and presentation— 5/5. I started my morning with Eggs Benedict (a personal favorite dish). Southern Grounds smothers their Benedict with a delicious hollandaise, and top it with crispy bacon and avocado. I had a side choice of fruit, or grits— I opted for cheese grits, which were fantastic. For lunch (not pictured) I had their steak and frites, the steak was cooked to a perfect medium with a side of garlic aioli which was one of my favorite aioli’s I’ve tried to date. For dinner Wes recommended some of their newer menu items, I opted for their pork belly topped over some delicious beans and their fried feta glazed with honey. Both dishes were wonderful. The pork belly was tender and pulled apart easily but crunchy on the exterior. The fetta is a must try when you come. Its sweet and savory combination was perfection. Needless to say I had about two cappuccinos and an iced vanilla latte— all the coffees tasted great. I spent the day studying here and was very productive. I will definitely be coming back! Thanks again Wes for your...