JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – For this month’s edition of “4 Your Neighborhood,” News4JAX is shining a spotlight on the historic Springfield area of Jacksonville.
We called around to find out the best food spots and the area, and we were given three names, though, if we had time, we would have visited every restaurant!
MORE: Complete coverage from our 4 Your Neighborhood visit to Springfield
The first stop we made was Wafaa & Mike’s Café.
Owner Alabed Hussain has been running the show since 2013, but the restaurant has been in the family since 2009. He tells News4JAX that every ingredient that comes through the restaurant is specifically selected, with some of them even coming from Syria.
Hussain says his staff is like family, with a fine line between working hard and performing well.
He served us up some heart-shaped falafels, chicken, which is usually marinated for three days in advance, and parsley salad that includes some tomatoes and onions.
Next up was 1748 Bakehouse, where the team treats customers like old friends visiting someone for lunch or dinner.
“It’s really important,” said owner Allison Vaughn, who added that when the restaurant first opened, they were only a bakery that served some sandwiches for lunch.
Everything there is handmade—from flaky croissants to rich brownies, which Vaughn says separates them from other stores that offer similar items.
“Most places just proof frozen dough. We do it all from scratch,” they said. “Everything is made here. It’s laminated. You can see that we touch all of our items multiple times.”
The golden milk latte with turmeric was one our News4JAX crew tried and thoroughly enjoyed.
The sweet finale was Dreamette, which has the unique trait of being housed in a 1930s building.
When our crew arrived, owner Mari Brandy greeted us with an entire flight of ice cream ranging from flavors like butter pecan and strawberry to peach and banana. We also got a chance to try out a strawberry cone dipped in chocolate.
But Dreamette is about more than ice cream.
“This building...it was built by the Rockefellers, and it was Standard Oil. So, you can see the vibe even by the garage doors and everything that it looks like an old gas station,” explained Brandy.
Those who approach the building can see the old garage, which has been converted into a breezeway decorated with menus and Bible verses, which Van Soest emphasizes placing around the location so that when people come for ice cream, they leave with more than just a satisfied sweet tooth.
“Jesus is the Mighty Comforter, so they come here for ice cream, but they get a little Jesus, too,” she said.
There are a number of other places that came with recommendations like Crispy’s, The District SPR, Tulsa Bistro, and the Underground Events Eatery.
Let us know in the comments what your favorite Springfield spot is!
