The French Pantry

Some secrets are hard to keep. It's so tempting to be selfish and leave this stone unturned but, alas, I found out about this hidden treasure from the almighty Urbanspoon anyway so I guess there's no harm in enlightening a few more people.

On a street you'd probably never think to turn down and hidden in what looks like a warehouse (although it may be easy to spot due to the massive line of eager patrons), is a real anomaly within Jacksonville's dining landscape, The French Pantry. I had no idea this place existed until I became actively involved with and reliant upon Urbanspoon to share and discover great places to eat around town. As of now, The French Pantry is #6 on Jacksonville's Best 100 Restaurants. At the time I first saw it on that list it was a little higher and was the only entry in at least the top 15 that I had never heard of. The glowing reviews and enticing menu put it at the top of my list of places to visit but the hours of operation, Weekdays from 11am to 2:15pm, meant that months passed when I had no opportunity to go or, on a rare holiday, I tragically forgot.

But on a recent holiday we decided to try this hidden marvel and judge its awesomeness for ourselves. Despite it being fairly close to home and the directions being quite clear, it was a little hard to spot at first until we saw the enormous line of people waiting outside. We were in line for approximately 45 minutes, maybe an hour. Regardless, it was a long time. I was told that, because it was a holiday, it was a bit busier than usual but a wait is to be expected. Under normal circumstances it would have been easy to complain about such a situation but those were definitely not normal circumstances. We were, after all, at the doors to Jacksonville's best kept secret.

Betraying the unappealing, government warehouse look of the exterior, The interior of The French Pantry is, for lack of a better term, terrifically cute. It's almost like walking into a country cottage and when you're inside you truly forget the incongruous external surroundings. As you slowly make your way to the counter you have plenty of time to look over the large menus by the door and drool over the wonderful looking desserts. Even in the face of my general dislike of sweet things and confections, I was incredibly tempted to sample some or all of the cakes.

But finally we made it to the counter and put in our order: one Portabello Panini and one Rare Beef and Boursin Sandwich. Clocking in at an average of $9 per sandwich, one is inclined to get a bit of sticker shock but, as an added bonus, you get a basket of bread with some olive oil and herb dipping sauce to hold you over while you anxiously await your sandwich. But sandwich or not, I wouldn't have felt too hard done to had I just paid $9 for the bread and dipping oil. That was honestly some of the best bread I have ever tasted. Not-so-coincidentally, the French Pantry is also a wholesale bakery, supplying amazing bread to some of the area's restaurants, hotels, and country clubs but there's nothing like eating it fresh from the source. If you're as blown away as I was, considering picking up a loaf or five to take home.

Despite feeling wholly satisfied with our pre-meal, the sandwiches finally arrived and it was time to see if the appetizer was a fitting prelude and all the praise was well warranted. Now, I've eaten some pretty incredible sandwiches over the years and throughout the world but none that I can remember have been quite as impeccable as what was placed on the table before me at The French Pantry. Fresh, delicious ingredients on amazing bread, all in a perfectly balanced combination. Both sandwiches were delightful and far too much to finish in one sitting and even after a day they still held up.

I would gladly eat at The French Pantry every day but, unfortunately, that's not an option. Again, they're only open weekday lunches from 11am to 2:15pm and you're likely to confront long lines and crowds but it's worth every grueling minute. A true hidden gem, an anomaly in this region. Justifiably a little pricier than what you're used to but also far more delicious than you could imagine. I cannot wait until the next time.



The French Pantry
6301 Powers Ave
Jacksonville, FL 32217
(904) 730-8696