Here are some restaurants for you to consider. We’ve tried them all and all are recommended for your consideration. Where’s “downtown?” Our definition (for eating purposes only): where people who work in the business district can conveniently go for lunch. We’ve also added the nearby dinner-only places.
Food Founders Hall
Upstairs at the Landing. Several different restaurants offer sandwiches, pizza, seafood, Cajun, Thai and Chinese. Open for lunch and dinner. $
Hooters
Sandwiches, burgers, salads, wings. Casual atmosphere. Open for lunch and dinner. 356-5400. $$
Bourbon Street Bar and Grill
A New Orleans-style restaurant at the Landing. Indoor and outdoor seating. Daily specials. Full service bar and live music on weekends and occasionally week nights. Open daily for lunch and dinner. New Orleans-style brunch Sunday. 356-6200. $$
Kabuki
Full menu of Japanese specialties. Open daily for lunch and dinner.
The American Cafe
At the Landing. Specialties include ribs, steaks, fresh fish, pizza, pasta and salads. Indoor and outdoor dining. Open daily for lunch and dinner. 353-4503. $$
Legends Sports Bar
Indoor and outdoor dining available. The menu includes pizza, appetizers, salads, sandwiches and pasta. Open daily for lunch and dinner. 632-0062. $
Ruby Tuesday
Indoor and outdoor dining available, located at the Landing. The menu includes ribs, fajitas, pasta, salads and fresh seafood. Open daily for lunch and dinner. 358-7737. $$
Southend Brewery & Smokehouse
Offers regional and American Cuisine. Southend’s meats are smoked, the grilled items are cooked over hickory wood and the pizza is baked in a wood-burning oven. Indoor and outdoor dining at the Landing. Open daily for lunch and dinner. 665-0000. $$
Vito’s Italian Cafe
Indoor and outdoor dining available. The menu includes — surprise — pasta, salads, pizza. Open daily for lunch and dinner. $$
Akel’s Delicatessen
Corner of Hogan and Adams streets. Breakfast and lunch. Hot and cold sandwiches, burgers, soups, salads available. 356-5628. Catering. $$
Around the Corner Deli
Corner of Julia and Forsyth streets. Breakfast and lunch. Hot and cold sandwiches, pasta, seafood, salads and hot meals. 356-8475. $
Bay Street Cafe
Next to the Blackstone building on Bay Street. Open for breakfast and lunch. Sandwiches, salads, soups. Take out. 634-0328. $
Benny’s Sandwich Shop
In the tunnel which connects the SunTrust building and the old Atlantic Bank building at 121 W. Forsyth St. Sandwiches, pizzas, and Peterbrooke chocolate available. 634-1525. $$
Blue Boy Sandwich Shops
121 Laura St. Breakfast and lunch. Soup, hot and cold subs, wings, hot dogs. 355-6767. $
Burger King
Between State and Union streets near Main Street Standard BK fare. $
Canton Restaurant
On Julia Street across from the BellSouth tower. Chinese and American cuisine. Lunch only. 355-6705. $
Casadora
On Forsyth down from the Florida Theatre. Italian, pizza, salads, sandwiches. $
De Real Ting Cafe
Located on West Adams Street. Traditional Jamaican cuisine, including jerk chicken, curried goat, steamed fish and fried plantains. Serves lunch M-F, dinner Friday and Saturday. 633-9738. $$
Desert Rider
Located on Liberty near Bay and on Hogan streets near City Hall. Salads and sandwiches. Lunch only. $
Enterprise Center Café
10th floor of the First Union tower. Breakfast and lunch. 354-2221. $$
Fred Cotten Barbecue
On Main Street about a mile from downtown. Hangout for politicians. All meals. 743-1233. $
Farah’s N.Y. Deli
Located at the corner of Bay and Liberty streets. Salads, sandwiches. $
Firehouse Subs
Located in the police and fire building on West Adams Street. Standard Firehouse fare. $
Gene’s Sandwich Shop
119 W. Adams St. Breakfast and lunch. Sandwiches, chicken, steak, fish. 358-2645. $
Gourmet Buffet
On Monroe Street across Hemming Plaza from City Hall. Big lunch buffet. 358-9666. $$
Ital Expresso Cafe
Across from Hemming Plaza on Monroe. Italian cuisine, sandwiches, daily specials. Breakfast and lunch. 356-4913. $
Farah’s of Downtown
Across from Hemming Plaza. Popular with the City Hall crowd. Sandwiches, salads, daily specials. Indoor and outdoor dining. Lunch and breakfast. 355-6954. $$
Jenkins Quality Bar-B-Que
At Pearl and State streets. Order at the window and take food to the table. 353-6388. $$
JEA Cafeteria, The Cafe
Located in the JEA building. Hot and cold sandwiches. Daily specials. Generous servings at a reasonable price. Take out available. $$
Johnny’s Deli
Located on Adams Street next to the Cactus Cafe. Hot and cold sandwiches, salads. Breakfast and lunch. Delivery available. $-$$
Johnson’s Diner
On State Street across from FCCJ. Soul food. Breakfast and lunch. 356-3516. $$
Joseph’s Pizza and Italian Restaurant
Located on Main Street. Italian entrees and sandwiches. Lunch and dinner daily. 765-0335. $$
Juliette’s
Located in the Omni Hotel. Pasta and seafood. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. 355-6664. $$$
Larry’s Giant Subs
Corner of Main and Forsyth streets, a few doors down from the Florida Theatre. Hot and cold subs, salads, and soups available. Breakfast also served. 633-9028. $
Laura Street Cafe
Bank of America Tower lobby.
Breakfast and lunch. 356-5568. $$
Nora’s Pizza Cafe
Formerly Adams Street Cafe. Salads, sandwiches and of course, pizza. $
Maxx Pizza Factory
Located in Springfield on Main Street in the old Parkview Cafe location. Pizza, calzones, subs and salads. 356-3100. $$
Quizno’s
Sandwich shop at the corner of Pearl and Monroe streets across from Hemming Plaza. Hot and cold sandwiches. $-$$
Rock ‘n’ Roll Pizza
325 W. Forsyth St. Pizza subs and salad. Delivery available. $$
Riverfront Café
In the Adam’s Mark Hotel. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. 358-6800. $$
Southern Paradise
On Forsyth Street next to Kinko’s. Breakfast and lunch, with a down-home twist. $$
Sterling’s of Downtown
In the Seminole Club across from City Hall. Sandwiches, and daily specials. $$
Subway
Located on Monroe across from Hemming Plaza. Standard Subway fare. Lunch. $
Toby’s
At the end of Park Street on the downtown side of the bridge construction. Breakfast and lunch. Buffet from 11:30-2:30. Barbecue, hot meals and sandwiches. 791-9005. Catering. $
Top Dawg
Located on Monroe Street across from Hemming Plaza. Just hot dogs. $
Wade’s
In the basement of SunTrust building. Sandwiches and daily specials. $
Worman’s
Broad Street just off Adams Street. A genuine deli with kosher meats and homemade pastries. Breakfast and lunch. 354-5702. $$
The American Grill
In the Hilton on the Southbank. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Buffet at lunch. It’s the dining room for the hotel. 398-8800. $$
Cafe Plaza
Located on the bottom floor of the Prudential building. Soups, salads and sandwiches. Breakfast and lunch. 399-1258. $
Charlie’s Grille
Located on San Marco Boulevard. Sandwiches, camel riders. Breakfast and lunch. 396-5711. $
Current’s Restaurant and Bar
Inside the Radisson. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Pizza Hut products are served in the restaurant. $$
Kirin Japanese Restaurant
Hendricks Avenue. All-you-can-eat sushi dinner, weekday lunch buffet, other Japanese favorites. Lunch and dinner daily. 443-7862. $$-$$$
Panera Bread
1615 Hendricks Ave. Breakfast and lunch. Specialty sandwiches, soup, salads. $
River City Brewing Company
On the Southbank next to the museum. Fancy lunch and dinner. Catering. Meeting rooms. 398-2299. $$-$$$
River’s Edge
This is the restaurant for the Radisson. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Buffet every weekday. 396-5100. $$
Stacks All American Grill
1430 San Marco Blvd. Sandwiches, salads, Burgers. $$
Tidbits
Hendricks Avenue near the I-95 overpass. Lunch only. Big sandwiches and salad bar. Delivery, catering. 396-0528. $
Wine Cellar
On Prudential Dr. across from the Treaty Oak. Upscale dining, even at lunch. 398-8989. $$$
bb’s
Sister restaurant of Biscotti’s, bb’s has a more upscale menu and atmosphere. Pizza and sandwiches, along with daily dinner specials. Take out and catering available. Open for lunch and dinner Monday-Saturday. $$$
Bistro Aix
On San Marco Boulevard just south of I-95. Lunch and dinner. Upscale French food with a New York City atmosphere. Superb wine list. 398-1949. $$$
Cafe Carmon
On the square. Upscale eating featuring continental cuisine. Lunch and dinner every day except Sunday. Unparalleled desserts. 399-4488. $$-$$$
European Street Café
San Marco Boulevard. Big sandwiches, large variety of beers. Lunch and dinner. 398-9500. $$
Jim’s Fried Chicken
On the corner of Gary Street and Hendricks Avenue. Serving fried chicken and fish for lunch daily. 398-0002 $
La Napolera II
On Hendricks Avenue just south of the tennis courts. Lunch and dinner. Excellent Mexican food. 399-1768. $$
The Loop
San Marco Boulevard. Chicago-style burgers and pizza, sandwiches, salads. Lunch and dinner daily. 399-5667. $$
Pizza Palace II
Located on San Marco Blvd. Anything Italian you can think of. The spinach lasagna is out of this world. 339-8815. $$
San Marco Deli
On the square. Deli sandwiches and soups. Breakfast and lunch daily. 399-1306. $
Stan’s Sandwich
On the corner of LaSalle Street and Hendricks Avenue. Hot and cold sandwiches for breakfast or lunch. Try the “Breakfast in a Bag.” 398-6642. $
Tavern on the Square
On the square. Sandwiches, pizza, salad. Lunch and dinner daily. 398-8200. $
Bravo! Ristorante
In the Adam’s Mark Hotel. Singing waiters and an open kitchen. 358-6800. $$$
Busters Wings and Things
Located at the corner of A. Philip Randolph Boulevard and Union Street.
358-5006. $
Chart House
The round building between the Radisson and the river. Steaks and seafood. 398-3353. $$$
La Cena
Jerry Moran’s new venture on Laura Street. Pasta, seafood and more. Daily specials. $$$
Matthew’s
At the south end of the San Marco shopping district. One of the city’s most expensive places. 396-9922. $$$
Morton’s of Chicago
Across from the Radisson. Steaks, steaks and more steaks. $$$
Ruth’s Chris Steak House
Hilton Hotel and Towers (don’t confuse it with The American Grill). All items a la carte. 396-8840. $$$
The River Club
34th and 35th floors of Independent Square building. Members only. Lunch and dinner. 354-1111. $$$
University Club
27th floor of Riverplace Tower. Members only. Lunch and dinner. 396-1687. $$$
$ — under $5; $$ — $5-$10; $$$ — over $10
Have we missed anyone?We’re tried to include everything but we may have missed a place. Please let us know, and we’ll include it on our next listing. Just e-mail us at