Elevated Bar Eats at San Marco Gastropub

• 1402 San Marco Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32207

If there are two things to remember about Papa's Kitchen + Cocktails, they are: music venue and savory chicken sandwich. Remember, it's a restaurant that serves great food and has a bar. Not the other way around. So that's three things.

But before I get into the latest and greatest offerings on the menu, let me tell you how this began. A few weeks ago Ben Enman emailed me about visiting this Italian Americana gastropub in San Marco. He sent me the link to the restaurant and we talked about times to come by.

I drove just north of the Hendricks V's Pizza + Sidecar, but not so far that I crossed the Fuller Warren Bridge. Right before you get to the Ronald McDonald House, you take a left into the Papa's parking lot. In a neighborhood with varied street parking availability, having a dedicated parking lot for patrons was an immediate win. No stress about parallel parking, tickets, or hoofing it half a mile.

I made my way to the entrance and host stand, where I was greeted by Hanna, a friendly bartender who made her way to the host stand. At 1:30 on a lazy Wednesday afternoon, the place was fairly empty, but that was why I chose that time. I didn't want to crash any lunch rushes and miss out on my chance to learn about the owner and the eats.

Staging a Great Friday Night

I found a perch on at the expansive bar area and got to survey my surroundings. The style fit with the vibe of bb's, having a relaxed metropolitan chic feel. The decor was a straight-forward red, black, white and silver theme. There is a large stage with a vibrant curtain and I could almost hear echoes of a bustling weekend show that would be paired with a cocktail or three. If the music was good and the night worth chasing.

Bob Carter came from the back of the restaurant to meet me. He and Adam Fontaine, former owner of Whiskey Jax, had their soft opening for the restaurant on May 8, 2026. The place still has that new car smell if you know what I mean. Remodeled, spiffed up and ready for hungry patrons.

Bob told me about the concept for the place as Classy and Whimsical. They serve upscale barfood and have a playful tagline, "Who's your daddy?" It's the perfect place for a semi-fancy night out for casual weeknight diners, Italian food lovers, post-work comrades, or an energetic weekend date night with a music backdrop.

Curating the Concept

Each menu item was selected with care. I learned the restaurant had a pizza and dough oven already built-in, making a foundation of pizza a natural starting point for the menu. They go beyond the basics of cheese, pep, and good crust. They make pizza with a hot honey dizzle and other flavor flourishes.  Adam and Bob seem to  bring an unexpected cooking joie de vivre in reimagining bar staples. With appetizers like short rib egg rolls and shrimp mac n cheese, you can expand your taste buds and live a little on the wild side.

Not Your Dad's Fries

Even the fries are living a little extra at Papa's. The fries are prepared in beef tallow, so they have this kind of mild smoky dimension that you get to consider with every bite. It's like tasting the nostalgia of brisket just barely drizzled over potato.

I sampled the Buffalo Wings and Tuscan Chicken Sandwich with Fries. I was recently swooning over the Datil wings at Aunt Kate's. My biggest issue with wings is if they are too dry or have very little meat. These were good on both counts. There was a delicious about of cooked just right chicken (see sous vide prep) and plenty of sauce. The sauce has just the tiniest kick of heat, allowing you to enjoy the flavor without have to gulp down a beer in tandem.

Chewing the Pretzel Bird

Now a good, affordable, interesting, flavorful and filling sandwich can be hard to find. And honestly, what first drew my attention was the pretzel bun. I am a sucker for bread, for carbs, for those basic dinner rolls that make meals worth living for.

With chicken I knew that would be filling, but for the wow factor, prosciutto (yum!) and boursin cheese were part of the deal. For $12.99, if could be slider size and I wouldn't complain. But it was a full sandwich that invited the flavors of my favorite appetizers (crostini with prosciutto and boursin) all presented on grilled chicken breast. It was great.

My other fave sammies, for the record, are still "Mama Ling Ling's Thanksgiving Dinner" at the Pom Poms in Orlando, and those meat piles at Bearded Pig.

But back to Papa's. The next items I would bite into are Nonna's lasagna (with short ribs), the pizza (cause staple), the eggrolls, the apple gorg salad, and the meatball sub.

I admitted to Bob that I get the meatball sub at Subway with banana peps and spinach, and he told me that that is the little known way to turn a meatball sub epic. He even did taste tests to confirm this. It might sound funny, but the fixings with the meatballs can make it sing.

Question Everything

If I were to spend some more time talking to Bob, I might cover the following topics:

• Could they have the best happy hour in town?
• Should I ask about their Secret Menu?
• Do I have an upcoming event that requires a Private Dining Area?
• Why didn't I go to Whiskey Jax more?
• Did COVID permanently maim the restaurant industry?
• Is North of 40 a good band?
• Are Spliff's and Kickbacks really gastropubs?
• Can I try the lasagna?