City Grocery

Every city is full of deli restaurants and counters, many of them outstanding. Pensacola is no different. The City Grocery is unique in its atmosphere, history, and location. Inside, it is completely urban, like any deli you find on a street corner in New York. It has an old feel to it, and for a reason. The City Grocery has been around for a very long time, since the antique building was built.Prior to 2003, you could find articles on the stores shelves that seemed to date back to the seventies. What kept it in business was its neighborhood location, its outstanding deli grill, and its BBQ, smoked fresh every weekend. In 2003, the store was bought by local businessmen and underwent a gradual but marked updating process. They scrubbed the store down, replaced the old merchandise with specialty foods, expanded the deli offerring, kept the BBQ, and added a great wine selection.

The result is a bustling little neighborhood store than gets drop-ins from all over the city. During the warmer three seasons, patrons can be found relaxing at its outdoor tables. On weekends, BBQ is being smoked right out front. On Fridays, weekly wine tastings get East Hill residents (on wannabees) ready for the weekend.Did I mention that the BBQ and chicken salad are the best in the city? And the wine selections, while small, is excellent. Need a wine recommendation? Talk to Ed. City Grocer is the conerstone of the the new emergence of the 12th Avenue renaissance sweeping Pensacola. With new restaurants on the horizon, City Grocery will remain a corner stone of the East Hill dining experience. Name: City Grocery
Location: 2050 N 12th Ave, Pensacola, FL 32503
Phone: (850) 469-8100
Price: $
Website: none available 

Jerry’s Drive-In

Another icon of Pensacola restaurants, Jerry’s Drive-In is a 1960s throw-back. I am sure it has been around at least that long. While it no longer offers drive-in service, it does offer a generous slice of old-school american diner. Its is typically “seat yourself”. The menu is a one pager from a deskjet. There are local ads laminated onto the table top; and the walls are plaster with bumperstickers- funny bumperstickers. The menu consists of burgers, BBQ, fish sandwiches, and a slew of southern sides. There is no effort to be gorumet, just good meat done right. And it is.

For a quick, cheap, enoyable meal, Jerry’s Drive-In can’t be beat. The price rating on this site is represented by dollar signs – $$. Loosley, each dollar sign represents $10/person that should be expected on the bill.  You can get out of Jerry’s spending $5. So maybe the price should be $/2…?

But take cash. No credit cards are accepted at Jerry’s Drive-In.

Name: Jerry’s Drive-In
Location: 2815 E Cervantes St, Pensacola, FL 32503
Phone: (850) 433-9910
Price: $
Website: none

Horizen

Now I am about to say that Horizen offers the best sushi in Pensacola, but I want to qualify my statement first.  Pensacola is a town of superior sushi. Its about the very fresh fish we have here and our long relationships with the Japanese via the Navy, and that is long and complicated. Suffice it to say that in a town of great sushi, Horizen edges out the competition. Why? I think its the sticky rice, but I am not sure.

The Tiger Roll is the item to get on this menu. Never have I eaten here and not ordered a Tiger Roll. It is a house specialty.  There are other standard sushi rolsl that are spectacular as well. I have never had bad sushi here. I can’t say that for any other sushi house I have eaten at. And I have eaten at Horizen more than any other sushi house.

However, I have had bad service here. I have had horrible service here. It has dramatically improved since they brought they brought some of the Front of the House managers over from Hunan, but it is still hit or miss. If the restaurant is busy, the three to four sushi rollers can’t keep up. It can take an extraordinary amount of time to get your order. Enjoy the Japanese wine selection, the sake, and some seaweed salad.

If you find waiting long lengths for your food inexcusable, as I do, don’t write Horizen off, just don’t go during peak hours. Its great for a late lunch or dinner. Or on a Monday or Tuesday evening…

Name: Horizen
Location: 3103 E Strong St., Pensacola (just behind Hunan on the east end of Cervantes)
Phone: (850) 432-7899
Price: $$
Website: http://www.horizensushi.com/