Pensacola's best lunch spots: A look at some of our favorite places to treat our tastebuds

Picture this: You're at work. You glance at the time and realize it's 15 minutes before lunch. You're tired of having the same meal, so you decide to treat yourself, only you're not sure where to go. All of those great lunch ideas have suddenly fluttered out of your mind. 

Sound familiar? 

We've all been there. When those darned hunger hormones kick in and tell your brain it's time to fuel up, it's tempting to fall back on the familiar and keep eating the same old thing again and again. 

Don't give into that temptation. Persevere and keep reading, maybe even save this list, and treat yourself — and your tastebuds — to something wonderful and new. 

Carmen’s Lunch Bar and Tapas

407 S. Palafox St., B

Carmen’s Lunch Bar and Tapas is an eclectic New American restaurant that pairs Southern and international cuisine with imported beers and signature ice teas. There are gluten-free options, soups, fresh salads, savory tapas and homemade sandwiches. Don’t let the quaint description full you, however, this menu is full of creative options.

What to try: Spanish crab melt

New Yorker Deli

3001 E. Cervantes St.

Here’s a new challenge: Throw a dart at the New Yorker Deli menu and try to find something you won’t like. This simple deli, located on Scenic Highway, specializes in soups, salads, pasta, sandwiches, pizza and plenty of other deli bites. It’s a restaurant that isn’t afraid to offer an expansive menu because it knows it delivers. New Yorker also delivers to businesses on orders of $35 or more, provides takeout and caters.

What to try: The French dip

The Garden at Palafox + Main

501 S. Palafox St.

Formerly known as Al Fresco, The Garden was renamed, redesigned and reimagined when it reopened in 2020 with new food trucks and a partial roof to block some of Florida’s harsher weather elements — like the sun. The four food trucks are Flip-n-Yaki, MELT, Champ’s Nashville Hot Chicken and Calavera.

Flip-n-Yaki is a Pan-Asian food truck run by a family that has served the Pensacola area since 1974. You’ll find meat-based teriyaki dishes, Korean short ribs, kebabs and more.

First opening:The Garden food court opening on Palafox Monday with three new airsteam food trailers

Nashville hot chicken:Nashville hot chicken spot in Pensacola offers heat so hot you have to sign a waiver

MELT Gourmet Sandwiches and Mac N’ Cheese takes all the foods you loved as a kid and grows them up a bit. As you might expect from the name, MELT provides many macaroni-inspired dishes, mixing it with pork, buffalo chicken and even sloppy Joes. Melts and loaded fries are also available.

Champ’s Nashville Hot Chicken replaced Boca Latin Kitchen in March. Champ’s offers four degrees of heat for its chicken, including original, Nashville hot and extra hot. And for those who enjoy a little pain with their food — and don’t mind signing a consent form — the Reaper’s Rush is the type of “uncomfortable” heat they’re looking for.

Calavera is a Tex-Mex food truck that’s bringing Mexican street food to Palafox. Patrons can enjoy specialty tacos, bowls, nachos and more.

Bonus content: The Garden is more than just food trucks. It’s home to five kiosks, The Perennial Bar, and Pearl and Horn. The Perennial is a sister bar of Perfect Plain, The Well and Garden and Grain.

Pearl and Horn is a perfect mixture of land and sea. Award-winning chef George Lazi and his wife, Luba, are the owners of George Bistro + Bar. The husband-wife duo decided to expand their cultural food experiences with this new concept. The menu is full of Gulf Coast favorites like shrimp and grits, grouper and oysters. There’s also a pretty notable smash burger, plus snacks and sandwiches.

What to try: You tell us! With so many different concepts, choosing one is nearly impossible. Drop a comment and let us know your favorite.

Hub Stacey’s

312 E. Government St. and 5851 Galvez Road

Hub Stacey’s is the type of restaurant where first-timers quickly turn into regulars. Hubs has a location in downtown Pensacola’s Seville Historic District and Perdido Key. Both offer great outside dining experiences and some of the best sandwiches in the area — many of them named in honor of local streets. Live music is played every Friday night and you can catch Krazy George Karaoke Saturday nights.

What to try: The Cuban — and karaoke.

Pearl and Horn:Owners of George Bistro + Bar launch new, fast-casual restaurant Pearl & Horn downtown

The Nest General Store

11 Palafox Place, Suite C

You know Blue Jay’s Bakery, but what about its sister business, The Nest General Store? Well, the Nest isn’t actually a general store, but it is a fantastic place to grab breakfast in the morning, lunch in the afternoon and coffee any time of the day. Easily the most aesthetically-pleasing restaurant on the list, walking in has a nice, cozy feeling thanks to some of the shared bar seating available, a couch and cushy chairs. The lunch menu is pretty simple with Reubens, BLTs, melts and salads, but each has its own twist. The turkey sandwich, for instance, is topped with hummus and cucumber. The Reuben? It’s made in part with brandy barrel smoked duck pastrami.

What to try: Ham and brie melt

Four Seasons Catering and Eatery

212 S. Palafox St.

Second chances:Four Seasons catering offers second chance to addicts

It’s hard to apply the term “hidden gem” to any establishment on Palafox because of how condensed everything is, but Four Seasons is often overlooked, even by frequent downtown visitors. Though, that’s not to say the restaurant isn’t busy. On the menu, you’ll find plenty of good ol' Southern comfort food like jambalaya and fried green tomato sandwiches mixed with grilled chicken portobello quesadillas and Asian salmon. The restaurant also supports Waterfront Rescue Mission’s Addiction Recovery Program by hiring many of its current and previous participants.

What to try: Armeta’s fried chicken

The Leisure Club

1151 Office Woods Dr., Suite A

In another life, The Leisure Club was one of the original coffee shops in the Downtown Area, but in 2014 it moved to its current location just off Airport Boulevard. Armed with a drive-thru, quality coffee and friendly staff, The Leisure Club is most known now for its brunch — that still counts as lunch, right? For $12, you can grab two entrées and a side. Entrées include southern biscuits and gravy, waffles, crab cakes, garden frittatas and more. And there are vegan versions of almost every entrée. Pair it up with $10 bottomless mimosas and you’ve got yourself a good day.

What to try: The biscuits and gravy with waffles

Kingfisher

1500 Barrancas Ave.

Looking for a casual lunch affair that’s just a bit off the beaten path? Kingfisher is your place. Nestled in a small restaurant hub on Barrancas Avenue that Alice’s, Emerald Republic Brewing and Xiscali also call home, Kingfisher serves up delicious, craft sandwiches that will make your mouth water before you’re done ordering. The menu consists of American, seafood, Cajun and Creole foods. Vegetarian and vegan options are available.

What to try: The mullet

Fatboiz

1673 N. Pace Blvd.

Fatboiz is a family-owned restaurant that opened in West Pensacola in 2019. It focuses on keeping things simple and straight to the point. There are just nine sandwiches on the menu, offered in two different sizes at a pretty modest price point. You can find ham, swiss and slaw, a Reuben, tuna and more on the menu. The secret ingredient? Love, according to owner and general manager Moses Williams.

What to try: The Hawaiian Club

Hot Spot Barbecue

901 E. La Rua St.

Hot Spot Barbecue is an award-winning barbecue joint that’s been around since 2013. Taking a left turn from the rest of the options on this list, Hot Spot offers up Southern-style barbecue that packs flavor and nearly falls right off the bone. Driving down Ninth Avenue near downtown, you’ve probably seen their outdoor smokers firing up. If you’ve never stopped, do yourself a favor and treat yourself to lunch this week. The menu is relatively simple with plates featuring your choice of meat, sandwiches, desserts and sides like macaroni, potato salad and pork-n-beans.

What to try: Pulled pork