We were cruising around a Jacksonville neighborhood when suddenly, there was Pinegrove Market and Deli. I initially drove right past it.
Unfortunately, Fred and I arrived about ten minutes too early, so we impatiently sat outside in my car.
It’s not very big inside, but that certainly did not stop our excitement when we saw the butcher counter across from us and the giant chalkboard next to it.
We were greeted by a gentleman to our immediate right standing at the counter under the “Order Here” sign, asking if we had been there before.
We had not.
To Breakfast OR Not?
Breakfast was under consideration since it was still early, but my mind was set on lunch from the minute we walked in.
Once we placed our initial order, all hell broke loose—we ordered a whole lot.
We sat right under a Pinegrove Market and Deli sign on a peg board wall, talk about old school.
All of the burgers are made daily in-house. The Big Bud Burger is a half-pound ground steak burger topped with fried jalapeños, sautéed mushrooms, Gouda, and cheddar cheeses on a grilled brioche bun. It’s just what I needed.
I usually would steer clear of a burger with so many toppings, but that Gouda cheese and fried jalapeños combo called out to me. Nevertheless, it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience.
Next up were the fried chicken sliders. These were breaded chicken cutlets with pepper jack cheese and pickles on small glossy rolls. They were killer and would make a perfect appetizer to get your lunch going.
Round 2
Before we knew it, a second round was in the books. Now we have a Cuban sandwich, meatball sub, steak sub, and something called Steak-in-a-Sack.
Pinegrove’s Cuban sandwich is the Miami version since it does not contain salami. It features juicy, slow-roasted pork, honey-cured ham, deli-cut Swiss cheese, pickles, and the only deviation, spicy mustard.
The meatball sub was a special they were running, so we couldn’t pass it up. It was a hefty sandwich with beefy meatballs. The shaved, unmelted parmesan cheese on top was not necessary but appreciated (not the unmelted part).
While it’s not officially a cheesesteak, the Pinegrove menu offers a steak sub. The sub comes with USDA beef steak, sautéed onions, bell peppers, and white American cheese on a toasted hoagie.
The steak sub didn’t come toasted, but that’s okay. It’s also available in a chicken version, which seems like the way to go.
There’s also a Steak-in-a-Sack, which is essentially the steak sub but in a pita. If I had to choose between both, I would stick with the one in the toasted subroll.
We ordered about eight items from the menu and barely made a dent in trying everything. There is still a lot of work to do and don’t forget, there’s a Fish Fry every Friday and Saturday!
Pinegrove Market and Deli is a great spot to pick up steaks for grilling at home. As for the burgers, well, for those I’d eat in.
Pinegrove Market & Deli
1511 Pine Grove Avenue
Jacksonville, FL
(904) 389-8655
Website – https://www.pinegrovemarket.com
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/pinegrove_jax
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/PinegroveMarket
Monday 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Tuesday 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Wednesday 11:00 am – 8:00 pm
Thursday 11:00 am – 8:00 pm
Friday 11:00 am – 8:00 pm
Saturday 11:00 am – 8:00 pm
Sunday CLOSED