With the summer heat truly bearing down on Jacksonville, I’ve ventured out to try to find more local coffee spots to beat the coming fatigue. Though I still get hot coffee in the mornings, as is my routine, it’s more about feeling refreshed by community rather than a cold brew. Luckily, the start of Baymeadows Road from the turn-off of San Jose Boulevard has a small grouping of local shops, including a few cute cafes that will be the focus of a few articles to come. Each with its own stories to be told, and different varieties of food and drink, I’ll be giving each one of them their own little spotlight against Florida’s summer sun.
The first of this cluster that I’ve decided to visit was 1928 Cuban Bistro. While this bistro has several locations all around the city today, and even ones in Fleming Island and Fernandina Beach, it all started out from one family’s “American Dream”. Named after the owner’s grandfather’s birth year, Rebecca Gonzalez dedicates the bistro to Mario and Pura Alvarado, who escaped communist Cuba in order to obtain a better life for their three daughters in the states. The bistro was inspired by that dedication and hard work, illustrating the journey from Cuba to Miami to Jacksonville through traditional Latin tastes with modern techniques, and ultimately culminating in a burst of life and love in the form of food.
Speaking of the food, the breakfast sandwich that I got was the Mezclado, or “Mixed” in Spanish. A combination of Cuban bread with scrambled eggs, cubed ham, and subtly mixed in cheese – A meeting of simple breakfast delights. The most surprising thing was how warm it stayed the entire time – whether from the press or the heat kept in by the bread, no part of the sandwich ever got cold! The bread itself had just the slightest bit of crunch on the outside, but was still so fluffy on the inside. The eggs and cheese were also very light and fluffy in taste, with the cubed ham being the main star in terms of flavor profiling – the sweet and savory hints of it throughout made this whole thing the perfect comfort sandwich. Not to mention that the sandwich itself was massive; something to fill you up and keep you going into your afternoon snack time.
But the coffee I had was just as subtly divine. I had gotten the La Rebe – an almond milk drink with Cuban espresso, brown sugar, and “Becky’s secret ingredient”. If I could ask Mrs. Rebecca for the secret ingredient, I would, because I want this coffee every day now.
The almond milk gave the whole thing a soft sweetness – not overpowering as some alternative milk lattes can be – and the Cuban espresso was so smooth. The brown sugar also didn’t overpower the drink; each piece mixed together in perfect harmony in the drink. It was the exact pick-me-up I needed to wake me up, and I wish I could drink it again and again.
1928 Cuban Bistro was an overall warm and welcoming experience. The vibes in the cafe were coastal and cheerful, and both their beginnings and their future seemed as bright as the sun. I can’t wait to see where they go next, what they do next, and when more people start to visit to bring them more love in their communities.
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A local girl with a love of writing and food, who has transitioned into writing articles about all the local food spots, in order to encourage everyone to explore and take in the tastes of their community! With a bachelor’s degree in Communications & Media from FSCJ and a bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies – Film & Screenwriting, I hope to get the community more engaged with their surroundings and take in all they have to offer! I’m glad if any of my articles encourage anyone to try new things or get out into the world!
Roughly bi-weekly uploads, but also taking everything one day at a time and going at my own pace~ Also will cover more than just food; looking forward to all of the local events I can attend on our First Coast as well!
