If you need coffee before the Centre Street shops open, Amelia Island Coffee starts pouring at 7 a.m. every day at 207 Centre Street, in the second block up from the waterfront. It has been a downtown meeting place since 1995, set in a 140-year-old building with exposed brick walls. The beans are roasted locally, just down the road in Yulee.
The drink list goes well beyond drip. There's a large selection of espresso drinks, cold brew, select organic teas, fruit smoothies, frappes, milkshakes and Red Bull infusions. Food is a real breakfast and brunch menu, not just a pastry case: three kinds of avocado toast, a New York bagel with smoked salmon, capers and red onion, Belgian waffles, omelets, a breakfast quesadilla, biscuits and gravy, and oatmeal with berries. The shop also bakes fresh goods daily.
Plan around two times. Food is served until 1 p.m., and the doors close at 5 p.m. There's seating inside and out, and the shop says pets are always welcome, which makes it an easy stop on a morning dog walk through the historic district.
For something sweet afterward, Fernandina's Fantastic Fudge is on the same block at the corner of Centre and Third. If you'd rather sit down to a longer brunch, Garden Street Bistro is around the corner on South 3rd Street, and the pet-friendly guide lists more places that welcome dogs.