If you'd like to eat outside downtown with the dog under the table, The Patio at 5th & Ash at 416 Ash Street seats you on a dog-friendly patio shaded by oak trees and strung with lights, one block off Centre Street. The restaurant bills itself as café, cocktails, bistro and wine bar in one, with a full bar, daily happy hour and live music.
The lunch menu runs all day. It covers shareables such as the Drunken Cheesy Bread (a baguette dipped in red wine and baked with garlic butter and mozzarella), Fernandina Famous Meatballs and a lump crab dip, plus handhelds like the Fernandina French Dip with braised short rib and a grouper sandwich with spicy island slaw. Dinner starts at 4:30 p.m. and leans toward seafood: Island Grouper with Caribbean spices and banana salsa, Tuscan redfish over cheesy grits, shrimp and grits, house crab cakes, and Mediterranean lobster ravioli, along with braised short ribs and a bone-in pork chop. The menu marks gluten-free, dairy-free and vegetarian dishes, and the house-made salad dressings are sourced from Olive Amelia, the olive oil shop on Centre Street.
Sunday brunch runs 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with shrimp and grits made with local Mayport shrimp, eggs Benedict, banana foster French toast and a mimosa bottle served tableside with your choice of three juices. There's a Little Pirates menu for kids.
Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. Parties of six or more get a 20 percent gratuity. The Patio also caters box lunches, sandwich trays and desserts with 24 to 48 hours' notice.
It's on the Insider's list of downtown dining picks, and the pet-friendly guide covers what to know before bringing a dog downtown. Burlingame is around the corner on South 5th if you want a seasonal dinner menu instead.