Secret Garden Cafe

My opinions are my own. Purchases made through links on this page may earn a small affiliate commission at no cost to you. so I can offer this and similar content at no charge. Please do business with my affiliates. No compensation was solicited or offered at the time of writing this post. For more details, review the Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy, and About pages.

A Visit to Secret Garden Cafe

(Don’t want the details? Skip the review and check The Verdict)

It’s a sunny autumn Saturday in Jacksonville when I find myself a patron of Secret Garden Cafe yet again. I’m not quite a regular here anymore, but this is a little cafe that holds a special place in my heart. Secret Garden was the first brunch cafe I visited after relocating from Ohio to Jacksonville. This place holds memories.

As with most popular Jax brunch locations on weekends, I have a wait after letting the greeters add my name to the list. There’s no option here to jump the line and no text messaging service, but they are almost always organized and prompt in calling patrons. The wait isn’t long – most patrons here will socialize freely over the excellent food but will not delay in making space for those in line to be seated.

The staff has changed since I last recall, but the menu and clientele are largely the same. They remodelled the place a number of years ago, and it has an open, welcoming vibe. High ceilings, little mirrors on the wall, a bakery-style display case, and local art prominently displayed all offer a welcome, low-stress feel.

The server is new and doesn’t recognize me, but she greets me quickly with a smile. I decline the weekend mimosas and bloodys bar, opting for my normal coffee (with creamer please, no sugar). I already know what I want but I do take a minute, as always, to scan the menu.

My go-to here is the corned beef hash platter. They make it with fresh ingredients right in the kitchen – no pre-made canned hash here. Eggs over-medium, the artisan rye toast, and cheese grits will round out the entree. Unfortunately, although the salad of the day is their phenomenal macaroni salad, I have arrived too late in the day to partake – they are out. Not for the first time (and probably not the last), I curse my propensity to be a late riser on weekends. The macaroni salad, when it’s available, is my favorite anywhere.

I have a few minutes after ordering to check out the other patrons. Secret Garden is a family place, the kind of place you go to after church on a Sunday or before heading out for a Saturday adventure. On a weekday you can find work crews here sometimes, fuelling up ahead of their day or stopping in for lunch, along with the local regulars. There’s almost always a few college-age or young professional couples, maybe for a first date or maybe longer-term, out to enjoy each other’s company.

The servers are efficient, if limited in number, checking in regularly on their tables and making sure all the patrons’ needs are met. The low hum of conversation at various tables contributes to the friendly atmosphere.

My brunch is everything I expect.

The eggs are just right – over medium isn’t always an easy order to prepare. The whites are cooked and the yolks are soft with some liquid. Paired with the freshly shredded corned beef brisket, green pepper and onion, and potato cubes – this is my own little piece of heaven. I don’t know what spices they use in the hash – is that coriander? And some kind of pepper, not too spicy – it’s perfect to my taste.

As always, I leave with my plate empty and my appetite satiated.

The Theme

Secret Garden Cafe was originally founded by two local Jacksonville chefs. When it first started, there was a definite garden theme, but the remodel several years ago gives it more of a modern open theme. Grey-blue walls, wood tables and benches, wood chairs – if anything it’s a home dining room transplanted to a cafe.

The glasswork vases and local artists’ paintings on the walls add color and atmosphere to the space. Top-to-bottom windows, heavily tinted, span the entire front of the cafe. A semi–private dining area with a large table serves bigger groups and would make a great area for a brunch presentation.

There’s no breakfast bar, and the bakery display case would be out of place if it wasn’t positioned to make a clear separation between kitchen and dining area. The treats in the case are enticing, although I can’t say I’ve ever partaken.

Best Dish

Regular readers will see that I’m always a fan of homemade corned beef hash. Secret Garden’s entry in the homemade hash is an excellent, very traditional take on true Irish corned beef hash with fresh ingredients at just the right ratios.

I also have to recommend the fried green tomatoes, whether served as a side or as part of the Secret Garden Bene.

The Secret Crab Bene offers the best of almost everything – the fried green tomatoes and crabcakes stacked with poached eggs and hollandaise onto an english muffin.

The “salad” of the day rotates regularly and is often a treat. I am very partial to the macaroni salad, and if I find out they are serving it, I will make a special trip just to collect my share. Popular salads sometimes run out so arrive early for your favorite.

My friend Maleri of Yama’s says that if you’re considering ordering soup, it would be a crime to pass on the roasted red pepper soup topped with gouda. “It’s amazing!”

The Menu

I am fond of describing Secret Garden as “the most unusual take on brunch in Jacksonville”. Traditional brunch fare is certainly available, but almost every dish has a special twist. Breakfast and lunch options are available throughout their operating hours. Mimosas and Bloody Marys are available from a side bar on weekends, make to your own taste.

Secret Garden’s menu has changed over the years that I have known them. Certainly today’s menu is simpler to manage than the original, and I feel they kept all the best attributes.

If you’re picky about trying new things, Secret Garden might not be for you. I’m confident the pickiest eaters can find something traditional on the menu if they can enjoy a brunch in any American cafe, but these options are for customers who want to experience something a little special.

For Vegetarians, breakfast offers the Veggie Hot Mess or the Vegetarian Omelette- do note that both include eggs and cheese. Lunch offers the fried green tomato salad.

For those following the Keto diet, I expect the Meat Lovers omelette or the Ham and Cheese will work – you will want them to hold the bread. There’s not really a lunch option that would follow a keto diet without heavy substitutions.

The Coffee

A word about the coffee. If there is any area where Secret Garden has room for improvement, it would be the coffee. I’d really like to see them introduce something bolder and more in line with their theme of something special in every way.

That said, the coffee is not bad. It’s a regular cup, not strong but not weak either. It rarely sits too long and they are always ready to put on a fresh pot. It’s… good, fresh, normal coffee.

The servers will make sure your cup is full and hot. Creamer is the regular half-and-half, hazelnut, or french vanilla.

Service

Servers are friendly, attentive, and on-point. When they are not directly waiting on customers they can be found warming up customers’ coffee, prepping tables, and keeping the dining area clean and presentable. They are used to working with each other. There’s no horseplay and the servers do all support each other.

The toast arrives without butter and I did have to ask for butter and jelly. Everyone is getting used to the “new normal” and I can easily excuse the oversight since they have to make up a special condiment bowl for each table.

In days past, the owners (and sometimes the chefs) would frequently walk the dining area, checking in with customers, sharing the latest news and catching up with regulars, meeting and getting to know newcomers. Since I stopped eating here regularly and started expanding my range, I have not seen the owners or chefs engaging with customers directly, but times change. It wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest to see them walking the floor – the place hasn’t changed that much.

The Location / Hours

Secret Garden is squarely in Jacksonville’s Southside area, on the north side of Beach Blvd east of Southside Blvd (left if you are heading toward the beaches). It holds the center of a strip shopping center and top billing on the sign- hard to miss. They are almost exactly across from the orange dinosaur on Beach Blvd, and the shopping center is right next to a natural stone garden center.

The neon lit “open” sign isn’t always easy to spot through the tinted glass, but you can be sure they’ll be there from morning to midafternoon.

Value

Secret Garden entrees are filling and complete. There are few nickel-and-dime add-ons and servers will not aggressively upsell. As far as I can tell, they will readily accommodate reasonable substitutions and requests to customize their offerings. Do expect an upcharge for some customizations, according to difficulty and time to prepare.

Coffee refills, soft drink refills, and water are standard, as is extra hot water for tea. Juice and milk are by-the-glass.

I don’t expect to have leftovers when I eat here. That’s ok – breakfast entrees rarely reheat well in my opinion. As a consumer of 2000-2500 calories a day, I empty my plate and I leave full.

My check was a little less than $20, including tip, for entree, coffee, and added grits. There are places that will cost less, for sure. There are few that will offer the same or more at this price point.

Expect to tip your server a reasonable amount. The team here works hard to keep customers happy and I regularly tip well at 20% or more – I recommend you do the same.

Overall I think Secret Garden Cafe offers an excellent value for your budget whether you make it a regular stop or an occasional indulgence.

A Note about Social Isolation

In these times of COVID-19 everyone has to be careful and because Secret Garden’s regular clientele spans all ages, they are respectful of their customers. By my observation, Secret Garden readily adopted local health restrictions and has continued to keep up with requirements.

Expect to be asked to wear a mask if waiting inside, and any time you leave your table. Servers are respectful but firm in enforcing the rules. I did not see any of the customers object to their requests.

The staff was all masked during my visit, and wearing their masks properly. They have always made a point of cleaning the serving area regularly, and are even more attentive now. The faint smell of disinfectant can be detected when entering – a distraction from the usually welcome smells of fresh coffee and wonderful food.

The Verdict

Secret Garden Cafe is in the top of Jacksonville’s brunch offerings. Weekends are busy but the wait is usually much shorter than other popular brunch locations. The food and service are excellent.

Secret Garden may not be as sophisticated as larger venues or as avant-garde as some of the Riverside or Downtown locations, but it fits extremely well into its chosen niche.

Secret Garden is an excellent way to introduce newcomers to Jacksonville’s local brunch offerings. Bring your out-of-town guests or make it your regular stop – you can’t go wrong. It’s perfect for a brunch date with a new crush or an with old friend.

I heartily recommend stopping in – tell them you heard about it at It’s a Jacksonville Life!

Where to Go Next

If you’re in the mood for outdoors, head east on Beach Blvd and spend the rest of the day at the beach! Or, head north on Southside Blvd and keep going until you cross the Dames Point Bridge, hop off at Hecksher and head up to Talbot Islands or Fernandina.

If you’re looking for an interesting shop, duck just west on Beach Blvd past Southside and look for Cool Stuff Games on the right. You’ll find all manner of interesting board games, card games, and other chic geek paraphenelia to satisfy your inner nerd (and who knows, you might even make a new friend at one of their tables!).

Taking it easy? Catch a movie at Tinseltown Theatres – an afternoon matinee will cost less than a regular ticket and it’s sure to be not crowded.