Southern Grounds & Co. opens at JIA, giving travelers a taste of popular Jacksonville restaurant

Smoked salmon and herbed cream cheese toast, a Baja ancient grains bowl with black beans and corn salsa, and a stone-ground grits bowl with poached egg, cheddar cheese and bacon.

Those options and more are now available to ticketed travelers at Jacksonville International Airport with the opening of Southern Grounds & Co.

The 23-seat coffee shop in Concourse A near Gate A4 is the latest from the nearly 6-year-old, Jacksonville-based restaurant known for its innovative, chef-driven menu, including omelets, soups, salads, sandwiches and wraps as well as homemade pastries and other baked goods from its BlueberryBakery. Gourmet specialty coffee and teas also top its menu.

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Owner Mark Janasik, a veteran restauranteur, said he collaborates with chefs and farmers around the Southeast as the restaurant crafts its menu with sustainably sourced and high-quality ingredients such as all-natural or organic chicken and fresh from the field produce.

"We believe that a great cup of coffee connects people, starts conversations and creates communities," Janasik told the Times-Union. "We have created a concept that allows the community to gather together in a relaxing environment with great food."

The JIA coffee shop will have a limited menu initially because of its relatively small size and its more grab-and-go style concept.

Although service is designed to be quick, it won't cut corners on the quality of the food and beverages, Janasik said. Many of the ingredients are organic and/or locally grown.

"Our brand thrives on providing healthful food offerings while building up our community. We are not only passionate about bringing whole, nutritious, and sustainably sourced food and beverage offerings, we do so while caring for the environment and reducing waste," Janasik said.

Airport customers also will be able to buy bags of Southern Grounds' signature Beaches Blend coffee from roasting partner Intelligentsia as well as the restaurant's Makenu Chocolate bars.

And early next year, more airport visitors can sample Southern Grounds when a second and larger restaurant opens before the airport security checkpoint — making it accessible to all travelers and airport visitors.

It will replace one of three Starbucks operating at the airport and the Made in JAX retail space. At about 1,800 square feet, that restaurant will seat about 50 people and offer breakfast, lunch and dinner plus a full-service bar, Janasik said.

The two JIA locations will bring to five the number of Southern Grounds restaurants in the Jacksonville area. The others are in Neptune Beach (2016), San Marco (2017) and Avondale (2020).

The arrival of Southern Grounds at the airport signals the Jacksonville Aviation Authority's emphasis on promoting the city to visitors.

"It gives the airport some local flair, some local flavor," said Michael Stewart, JAA director of external affairs.

Offering travelers a "taste of Jacksonville" via JIA restaurants and coffee houses also is a way to demonstrate the uniqueness of the city's business community," Stewart said.

That effort will continue next year with the addition of Burrito Gallery, another local concept. And Jacksonville-based Firehouse Subs, which is currently open in a spot just past the TSA screening area, will relocate to another location as the airport prepares for construction in that area.

Those restaurants will join existing restaurants such as Chili's and other national chains, JAA officials said. All of the airport's restaurants are operated by HMSHost under a licensing agreement.

Paul Lockel, director of operations for HMSHost, said Southern Grounds and the other local restaurants coming to JIA "represent the city really well."

Chili's, Starbucks and other national brands are important, but "you have to have the support of the local community," Lockel said of the importance of getting the right mix of local and national brands.

"We absolutely love partnering up with local folks. Local plays a big part in every airport …," he said.

The Southern Grounds coffee shop is open daily, from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville airport adds Southern Grounds & Co. to mix of restaurants