Food & Drink in Yulee

San Jose Mexican Grill touts a lunch and dinner menu of toothsome, tortilla-clad sensations prepared with authentic south-of-the-border flavors. Awaken a passive palate with some spicy queso con jalapeño ($2.99) before mowing down midday hunger with the reigning champion Lunch #1, which includes a taco, chili relleno, guacamole salad, an edible Olympic medal, and refried beans ($5.79). Appetites out for a bigger bite can pluck taste-bud-pleasing plates from the Los Favoritos list, which includes chimichangas ($9.29) and the house specialty Guadalajara with sautéed carne azada and garlic shrimp served beside salad, rice, beans, and a flotilla of flour tortillas ($13.99). Architecturally inclined patrons can dig in to a personal combination platter made from classic contrivances such as chalupas, enchiladas, and more ($7.99 for two items, $8.99 for three), and more laissez-faire fellows will find predetermined feasts that include uber-spicy camarones à la diabla ($11.99) and a variety of strictly veggie dinners ($7.19 each).

Dick’s quickly silences grumbling bellies with a menu of tasty grilled edibles and a tongue-tingling variety of spicy twists. Fried pickles ($4.29), buffalo shrimp ($7.49), or wings in 365 available flavors ($8.99/10) engage mouths as guests wait for the main attraction—half-pound burgers, whose meatslabs are hand-pressed and grilled to order over the heat of omnipresent flame decals. Bacon, swiss, and lettuce enrobe the Squealin' Cheeser burger ($7.59), whereas sautéed mushrooms sit proudly atop the Shroomer burger ($7.59) and a trio of cheddar, american, and jack adorn the Three Cheeser ($7.59). All burgers come with a choice of steak fries or waffle fries and can be sharpened with any of Dick’s 365 sauce blends ($0.59 additional). Before strolling over to the nearby beach to squash sandcastles, diners can clog their molars with chunks of deep-fried Oreos ($3.99), a chocolate tribute to the hamburger and a smooth ending to a spicy ride.

It was a bold idea—opening a restaurant in the midst of the Great Depression. But the founders were truly convinced that if they maintained a clean space with low prices and friendly service, they'd drum up more than enough business to support themselves. And on October 24, 1932, when Krystal's first customer walked out with six Krystals and a cup of coffee for 35 cents, the restaurant's remarkably successful run began.

More than 81 years later, Krystal reigns as one of the oldest fast-food brands in the country. Their namesake creation remains their biggest draw, snack-size burgers topped with diced onion, mustard, and pickle on a soft, square bun. Over the years they've added other hugely popular menu items, including breakfast scramblers and MilkQuakes made from 100% real ice cream. Even after eight decades, enthusiasm from customers has hardly cooled: Krystal gets so much fan mail, the staff have a Krystal Lovers Hall of Fame, for which inductees have their illustrated likeness printed on more than a million burger boxes.

Sun filters through bay windows at The Blue Goose, a coffee and wine shop nestled within the painted blue walls of a repurposed home. Upon entering the friendly environs, visitors are greeted with a barrage of smiling faces and the scent of freshly ground Jittery Joe’s and Perc coffee beans. Servers ferry small plates of goat cheese and hummus to tables, pairing the snacks with imported and domestic wine and bottled brews. These gourmet refreshments also feed private parties in The Blue Goose’s backroom and on its outdoor patio, which can accommodate up to 60 guests or one Mothra.