Purple Roots is back and they're better than ever!…read more They are currently in their soft opening phase and is offering a limited menu from 5:00 PM-11:00 PM. They removed the kiosks and transitioned to full-service dining. - They are under new ownership with exciting plans ahead. Their vision is to elevate the Filipino dining experience in Jacksonville while collaborating with the local Filipino community to showcase the richness of Filipino cuisine. One concept I'm especially excited about? They're planning to launch a Filipino-inspired Chef's Table experience, similar to an omakase, highlighting Filipino flavors in a whole new way. Jacksonville's Filipino food scene just keeps getting better, and I can't wait to see what's next for Purple Roots!

It's been a while since our last visit to Purple Roots, but after my husband suggested it for…read moreweeks, we finally stopped in this evening! Arriving around 7:45 after a busy workday, the dinner rush had died down, and the vibe was nice and relaxing. Our sweet server, Heidi, was absolutely wonderful. She was incredibly warm and welcoming, effortlessly managing our table alongside three others. The kitchen was completely out of the Pork/Beef Lumpia appetizers, so we started with the Veggie instead. The shredded vegetables were crisp and fresh, and paired nicely with the sweet chili sauce and vinegar. For the mains, Mr. C. chose the Beef Bulalô. The portion was incredibly generous, and the broth was deeply comforting--even on this warm night. LOL. ƪ(*‿*) If you enjoy Caldo de res, you will absolutely love this dish! I ordered the Pancit Bihon with Shrimp and veggies, which had great texture but was just a touch on the salty side for my taste. However, the Adobo Fried Rice completely stole the show--so delicious and packed with flavor. We made sure to save room for dessert and tried the Halo-Halo. It is definitely large enough for 2 to share. While I wished the ice cream scoops of Ube (my go-to favorite) and Buko Pandan were a bit larger for the $12.50 price tag, the jellies, jackfruit, and shaved ice were fantastic to "mix-mix." With a nice variety on both their lunch and dinner menus, there's something here for everyone! We had a wonderful overall experience and will definitely be back to try other menu items.

Amazing food and service. We got the barbecue platter, rice and mac salad, side of fried chicken…read more Side of lumpia. Everything was delicious. We ordered more lumpia and pancit to go so we could eat on the road. This is a very nice family owned place. It is clean and bright on the inside. The owners are kind and welcoming. We will definitely be back the next time we are in the area. Check out this place. You will not be disappointed.

My favorite was probably the pork skewers appetizer: two smallish skewers for $5.16. I'd put it…read moreslightly ahead of the short ribs. The latter was $19.65 for the Fiesta Plate. I didn't like the sides on the Fiesta Plate that much (macaroni salad, which my wife didn't like, rice, salad), though the salad was pretty good. It also had a piece of fried chicken; I thought it was nice, my wife not so much, but neither of us thought it was up to Jollibee (admittedly, a high standard). I had a taste of the pancit bihon, which was more strongly flavored than any I've had before, and not a favorite. Servings are smallish, so I don't think that Fiesta Plate is a good value. They close too early at night: 8 PM on a Friday. The setting is simple. Some of the seating looked uncomfortable, e.g. a bench or tables along the wall with wood at your back. We got a table with four plastic chairs, however, which was comfortable. Our server was very nice and friendly, though she had more work than she could handle without issues. They add 3.5% (reflected in the prices above), for using credit cards. With a soda ($3.36 for a can) and tip, the total for two shared courses came to $35.

Good Filipino restaurant to try out. They also cater too! They have frozen meals in their fridges…read moreoff to the side. Which makes it easy if you're traveling. They make cake and have deserts too. They make the food to order so there is a waiting period.they are closed certain day of the wee

I would absolutely return! I will first state that the entire menu is well priced for every budget…read more Under $5, $10, or $20, you will find something to eat that will leave you satisfied! The staff are incredibly kind and helpful. You truly will walk in and feel like you are eating at a family member's home in the cozy, peaceful atmosphere. The Sisig Empanada was a 9.7/10. It was flaky and smelled amazing. My first bite had a great amount of sisig and flavor. I would get this again and again. Taho was a 8.1/10. This was a dessert that was well balanced and not overly sweet. They also have deals of 50% off on Thursday!

The selection of food here is fantastic. The staff is always so respectful and friendly. Service is…read moreoutstanding and they offer a great selection of Filipino staples, fresh homemade foods, refrigerated and frozen foods, and authentic Filipino desserts. Some of my favorites are their Lechon (I buy it by the pound - can pre-order, too), Siopao (pork and chicken), cassava cake, Turon, Buchi, and so much more. The store is well organized and inviting. I love coming here and buying the ready-to-eat homemade foods that they offer daily. Just go!

Yummy food! I pre-ordered large pans of pancit and lumpia and they were very helpful on the phone…read moreand everything was hot and ready when I arrived

Reasonably priced beachside Filipino food. It's a stand with outdoor seating. Come in your…read morebeachwear or whatever you like. Tasty food. I want to try the platter the next time. In my order of preference vegetarian oriental noodles, chicken spring rolls, chicken empanadas, and chicken on a stick. Service was phenomenal. Questions were answered for understanding of dietary restrictions. Chill and relaxed area. Come as you are. You can eat outside. We took ours to go. Definitely will come back again now that we understand how to order and what to order.

Cash-only outside restaurant!!…read more Everything is delicious here. The garlic rice, lumpia and bar-b-q sticks are so flavorful. I ordered the Bar-B-Q combo #1, and it was pretty good but not filling, since they only give you 1 BBQ stick. We ended up ordering a platter of sticks to make up for it. This is the perfect lunch place to come during a beach day!

The Roasted Brussels Sprouts appetizer is a delightful surprise.... simple at first glance, but…read morebursting with character once you take that first bite. Each sprout is roasted to crisp perfection, with beautifully charred edges that give way to a tender, almost creamy center. The flavor is deep and nutty, with just the right touch of seasoning to highlight the natural sweetness that emerges from slow roasting. It's the kind of dish that feels both wholesome and indulgent, transformed by technique into something far more memorable than a typical vegetable starter. Light, crispy, and full of layered flavor, it's a testament to Filipino Abstrakt Essence's ability to elevate even the humblest ingredients into something truly exceptional.

Always great! Mas Magandang…read moreIf you want great Filipino food. Go here. Great service every time. Great atmosphere Friendly people and good food, quintessential Filipino!

Listen, if you're a Filipino food lover this is your spot! We all know how rare it is in the big…read morecity of Jax. I've had multiple disappear or limit service due to Covid. This right here hit the spot and it is good hidden in a haystack. The food was spot on, the service was quick and served with a smile. You wouldn't know it til you've been there but it's right on the corner of the plaza. It's a market and mini buffet. The flavor and the products in this market are quality! Pricing also a plus. Definitely added to my list for top faves.

Good place to go for fun and beer on a Sunday night after midnight it is a little over pricedread more

What a wonderful little Filipino restaurant! The dishes are served cafeteria style where you choose…read morea side (rice vs pancit) and 1 or 2 main dishes. I usually shy away from this especially since Covid due to sanitary concerns, but all my worries went out the door when I put the food in my mouth!!! Pancit - 8/10 - great flavors, the noodles were a little dry but that may be because it was sitting out too long. Shrimp obud - 10/10- absolutely delicious! it had bamboo shoots in it and the curry was so flavorful I could drink it. Dinuguan - 7/10- it was tasty but couldn't get over that it was pork blood.... Pork Adobo and Chicken curry-8/10- both had great flavors. Really friendly guy behind the counter that recommended the best dishes.

One of our favorite places for Filipino food! We occasionally come here when my husband misses his…read moregrandma's home cooking and this cafe never disappoints! The cafe is more on the smaller side but it's cozy and the customer service is always happy and friendly! When you walk inside, there's a hot bar with all the food items available that day. You can check their Facebook page for their menu each day! You can get combos like an entree and a side, two entrees and a side, etc. On the shelves near the windows, there are local Filipino desserts like crinkles, puto (rice cake), flan, etc for sale. They also sell mac salad in the fridge and some dried fish on the shelves. What I love about this cafe is that they have a small snacks/drinks/candy market next to the dining area. The dining area is a good size and faces the parking lot. On this particular Saturday, we had the following entrees and sides: Lechon (roasted pig), Kaldereta (Filipino beef stew), and some rice! The lechon pieces were big and the skin (my fav!) was crispy, salty, and golden! The meat was also juicy and not dry. What I like to do is dip the meat into some white vinegar to give it some acidity since the lechon is on the heavy side after a few bites. The Kaldereta was hearty, rich, flavorful and it reminded me of an elevated beef stew. The potatoes and carrots literally melted in my mouth! I gave my combo plate a 8.5/10! My husband had Humba (braised pork belly that is slow cooked in soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, bay leaves, fermented black beans, and sugar) and he thoroughly enjoyed it. He shared some pieces of it with me and it was smooth as butter. It was sweet and salty and his rice soaked up all the sauces. Definitely a must try! I would give it a 9/10 because the flavors were so rich and it made me want even more! The prices are reasonable for how much food you're getting! They also sell desserts like halo halo (shaved iced with fresh fruits, taro ice cream, toppings like flan, condensed milk, jellies, beans, etc.) I've personally had the halo halo and it's one of my favorites! Super refreshing on a hot summer day. They also sell mango and taro flavored cakes but you have to call in advance for whole cakes. Their cakes are light, delicious, and fluffy! I especially enjoy the mango cake because you get chunks of fresh, champagne mangoes on and inside the cake. We've been coming here for years and don't plan on stopping. My husband is a bit of a Filipino food snob at times, but Lola's definitely has a special place in his heart! They do military discounts too, FYI!

I've been to Maharlika Filipino Restaurant three times now. Once for a birthday, once for a…read moreretirement party, and once for a Christmas dinner, and every experience was great. The first two were large events, while the Christmas dinner was more intimate, and the space worked perfectly for all of them. The staff was incredibly friendly and welcoming, which really adds to the experience. As a Filipino, I loved that there was room for line dancing and, of course, karaoke! Always a must! The food was very good overall, but my favorite dish is the tofu sisig. It's bold and savory, I could not stop eating! I tried it for the first time here and haven't found another version I like as much anywhere else. The larger parties were served buffet style, otherwise we had the dishes family style. Perfect opportunity to try different entrees by sharing with the table. Whether you're looking for a large space for a party or a cozy spot for dinner, Maharlika is a great choice.

Back in January 2026, we went in on a Thursday night thinking it was going to be karoke night but…read morewe got Ballroom Dancing. We decided to stay and paid for the ballroom dancing. It was a fun night of learning how to ballroom dance to alternative music. The instructor, David taught us we can ballroom dance to most music. We also had a pleasure of meeting Yu Mi. She's a tea connoisseur. It was such a wonderful and fun time. Definitely will go again when I get to FL again.

I really wish they had a sampler bowl, they have some platters that are close, but I sort of made…read moremy own. Had the tapsilog wih added BBQ stick and Lumpia. They were pretty accommodating. All of it was good. Service was fast and friendly. This is probably a good one to split some orders with to get the variety, because doing it a la carte got expensive. At least I got enough for leftovers.

If you spot this food truck, run quickly to it and order everything on the menu because it's so…read moredelicious! You will meet the friendliest owners Jolly and Carl and their service is excellent! I love their personalized tables for you to use as you devour their dishes. Don't forget to order something for your sweet tooth- turon, halo halo, pandan and pineapple drink. There is a vast variety on the menu so give them a try- you won't be disappointed!