Reimagining the Downtown Dining Experience

 The Garden brings food trucks under cover, new vendors into the spotlight

PENSACOLA, FL – July 17, 2020 – Throwing shade isn’t always a bad thing, and that’s what the owners of The Garden have done with their newly renovated space at the southwest corner of Palafox and Main. The food truck pavilion, featuring new vendor kiosks, offers outdoor dining choices for every taste and every level of appetite. In addition, patrons will enjoy contactless ordering on their mobile phones (from one unified website) as well as convenient curbside pickup.

But what The Garden’s customers are likely to notice first is the new roof and fans to make the experience much more comfortable during the summer or in foul weather.

“People love the picnic atmosphere of the food trucks and recent events have made outside dining even more popular,” said Michael Carro, Pensacola commercial realtor and managing partner of The Garden. “We’re offering the best of all worlds with a wide variety of menu options, a cool place to enjoy them, and the ability to socialize with physical distance in an open-air environment.”

Carro pioneered the food truck gallery concept in Pensacola with Al Fresco, which formerly occupied The Garden’s current location. In addition to the new roof and fans, The Garden will also feature a brick-and-mortar annex to “George,” the popular restaurant on North 9th Avenue. Food truck choices will include Thai and Latin street cuisine, tacos, grilled cheese, and comfort food.

Equally exciting to Carro are the kiosks that will serve as low-cost, high-visibility ‘incubators’ for boutique food vendors. Bakery foods, snow cones, chocolates, fruit smoothies, and specialty desserts are among the items available as a treat or after a meal.

“Kiosks are a great option for ‘cottage chefs’ who want to bring their creations out of the kitchen and put them in front of real consumers,” Carro said. “Call it ‘gastronomic development’ – growing our economy one new dish at a time.”

The Garden will begin a phased opening, with the four food trucks and one of the kiosks opening Monday. The restaurant, bar, and other kiosks will start operations later in the summer. All vendors will comply with the latest Centers for Disease Control (CDC) health and safety guidance and patrons will be given clear instructions on maintaining appropriate distance.