A new dining option in LaVilla debuted Nov. 18 with the opening of Cinotti’s Bakery & Sandwich Shop and Grounds of Grace Coffee at the Jacksonville Transportation Authority headquarters.
The establishments fill the ground-floor space vacated by Crazy Beans Coffee when it closed in 2023. In a news release, JTA said the cafe and coffee shop would be open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Friday. Pastries, sandwiches, lattes and other drinks are among menu items.
In July 2024, the JTA board voted to authorize staff to negotiate a lease agreement with Cinotti’s and Grounds of Grace for the space at JTA’s headquarters, the Jacksonville Regional Transportation Center at 100 LaVilla Center Drive.
Cinotti’s Bakery operates at 1523 Penman Road in Jacksonville Beach. Grounds of Grace, which began as a coffee bus, has a storefront location at 1633 University Blvd. N. in Arlington.
“We are excited to bring a taste of the beach to the downtown area. For 34 years we’ve been in one location,” said Cinotti’s owner Mike Cinotti in the JTA release.
The coffee shop is part of the nonprofit Sponsored by GRACE, which states its goal as helping children living in low-income or high-crime areas gain work experience and engage with their community.
“Cinotti’s and Grounds of GRACE have established themselves as excellent community partners and we are proud to officially welcome them to our LaVilla neighborhood,” JTA board Chair Debbie Buckland said in the release. “As these local businesses thrive, our local economy thrives, and at the JTA we are excited to continue helping improve the quality of life for our customers and everyone in Northeast Florida.”
