distributing high quality seafood along 

the Gulf Coast for over 75 years. And 

while times have certainly changed things 

since Joe Patti’s first opened on Pensacola 

Bay, their whole focus on freshness hasn’t 

shifted in the least.  

It’s an important concept to maintain—

especially in the restaurant industry—

though it seems that only recently has 

the public demanded that local chain to 

be in place. “Folks these days want to 

know where their food is coming from, 

but it’s actually a movement that started 

in California back in the 1970’s,” says 

Irv Miller, executive chef at Jackson’s in 

downtown Pensacola. “Obviously it’s not 

new, it’s just that it went more mainstream 

about a decade ago. But the most devoted 

followers do more than just sourcing a 

few ingredients locally here and there—

they actually do the work to connect with 

passionate growers, farmers, and fishermen 

to find top notch ingredients that will 

translate into top notch food,” says Miller, 

whose own dedication to farm-to-table 

cuisine is readily apparent on the plate, 

each item on his menu a showcase for 

freshly-sourced, seasonal ingredients. 

“As a restaurant in an area where so 

many people are doing a lot of the same 

things, you really have to pay attention 

to finding ways to set yourselves apart 

and doing something that will show why 

you’re different, and one of the ways we’ve 

accomplished that is the quality of the food 

we serve,” says Joe Abston, co-founder 

and co-owner The Tin Cow as well as 

Hopjack’s Pizza Kitchen and Taproom—

all of which adhere to a standard of using 

fresh, locally-sourced ingredients to 

create the items on their menus. “Using 

fresh ingredients in every way possible 

and getting them from local sources is 

something that really affects the taste and 

the flavor of the food, and that’s a cycle 

that sustains itself—not only in bringing 

guests in, but also in creating a stronger 

community.”

It’s a circle of support, a purity that 

benefits everyone involved—feeding the 

local economy, respecting the environment, 

eating in a way that venerates the body. It’s 

a difference you can taste…and boy, does it 

taste good.

From seed to spoon. 
From farm to fork. 
From dirt to dish. 

 

27-28 Coastal Cuisine-Purity on the Plate.indd   2

11/25/18   11:18 AM