JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – News4JAX is celebrating the resiliency and contributions of Asian American Pacific Islanders this month.
All month long, we’ll be highlighting our local AAPI community from the businesses and artists who have influenced our culture to the people who have fought for fairness and equality to shape our diverse community.
One local chef and restaurant put Filipino food on the map -- and on the Yelp Top 100 list.
Filipino chef Jojo Hernandez immigrated to the U.S. at just 17 years old and turned his passion for cooking into a thriving business now known as Abstrakt Filipino Essence restaurant.
Despite pressure to pursue a career in the medical field, he followed his heart and embarked on a 20-year journey through some of Jacksonville’s finest kitchens.
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His restaurant quickly became a local favorite, and in 2024, it was named one of Yelp’s top 100 places to eat -- a distinction that has brought in a flood of new customers eager to try Filipino dishes.
Abstrakt serves a variety of Filipino food with Jojo’s own twist. They include:
- Lumpia: Filipino egg rolls
- Pancit: Filipino noodles among many others
- Fish balls: A popular street food in the Philippines
- Sweet Filipino treats like Leche Flan and Ube cheesecake
Abstrakt Essence is located at 1500 Beach Blvd. in Jacksonville. They’re open every day except Mondays.