Walking into The Top, you immediately realize this isn’t your average college-town restaurant. With dim lighting and eclectic décor, the restaurant’s interior is something more akin to a hipster bar in Austin than a Gainesville eatery. Each night of the week has a different specials page, such as Southern Fried Wednesday, which features southern dishes and sides accompanied by longneck and whiskey drink specials.
With a huge emphasis on fresh, local ingredients and vegetarian and vegan fare, The Top produces unique dishes that please a wide range of customers. Skimming their menu, I noticed that the eatery lists local products they use from around the Gainesville area. With watermelon fresh from Family Farm Organic, jalapenos produced by Promised Land Organics, and breads delivered from local bakery Vine, The Top makes a noticeable effort to support the Gainesville economy and bring fresh products to the table.
My latest visit fell on a Tuesday night, also known as “Taco Tuesdays.” Among the evening’s specials were chipotle chicken tacos, tofu burritos, and blackened tuna tacos, the last of which I’ve had before and thoroughly enjoyed. Though my usual order is the pesto gnocchi (seriously, it’s fantastic), I decided tonight was good opportunity to branch out.
When the waiter arrived, I asked for his main dish recommendations. I think he might have actually read my mind when he immediately suggested the San Diego Chicken, which I had been seriously contemplating. Stuffed with rosemary, crab, corn and smoke Gouda, the chicken is covered with a spicy tomato tequila sauce. And for my friend Aynsley dining with me, our waiter recommended the Pesto Melt sandwich, which is made with either tuna, tofu, chicken or tempeh, then topped with sautéed crimini mushrooms, roasted red peppers, caramelized onions, black olives, roasted garlic, goat cheese, and, of course, basil pesto.
And when it comes to The Top’s pesto, it’s about as fresh as it can be. Despite the many dining experiences I’ve had here, I was completely unaware that the building has a rooftop garden designed to grow the restaurant’s own herbs for probably the fastest garden-to-plate record ever.
Combining fresh, local ingredients with unique and varied food genres, The Top stands out in the Gainesville dining scene. And thanks to the recent discovery of its rooftop garden, each time I return to The Top, I’ll know that the seasoning on my dish will be coming from right above my head.
At A Glance Details:
Must try: Photo booth, back patio with bar, vegan chocolate cake
Hours:
Tues-Sat: 5 p.m.-2 a.m.
Sun: 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
Happy Hour: 5 p.m.-7 p.m.
Weekly Specials:
Tuesday: Taco Tuesday’s
Wednesday: Southern Fried Wednesday
Thursday: House dinner specials
Friday + Saturday: Rotating dinner specials, martini nights
Sundays: Brunch, Dinner, Happy Hour from 1 p.m. until close
Location: 30 N. Main St., Gainesville, FL 32601 (Downtown)
