“Calico Cactus is not a restaurant, it’s a community store,” said owner Scott Moore. He said the heart behind Calico Cactus is to cook like they are making food for friends and neighbors.
He said that if you were having company over, “You wouldn’t pull things out of the microwave, you would make them from scratch.”
The menu is made fresh from scratch and guests can even see fresh flour tortillas being made in the kitchen! Calico Cactus has a fresh and fun menu full of wholesome ingredients. They roast their own veggies to craft homemade salsas; Salsa Fresca, Roasted Tomatillo and Rojo.
The menu consists of fresh tacos, bowls and burritos. Moore said tumbleweeds — house-made stuffed tatter tots — are a guest favorite. Their chips and queso are made fresh daily and guests can see the coffee being roasted. There is a full barista bar featuring delicious drinks such as the Bee’s Knees latte, which is equal parts vanilla and honey and topped with cinnamon. Other drinks include delicious aqua fresca and fresh-squeezed orange juice.
When asked about the inspiration behind Calico Cactus, Moore said he was inspired by restaurants in Texas and New York that served tacos for breakfast. He thought that something like that was needed in the Jacksonville area.
Moore was one of the founders of Maple Street Biscuit Company. While delicious, Moore said that there wasn’t a way to offer healthier options, and it was difficult to get meals ready when it was busy. Calico Cactus is different. It has a perfected model for getting meals out faster. The community store also leans towards healthier options, including gluten-free and vegetarian. At Calico Cactus, healthy options do not mean boring. Their menu is full of bold and spicy flavors.
Calico Cactus has two locations, one in St. Augustine and one in Murray Hill, which opened on Dec. 22, 2025. They are open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. seven days a week. On Friday and Saturday nights, the Murray Hill location has a pickup window open from 5 to 9 p.m. where guests can pick up an evening snack to celebrate the weekend.
To learn more about Calico Cactus, go to https://www.calicocactus.com.
