Crisp and Golden Mac and Cheese Cakes on the Grill
Turn yesterday's leftover macaroni into today's crispy, golden side dish with this easy wood-fired recipe.
If you live in Jacksonville, outdoor cooking isn't a seasonal hobby — it's a year-round lifestyle, and the salt air and humidity rolling off the St. Johns River and the Atlantic make grill shopping here different from grill shopping almost anywhere else. A Saturday spent browsing a local showroom can be fun, but it's often the most expensive way to upgrade your patio, and in Jacksonville's climate, the wrong metal can start rusting before you've even paid off the credit card. Traditional grill stores offer a nice showroom experience, but that comes with markups to cover rent, staff, and floor space. Shopping direct, especially for a premium, heirloom-quality grill like the Arteflame, changes what that budget buys in terms of material. Here's a look at the local options to help you decide where to spend your money.
Where you buy a premium grill for a Jacksonville backyard depends on whether you want to see it in person first. Buying direct from the manufacturer online eliminates the showroom markup and ships straight to your driveway.
The real options for Jacksonville shoppers compare as follows:
Where your money actually goes breaks down across the factors that matter most in a Florida backyard, as follows.
| Retailer | Price | Searing Capability | Maintenance | Social Design |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paradise Grills Jacksonville | Custom island pricing, cost varies by build | Standard gas grate | Masonry/stucco island needs periodic sealing | Fixed island faces one direction |
| Jacksonville Patio Home & Garden | Brand retail plus markup | Standard gas grate | Stainless needs regular cleaning in salt air | Fixed island faces one direction |
| Arteflame (Online) | No showroom markup | 1,000°F+ center sear zone | Corten steel weathers, doesn't rust through | 360° design, cook facing your guests |
Standard wire grates let most of the heat and juices escape through the gaps, so food ends up steamed instead of seared. A solid steel cooking surface holds and radiates heat evenly, which is what produces a real, steakhouse-style crust.
You don't need a professional kitchen to get that result in a Jacksonville backyard. You just need to change how you cook, not just what you're cooking.
The Arteflame outperforms traditional grates because of how the cooktop is engineered. Here is why it stands out:
Pro Tip: Stocking up on meat for your new grill? Jacksonville has two Costco warehouses worth knowing — the original off Gate Parkway (4901 Gate Pkwy N, 32246) on the Southside, and the Westside location near Collins Road (8000 Parramore Rd, 32244). Both carry the wholesale briskets, tri-tips, and ribeyes that make the most of an Arteflame's full cooking surface.
An Arteflame grill isn't just for cooking — it changes how you host. Its round design invites friends to stand around the fire instead of waiting on the patio while you cook alone with your back to everyone. Fire-bowl design turns an ordinary backyard cookout into an actual gathering, keeping guests warm and part of the action instead of stuck on the sidelines.