Reservoir. A place to connect

Reservoir

A place to connect

By Cynthia Reeves / Photos by Kate Treick Photography

As she was considering names for her restaurant endeavor, Pensacola native Kristin Jones sat down to relax with an evening devotional. The word “reservoir” appeared repeatedly:

“God is a reservoir of light. God is a reservoir of love. God is a reservoir of hope. God is a reservoir of peace.”

She knew then that Reservoir must be the name of this special place that needed a fresh life.

Revitalizing a Neighborhood

The Reservoir is housed in the historic Malamo Brothers corner grocery store near the Blake Doyle Skatepark on Haynes Street in historic East Hill. Built in the 1900s, the old store’s bones live on in a relaxed atmosphere with the Southern-inspired cuisine.

Guests may sit at tables made from wood salvaged from the 1800s-era house on the original site.

“Older guests can remember getting penny candy there,” Jones reflects. But the building had become a “negative space” over the years. There had been a fire, vandalism and homelessness.

All that changed in March 2025. Jones and her husband, Casey Jones, decided to lease the building and open the eatery.

Jones laughs that she didn’t know until last year that her husband — who has a hospitality business background — had been dreaming of owning a restaurant for the past two decades.

Now she manages daily operations, marking a new chapter after a career in education.

“I bus tables; I hostess. I’m happy to clean dishes. I do everything!”

Jones grew up in the community, spending much of her time at First Baptist Church of Pensacola. She spent the last nine years teaching 4-year-olds at the church preschool.

“I had a heart for the children and the hugs and love they give, but I have a renewed passion in life. When guests come in, I go to every table and try to make a connection with them as well.”

The warmth and charm of the restaurant seem to mirror its owner’s driving mission. She often hears about the bright and energetic “vibe” of the restaurant, which she finds fulfilling.

“When someone walks in the door no matter their beliefs, what they look like, or their background, my hope is they feel nothing but kindness and acceptance.”

The atmosphere is simple, clean and modern. There are cozy velvet sofas to lounge on in one corner and a spacious outdoor patio to relax on in the back. Children and dogs are welcome to play and run outside. There is cornhole, Jenga and a space for outdoor parties and entertainment.

Chef-Inspired Cuisine

The warm atmosphere has made the restaurant an inviting neighborhood hub, but it is the outstanding food that defines it.

“At Reservoir, we celebrate the arts, flavors and community spirit that define Pensacola. Come refresh, refill and replenish with us,” the website boasts.

Jones found her chef by knocking on his car window while in the car line at their child’s elementary school one morning. She knew his reputation as a creative chef, so she offered him a chance to join her team and customize a menu to serve the neighborhood and skate park crowd.

Josh Brown, who grew up in New Orleans, has worked around Pensacola and Fairhope, Alabama, and embraces the “farm-to-table” concept.

Everything is made from scratch.

“There’s nothing but fresh ingredients — every sauce, every dressing.”

For the first few months, Reservoir served only breakfast and lunch. They now have a full menu including craft beer and a hand-selected wine list. Brown and his team added several items to the menu in January.

Jones was thrilled that one of the first customers to try the new 16-ounce braised lamb shank was Pensacola boxing legend Roy Jones Jr. He reportedly ate one serving in the restaurant and liked the dish so much, he ordered another to go. The lamb is tender and juicy, served with garlic-whipped potatoes, lamb jus, cornbread gremolata, herb salad and pickled red onion.

The Basil Pesto Alfredo and sautéed mussels are also new additions. The mussels are unique, with a Caribbean-style sofrito, sweet peppers, garlic and lime juice inspired by sous chef Troy Larrabee’s family recipe from Colombia. Another signature dish is the Ponzu Crunch, a tempura-fried chicken thigh sandwich with Asian slaw.

Murder Point oysters are a local favorite served raw, fried or chargrilled. To top it off, a new must-have dessert is the NOLA-inspired vanilla bean crème brûlée topped with fresh fruit and whipped cream.

Jones says while she never intended to be a burger place, she’s been told Reservoir burgers cooked in beef tallow and served with duck fat fries are “the best in town.”

Growing Reputation

Hungry yet? Even though the business has only been open for a year, the Joneses’ historic preservation project, community gathering spot and Southern-style restaurant are getting rave reviews. Reservoir was named Best New Restaurant 2025 by Pensacola’s Inweekly.

Brown has been invited by Visit Pensacola to be one of two chefs appearing on the popular “Good Morning Nashville” show this month.

Jones says running a brand-new restaurant is the hardest work her family has ever done. She jokes it may even top raising toddlers, but she views everything that has happened in the last year as a “God wink” of sorts.

Stories about people gathering, sharing their love for food, giving back and enriching Pensacola’s heritage warm her heart. She feels as if all her staff are like family, and so are the guests.

This place was meant to be revitalized, and she looks forward to greeting everyone who joins her on the site.