Since 2011, Greg DeSanto and his team at Olio have dished out Downtown delicacies every weekday for lucky urban lunchgoers. What you might not know is this popular Downtown cafe is now open Thursday and Friday nights from 5 - 10 p.m. (And Art Walk nights, too!) We caught up with Greg to see what's new at Olio and to hear the story behind this urban-core favorite.

Describe in your own words what customers will experience at Olio.

I like to consider Olio as a place to experience exotic ingredients prepared in an approachable way. A blend of casual and upscale in both the food, and the ambiance.

How did the idea for Olio come about?

Olio came about more as necessity, as I became a single parent right after starting to design a business plan for the restaurant. This really dictated that my work hours coincide with my daughter’s school hours. What better place to serve lunch then an up-and-coming Downtown urban scene? Even though I live much further south, Downtown seemed like the best opportunity for any weekday lunchtime business and with the possibility to grow my hours in the future.

Where are you from originally, and how did you end up in Jacksonville?

I was born in Northern Virginia, in the suburbs just outside Washington, D.C. My first job was as a dishwasher in a seaside resort community in Maryland called Ocean City. That’s all it took. I knew from that moment on that I wanted to spend my life in the kitchen. I had been exposed to cooking at an early age, and my parents like to joke that I was watching Julia Child when other children were watching Sesame Street. Eventually, I found myself in culinary school in Downtown Baltimore. Then came a long list of cooking- and hospitality-focused jobs that took me all over the country, from Alabama to California, and overseas to Ireland and France.

We've heard you've also got a great team behind the counter Olio. Can you tell us a little about your staff?

I’ve worked with most of my staff for years at previous restaurants in the area. They know what I expect, and they all share the same passion for food and respect of ingredients. What I lacked was a strong “front of the house” person to manage and control things so I could focus on the kitchen. Luckily enough, our first customer ended up joining the team a week later and has been the rock that I could count on over our years here. I probably wouldn’t have a successful restaurant if Francesca Spiaggi hadn’t come along and help keep not only the restaurant in line but also myself.

What inspires the menu items?

We change our menu here about four times a year. Even though it really doesn’t feel like we have four seasons here in Northeast Florida, we still have multiple local growing seasons. We try to use seasonal and sustainable ingredients when we can, and that has an impact on each menu we design. In the heat of late spring, summer and early fall, we try to focus on lighter, crisp items. In the fall, heartier fare. Of course, they're really just guidelines; I make exceptions from time to time. On our current menu, we have a meatloaf paired with mac and cheese and sautéed broccolini. Not a light summer dish by any means, but it has gained popularity more than I expected.

What do you love most about owning a business Downtown?

I love seeing the same faces day in and day out, getting a chance to talk with customers much more than I have in the past working in closed kitchens. Spending the majority of the day at work is so much nicer when you build relationships with the people you're serving. I also like being able to walk to the bank or visit the printer down the street. Everything is a tight-knit community.

What do you love about Downtown personally?

For the past couple years, it seems like Downtown has this momentum that keeps growing, but Downtown hasn’t lost its sense of small-town community. Having worked in many Downtown urban settings, I can say, in my experience, as a city grows, there is a disconnection of the people that grows with it. I don’t get that feeling here; we still have the crowded streets, but there is a friendliness that doesn’t appear to be disappearing. It borders on almost camaraderie. It’s not a feeling I’ve come across in other metropolitan settings.

Let's talk about that famous duck grilled cheese. How did the Best Sandwich in America recognition come about, and do customers still mention it to you?

The duck grilled cheese was actually an after-thought on our menu. We needed another chicken dish for variety, and chicken can be such a plain thing to work with. I didn’t want plain. So I thought duck is close enough for people to be willing to try, even if they haven’t had it before. Without trying it out, I just jotted down the duck grilled cheese ingredients, and put it on the menu. A customer actually enjoyed it and submitted it to the Travel Channel’s American’s Best Sandwich show. We made it into the finals, which I considered a great accomplishment for an after-thought of a sandwich.

I can always tell when larger conventions come in to town or the Travel Channel shows the episode as a rerun, as we sell out of duck grilled cheeses the next day. It’s hard to predict sometimes. Given that people come here just since they saw the sandwich on the show, it’s not something I really have the option of taking off the menu, although sometimes I wish I could. There are so many other things I could do with duck that I’d love to try out. Then I come to my senses and think, "Nah. I can’t take it off the menu." Maybe one day….

And we have to ask: do you have a favorite item on the menu?

Even though everyone raves about the fish tacos, which are by far our No. 1 selling item, I personally like the shrimp po’boy. It’s nothing fancy: blackened shrimp, charred local Azar’s andouille sausage and jalapeño coleslaw. We top it with fried phyllo dough “threads,” which give it a little crunch like a fried shrimp without actually frying the shrimp. It lightens up a normal po’ boy, and you get layers of spice from the blackening plus the heat from the coleslaw.

What's next for Olio? Any upcoming events or special promotions?

We’re going on our fourth year now, and I want to keep moving forward. We’ve recently switched over our computer systems here at the restaurant, which will allow us to open up ordering online. You’ll be able to order and pay online - just walk in and get your order. No more standing in the sometimes long lines. I also have some esthetic changes coming up, like a transition from disposable plates to composite recycled plates, which should lessen our impact on the environment. I feel that is a priority and should be for every business owner.  I also have a couple more things hidden up my sleeves for the future here at Olio.

Anything else to add?

I can’t wait for Force Fest in December. I’m an avid Star Wars fan, and when I heard about it taking place right out front of Olio, I was super excited. I’m really just a computer nerd disguised as a chef.

For more information on Olio, visit oliomarket.com. You can also follow Olio on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.