A decade ago, Jack and Allison Braton unveiled a new dining concept that became a popular destination for foodies across the state. 

Turners Kitchen + Bar presented – and continues to deliver – an intentional experience with a clear mission: great food, served right, without compromise.

The mission became clear to Jack as he spent his life in restaurants, perfecting every role from server, bartender and chef.

“I’ve been in the restaurant business my whole life, since I was 14 years old,” he says. “It’s all I’ve ever done, aside from a brief stint in real estate.” 

Jack’s food career began at a Four Seasons hotel, where he spent nearly 14 years before moving on to other kitchens and dining rooms. That hands-on experience is woven into every detail of Turners.

The idea for the restaurant began when Jack was juggling the intense demands of restaurant work and realized it was time for a change after the birth of his youngest son. 

“I knew that if we were ever gonna open our own restaurant, that was the time to do it,” he says.

It was 2014, long before downtown Leesburg had the dining momentum and downtown vibe it has today.

“I thought it was kind of a ghost town at the time,” he says.

But one day, while picking up his son from the Boys & Girls Club, he happened to drive past the old Levi’s building. A ‘for sale’ sign caught his eye. One phone call led to another.

“I started working on a business plan right away,” Jack says. “I knew the location didn’t have a strong track record of success when it came to restaurants. I intentionally tried to make it fail on paper first — and when I couldn’t, I knew it was worth the risk.”

The risks, as he recalls, were real.

“We felt like this was something God was pushing us into,” he says. “And we both trust God enough to know that if it’s what He wants you to do, He’s going to be faithful to see it through.”

They opened Turners that year, with the odds against them and doubts from locals. One business owner told him that some of the other downtown owners were worried about that location.

Jack simply told them that “If this restaurant fails, it won’t be because of the location, it’ll be on us.”

Ten years later, Turners has proven its place — by not trying to please everyone.

A New Concept

Turners implemented a bold seating policy from the start: small tables only. Parties of four or fewer. No exceptions.

“It wasn’t an accident,” Jack says. “When you’re trying to accommodate a large group, it’s always going to come at an expense — and it’s usually at the expense of the couple celebrating their anniversary.”

He explained that large parties monopolize a server’s time and overwhelm the kitchen.

“The two-top’s steak can end up overcooked because the kitchen is trying to execute a 16-top ticket,” he says. “We didn’t want to be in the position of choosing whose experience was more important.”

The small-table dining experience resulted in a fair amount of pushback from diners.

“People thought we were being difficult,” he says. “But a lot of those people came back later and told us, ‘I didn’t get it at first, but now I do. The food’s always excellent. The consistency matters.’”

Turners’ model is unapologetically focused: calm, intimate dining with a strong culinary identity.

Jack and Allison realized that, “Not everybody that walks through your front door is your customer—and that’s okay.”

“It’s a concept,” Jack says. “If it doesn’t work for you, that’s fine. There’s plenty of places to go with accommodations for large groups. But if you’re looking for a thoughtful, elevated meal in a quiet space, we’re exactly what you’ve been looking for.”

The Cuisine

The kitchen’s identity is rooted in New American cuisine with a nod to Jack’s South Carolina roots.

“It’s kind of a license to take everyday recipes and reinterpret them,” Jack says.

The influence of the Lowcountry is visible in dishes like the fried green tomato caprese, triple-butter hush puppies and the signature sweet potato barbecue yellowfin tuna topped with fried oysters.

What elevates the menu is Turners relentless commitment to cooking with quality, local ingredients. Produce is sourced from places like Bountiful Farms in Groveland and microgreens come from Aquaponic Lynx. The restaurant’s chicken and eggs come from a small farm in Weirsdale, while its beef comes from the Seminole Tribe of Florida.

“Most people don’t know that the Seminoles raise over 13,000 head of cattle in the state, and the care they put into that process is incredible,” Jack says.

Seafood is also purchased locally when possible. Much of Turner’s fish comes from Stokes in Leesburg, the area’s leading exporter of fresh seafood.

That devotion to freshness means Turners has little use for a freezer. Nearly everything is made in-house, including the bacon jam, pimento cheese, green tomato marmalade, salad dressings and even the freshly ground beef.

“Great food starts with great ingredients,” Jack says. “It’s that simple. People say, ‘Your food is so good.’ I tell them, ‘It’s the ingredients. I just try not to mess them up.’”

That philosophy extends to desserts. The white chocolate bread pudding with bourbon raspberry sauce is — described by Jack as “custardy, layered and able to stand on its own like a piece of cake” — is a house favorite. Seasonal cheesecakes rotate throughout the year, especially during blueberry season when they source from Wild Goose Farms in Umatilla.

Turners serves lunch from 11am to 3pm and supper from 5 to 8pm, closing in between to reset the kitchen. Supper reservations are strongly encouraged, as they do 95 percent of their business between 5 and 7pm.

As Leesburg’s downtown grows, Jack is glad to see neighboring restaurants thrive.

“All ships rise with the tide,” he says. “Now it’s not just Turners as a destination—it’s downtown Leesburg.”

Shrimp + Grits

Bread Pudding

Old Bull Cocktail

Photos: Nicole Hamel