Jacksonville-area restaurant roundup: 9 opened, 6 closed in February
February saw the sudden closures of separate Tex-Mex restaurants including a downtown Jacksonville staple for 18 years.
Also shutting its doors after almost four decades was a popular family-owned Chinese restaurant known for its chicken wings and fried rice.
On the other side of the dining coin, openings included a French bistro from a well-known St. Augustine chef, as well as separate pizzerias specializing in New York-style and Neo-Neopolitan pies.
Also opening was an artisan cheesecake bakery and a new breakfast, brunch and lunch diner.
Here's a recap of notable Jacksonville-area restaurant news in February.
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Tijuana Flats
National fast-casual Tex-Mex chain Tijuana Flats abruptly closed four of its Jacksonville locations in mid-February: 5635 San Jose Blvd. in Lakewood, 11700 San Jose Blvd. Unit 24 in Mandarin, 13820 Old St. Augustine Road in Bartram Park and 5907 Roosevelt Blvd. in Ortega Village. The closures, all corporate-owned restaurants, represent nearly a third of Tijuana Flats' 11 locations in the Jacksonville area. | Read more
La Nouvelle
Inspired French cuisine classics such as Filet Aux Poivres, duck confit and mustard-crusted pork loin top the menu of La Nouvelle, a French bistro opened at 102 Bridge St. in St. Augustine by well-known chef Michael Lugo. The bistro is the third fine-dining restaurant from Lugo, founder and owner of Pesca Vilano, 117 Vilano Road in Vilano Beach, and flagship restaurant Michael's at 25 Cuna St. in St. Augustine's historic Calle Cuna neighborhood. | Read more
Burrito Gallery
After 18 years, the original Burrito Gallery at 21 E. Adams St. in downtown Jacksonville closed abruptly on Feb. 7. The restaurant — which had opened just before Super Bowl XXXIX in February 2005 — was known for its "Jax Mex" menu of burritos, quesadillas, tacos and more. The closure came three months after Burrito Gallery shut down its restaurant in Jacksonville Beach at 300 Beach Blvd., No. 1. | Read more
Salvatore's Old Fashioned Pizza
Known for its traditional New York-style specialty pizzas, huge slices and giant sheet pan pies, Salvatore's Old Fashioned Pizzeria opened its first restaurant outside of its home in Rochester, N.Y. in Jacksonville on Feb. 7 at 4820 Deer Lake Drive W., Suite D-11, in Tapestry Park off Southside Boulevard. Tapestry Park is the first of multiple locations planned in Florida in the next few years as the pizzeria expands nationwide. | Read more
Dainty Cheesecake Company
Dainty Cheesecake Company, specializing in "Dainty" fit-in-the-palm-of-your-hand size as well as "mini" bite-size and special-order 9-inch artisan cheesecakes, opened its brick-and-mortar bakery at 3061 Philips Highway No. 102 in the East San Marco neighborhood of Jacksonville. Sylvia Fitzgerald, founder and owner, established the authentic New York-style cheesecake company featuring family recipes in June 2020 as a delivery-only catering bakery. Dainty Cheesecake Company generally has a dozen flavors not including seasonal flavors for special occasions such as Easter and other holidays. | Read more
Capital Tacos
A signature Mayport shrimp taco exclusive to Jacksonville plus a "Bottoms Up Draft Beer System" top the menu of Capital Tacos, a Tampa-based Tex-Mex restaurant that opened its first Jacksonville restaurant at 12220 Atlantic Blvd. No. 109 in Atlantic-Kernan Shops retail center. The Tex-Mex restaurant is known for its chef-inspired, made-from-scratch and grilled-to-order Tex-Mex menu that includes tacos, burritos, quesadillas and bowls as well as hand-cut tortilla chips, homemade queso and salsas. | Read more
Sun-Ray Cinema's Pizza Cave
After four years, Sun-Ray Cinema's Pizza Cave — a one-of-a-kind Five Points pizzeria known for its idiocentric decor and fun ambiance as much as its menu — closed to become a private event space. Pizza Cave at 1018 Park St. is an extension of the landmark Sun-Ray Cinema movie theater just two doors away. The theatre remains open. | Read more
Lee's Dragon
A family-owned, neighborhood mainstay for 36 years, Lee's Dragon closed its doors Jan. 31 to the dismay of customers. The restaurant at 880 Lane Ave. S. was known for its chicken wings, fried rice, egg foo young, egg rolls and other classic Chinese dishes. Lee's Dragon closed as its owners prepared to retire. | Read more
Cinco de Mayo
A fast-casual Mexican restaurant returned to downtown Jacksonville four years after leaving the former Jacksonville Landing. Cinco de Mayo opened at 301 E. Bay St. Unit 1 at Market Street. The restaurant replaces the former Olio — a popular downtown lunch spot that closed in March 2022 after 11 years. Cinco de Mayo offers freshly made, classic Mexican fare including a variety of tacos, burritos, carnitas, nachos, fajitas, enchiladas, quesadillas and specials featuring seafood, steak, chicken and pork. | Read more
Keke's Breakfast Cafe
Breakfast, brunch and lunch restaurant Keke’s Breakfast Café opened its fifth Jacksonville-area restaurant at 12959 Atlantic Blvd. in East Arlington. Keke's is in the storefront that previously housed Sugarfire Smoke House, which closed suddenly in July 2022. The new restaurant is known for its large breakfast menu of waffles, pancakes, French toasts and more as well as a lunch menu of paninis, sandwiches, burgers, wraps and salads. | Read more
Rodrigo's Craft Pizza
Offering artisan "Neo-Neapolitan style pizza" crafted from fermented dough as well as oven-baked panuozzos, calzones and more, Rodrigo's Craft Pizza opened at 1029 Park St. in the heart of Jacksonville's Five Points. Serving lunch and dinner, the restaurant focuses on handcrafted fresh-from-scratch pizzas featuring mozzarella cheese made in-house and seasonal ingredients. Rodrigo's Craft Pizza replaces Crane Ramen, which closed abruptly in November 2022 after four years. | Read more
Whiskey Jax Atlantic Beach
After two years, an Atlantic Beach gastropub known for live music and pub grub announced it was closing permanently March 3 citing staffing problems and other issues. Whiskey Jax Kitchen & Cocktails Atlantic Beach, 725 Atlantic Blvd. in North Beach Shopping Center is shutting its doors. Remaining open is Whiskey Jax Baymeadows at 10915 Baymeadows Road in Jacksonville. | Read more
Vincenzo's Cucina
Hand-stretched pizzas, house-made sauces and Italian family favorites top the menu of Vincenzo's Cucina, which opened at 3787 Palm Valley Road in the Publix-anchored Shoppes of Palm Valley retail center at Ponte Vedra Beach. The restaurant offers a variety of 12- and 18-inch New York-style pizzas as well as both thin and thick-crust Square Pies. Pasta, along with 12-inch sub sandwiches, strombolis, calzones, salads, garlic knots and desserts. | Read more
Biggie's Pizza
Known for New York-style pizza, home-grown Jacksonville restaurant chain Biggie's Pizza closed its locations at 880 State Road A1A, Suite 8, in Ponte Vedra Pointe shopping center in Ponte Vedra Beach, and at 4160 Southside Blvd. in the Gates of Tinseltown shopping center in Jacksonville. Remaining open are Biggie's Pizza locations at 1053 Park St. in Jacksonville's Five Points, 311 Third St. N., Unit 101, in Jacksonville Beach, and 13423 Beach Blvd. at Beach and Hodges boulevards in the Intracoastal West area. | Read more
Cataluna Lounge & Tapas
Promising Spanish and Italian cuisine, craft cocktails and international ambiance, Cataluna Lounge & Tapas opened at 8206 Philips Highway Unit 39 in the Baymeadows Junction retail center. The roughly 6,000-square-foot restaurant with an outside patio is in the space formerly used by Mojitos Caribbean Cuisine Bar and Grill. There it joins Maa Kitchen, La Nopalera and Saki Sushi. | Read more
Teresa Stepzinski is the dining reporter for the Times-Union. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @TeresaStepz or reach her via email at tstepzinski@jacksonville.com.
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This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville-area dining: La Nouvelle opens but Lee's Dragon closes
