'No microwaves ever': New Jacksonville breakfast, brunch and lunch spot opens
Fresh, hand-cracked eggs, plate-filling fluffy pancakes and cheesesteak paninis top the menu along with a promise of "no microwaves ever" at Jacksonville's newest breakfast, brunch and lunch restaurant.
With the brand tagline "mornings from scratch," Keke's Breakfast Cafe recently opened at 12959 Atlantic Blvd. Suite 101 near Lowe's in East Arlington. Keke's takes over the storefront that previously housed Sugarfire Smoke House, and before that, Panera.
The Orlando-based restaurant is best 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.
The East Arlington restaurant is among five locations of the chain either already open or coming soon in the Jacksonville area, including a new restaurant scheduled to open in late March at 9570 Crosshill Blvd., Suite 106, in Oakleaf Town Center, said Steven Decker, area operations leader for Keke's.
Keke's other area locations include 4906 Town Center Parkway, Unit 104, at The Strand at Town Center in Jacksonville; 450 Durbin Pavilion Drive, Suite E106, in Saint Johns; and 135 Jenkins St. Unit 106 in St. Augustine.
Decker noted that Keke's has "some deep-seated roots in Florida" given its founding in Orlando and ongoing expansion.
"This location in particular was on the heels of two successful locations already in Jacksonville. So, why not continue our growth in a market that loves us and wants to continue to expand?" Decker said of their Jacksonville expansion.
"Coupled with the fact that Florida will be home for us, as well with the quality of ingredients that we can get inside of Florida and that is one of our cornerstones is having those fresh, quality ingredients," he said.
Although nothing is concrete yet, Decker said they are looking to continue growing in the Jacksonville area.
'No microwaves ever'
In the competitive Jacksonville market, Decker said Keke's stands out for its hospitality as well as its food.
"What sets us apart is our 'customer first philosophy.' We're very big on the customer service aspect and the customer experience," he said. "Another thing that sets us aside is we offer heaping portions where it's almost a family-style dining for each plate."
Decker said whenever possible, ingredients are locally sourced.
Keke's also emphasizes that every dish is freshly made to order with "high-quality ingredients from hand-cracked eggs and vibrant fruit to real whipped cream." In addition, the restaurant grinds the coffee in-house for every pot.
"There are no microwaves in Keke's kitchen … and there never will be," Keke's officials said in a news release announcing the opening.
Popular menu offerings include:
Florida Pancakes ($15.99): Three large pancakes featuring fresh strawberries, bananas, blueberries and powdered sugar
Apple Cinnamon Stuffed Fresh Toast ($11.49): Cream cheese-stuffed French toast topped with powdered sugar with apple cinnamon filling
Fajita omelet ($15.49): Seasoned chicken breast, green pepper, onion, cheddar cheese and salsa
Scrambler Bowl ($12.99): Two extra large eggs, a choice of three vegetables, a choice of cheese on home fries and served with toast
Cheese Steak Omelet ($14.99): Steak, green pepper, onion and white American cheese
Carolina Chicken Wrap ($13.99): Fried or grilled chicken strips, pecans, bacon, tomato, cheddar cheese, iceberg lettuce and honey mustard dressing
Bacon Cheeseburger ($13.79): Two quarter-pound all-beef patties with two slices of bacon and two slices of white American cheese on a bun, served with kettle chips and a pickle spear
All of the Jacksonville locations serve Mimosas, White Peach Bellinis and Wildberry Sangria.
Expanding footprint
Keke’s Breakfast Cafe was founded in 2006 by two brothers — Keith and Kevin Mahan — who created the restaurant's name from the first syllables of their first names. They established the restaurant "because they couldn't find a quality breakfast spot like the one they loved back home in Philadelphia," company officials said.
Denny's Corporation acquired Keke's for $82.5 million in a deal closing in July 2022. At that time, Keke's had a combined total of 52 corporate and franchise-owned restaurants throughout Florida, according to an August 2022 Denny's news release.
Scrambled or over easy?: 5 best restaurants in the Jacksonville area for a great breakfast
Grumpy's wants you to be happy: Popular breakfast, brunch and lunch restaurant opens fifth Jacksonville-area restaurant
Since then, Keke's has added at least eight more restaurants.
The East Arlington restaurant is the 60th Keke's Breakfast Cafe to open nationwide.
Keke's is open from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. The East Arlington location can accommodate about 200 people, Decker said.
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.
If you're a subscriber, thank you. If not, become a subscriber to get the latest dining coverage
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Keke's Breakfast Cafe opens third Jacksonville, Florida, restaurant
