Jacksonville-area restaurant roundup: 12 opened, 5 closed in April
April saw the unrelated abrupt closures of two longtime family-owned Chinese restaurants — one after operating for almost a half century while the other was in business 20 years.
Also closing were a popular Tex-Mex restaurant in Murray Hill and the fifth Jacksonville location of a beleaguered Florida-based Tex-Mex chain.
In addition, a restaurant that served breakfast, brunch and lunch downtown for four years closed but hopes to relocate.
Openings included two separate restaurants from siblings.
Two brothers launched an egg-centric breakfast and brunch sandwich cafe in Atlantic Beach. Two sisters transformed their craving for their hometown's seafood specialty into a popular food truck that evolved into a brick-and-mortar restaurant.
And a top Jacksonville Beach brunch restaurant expanded to open its second location in historic Springfield.
Here's a recap of notable Jacksonville-area restaurant news in April.
In case you missed it: Biggest dining news from March
Pagoda restaurant and Secret Tiki Temple
After 49 years, family-owned Pagoda restaurant and its speakeasy-style Secret Tiki Temple at 8617 Baymeadows Road in Jacksonville, closed abruptly. The owners posted on social media that the closure decision was "due to changes in our business structure and future plans." Pagoda was known for its "old school" Cantonese cuisine. Secret Tiki Temple, located inside at the back of the restaurant, was a popular night spot featuring rum-based craft cocktails plus tapas amid a fun ambiance and eclectic decor. | Read more
The Loop
A popular homegrown Jacksonville restaurant chain serving up freshly made burgers, pizza and hand-spun shakes for 42 years opened its 14th location in northern St. Johns County. The Loop, at 150 Village Commons Drive, Suite 105 at World Golf Village, showcases a prototype design intended to accommodate growing customer demand for enhanced take-out, online ordering and delivery options. The World Golf Village location is the fifth from local franchise owners Angelina and Maurilio Gonzalez. | Read More
Panda House
Known as a "hidden neighborhood gem," a mom-and-pop, drive-thru-only Chinese restaurant closed after 20 years on April 30. Panda House, at 2700 Post St. in Riverside, was known for its freshly made, ample portions of fried rice, egg rolls, cashew chicken, Mongolian beef, egg foo young, garlic tofu, and other menu mainstays. Longtime customers told the Times-Union that Panda House also was known for the genuine warmth and hospitality of the husband and wife who owned it. | Read more
Tulua Bistro
Tulua Bistro, a popular Jacksonville Beach restaurant known for its bodacious brunch featuring bountiful breakfast boards, mega-size Bloody Marys and daily bottomless Mimosas, opened its second location in historic Springfield. The new restaurant at 1703 N. Main St. serves up its from-scratch fare amid vibrant murals of human rights champions, cultural icons and historic figures. It's also known for its upscale drag shows. | Read more
El Jefe
After six years, a Murray Hill restaurant that introduced Northeast Florida to San Antonio-style puffy tacos closed abruptly. El Jefe Tex-Mex, at 947 Edgewood Ave. S., also featured other tacos, including "low and slow" smoked brisket, grilled Ahi tuna, carne asada, carnitas and grilled shrimp, and Tex-Mex classics such as enchiladas, fajitas, quesadillas, nachos, burritos and Texas bowls. | Read more
Tijuana Flats
Beleaguered fast-casual Tex-Mex restaurant chain Tijuana Flats based in Maitland abruptly closed another Jacksonville location — its fifth in the area since February. Tijuana Flats at 9942 Old Baymeadows Road, was among 11 restaurants to shut its doors in the wake of the chain filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and being acquired by a new company. The chain is known for its made-to-order menu of burritos, tacos, chimichangas, quesadillas, nachos and hot sauce bar. The Baymeadows closure comes less than two months after Tijuana Flats shuttered its restaurants at 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. | Read more
EggBoy
A pair of Jacksonville brothers known for bringing Tallahassee-based breakfast concept Canopy Road Cafe to Jacksonville, debuted their own breakfast concept EggBoy, 1241 Mayport Road in Atlantic Beach. EggBoy specializes breakfast sandwiches with names like S.E.C, Arlington and Hen House. The menu also features lunch sandwiches and more, all made from scratch, including fresh-baked bread from Jacksonville Beach’s Cinotti’s Bakery. | Read more
Flame Broiler
A California-based restaurant known for its healthy, Korean-inspired rice bowls and plates opened a double drive-thru-only restaurant in Jacksonville. Flame Broiler, at 6682 103rd St. on the Westside. It's the fifth Flame Broiler in Jacksonville from local franchise owner Jackie Grzebin. | Read more
Two Sisters and A Deviled Crab
Two sisters craving a taste of home introduced Tampa-style deviled crab to the Jacksonville area. Two Sisters and a Deviled Crab opened a brick-and-mortar restaurant in the food court at Orange Park Mall after a successful run as a popular food truck. The siblings' unique Cuban-influenced deviled crab reigns as their signature dish. But the restaurant also features other seafood dishes such as lobster mac & cheese balls, crab cornbread and a fried salmon BLT. | Read more
5th Element Indian Restaurant & Bar
Much anticipated, a mainstay Indian restaurant moved and opened at the St. Johns Town Center from its previous Baymeadows storefront. 5th Element Indian Restaurant & Bar took its popular cuisine — including the lunch buffet — down the road to 10208 Buckhead Branch Drive in Town Center from its longtime location at 9485 Baymeadows Road.
Insomnia Cookies
A Philadelphia-based dessert shop that built its reputation for delivering warm, fresh-baked chocolate chunk and other cookies, opened its third Jacksonville store. Insomnia Cookies is satisfying late-night cravings for cookies and other sweet treats from a 1,174 square foot storefront at 815 Lomax St. in Five Points. Founded in 2003, the cookie shop also offers ice cream cookie sandwiches, brownies, cookie cakes, mini cookies and ice cream. The bakery offers in-store, pickup and delivery options.
Just Kitchen Jax
Justin Rohloff, a Jacksonville fine-dining chef opened his first restaurant — Just Kitchen Jax. Located at 13423 Beach Blvd., No. 104, near Hodges Boulevard, the 38-seat restaurant focuses on light and healthy, freshly made hummus, pitas, salads and shawarma. Rohloff is a fine dining chef who honed his culinary skills training under the tutelage of Michelin-star chefs in New York. He then joined Medure Brothers Culinary Concepts and helped chefs Matthew and David Medure open their Midtown Table restaurant. Rohloff also was a chef at the brothers' Matthew's Restaurant. | Read more
GEN Korean BBQ
Guests are the chefs at GEN Korean BBQ House, a high-end, all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue restaurant, that opened its doors at 4880 Big Island Drive, Suite 6, in The Markets at Town Center near St. Johns Town Center. It's the first in Northeast Florida from the Cerritos, Calif.-based restaurant chain. GEN Korean BBQ House is known for its large menu of traditional Korean and Korean-American food. Guests prepare their meals from a selection of meats, vegetables and seafood on embedded grills in the center of each table. | Read more
Jumpin' Jax House of Food
Jumpin' Jax House of Food abruptly shut its doors at 20 W. Adams St. downtown after four years serving the breakfast, brunch and lunch crowd inside the historic 107-year-old Lerner Building between Main and Laura streets. Remaining open is the restaurant at 4887 Belfort Road on the Southside. Jumpin' Jax House of Food serves burgers, pizzas, wraps, salads, chicken sandwiches and shakes. The restaurant owner told the Times-Union he plans to relocate, hopefully downtown. | Read more
Red Owl Coffee Company
South Georgia-based Red Owl Coffee Company opened its second Jacksonville-area drive-thru cafe at 5720 University Blvd. in the Englewood neighborhood. It comes three months after Red Owl made its Northeast Florida debut in Orange Park. Red Owl is known for its craft-roasted coffee beans which are at the heart of its signature hot, iced and frozen specialty coffees, espresso, lattes and frappes. It also offers a small menu of breakfast foods, including sandwiches, bagels, muffins and a protein bowl, featuring egg, cheese, sausage or bacon, on a bed of spinach. | Read more
Zaxby's
Zaxby's opened its 25th Jacksonville-area restaurant at 85 Tylers Way in Saint Johns at The Fountains at St. Johns restaurant and retail center. The 3,400-square-foot restaurant can seat up to 56 people in the dining room. The restaurant also boasts a double drive-thru, including a large drive-thru canopy. | Read more
De’Crispino’s
An artisan Italian bakery, De’Crispino’s, formerly The Bakery, opened at 4588 San Jose Blvd. in the Miramar neighborhood. The bakery offers fresh-from-scratch pastries, cakes, pies, cookies and bread plus salads, sandwiches and artisanal coffee. They use locally sourced ingredients. The cafe also offers a small curated selection of Italian delicacies, gourmet pantry staples, and unique gifts. DeCrispino's is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.
Gary T. Mills of the Times-Union contributed to this report.
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 dining: Secret Tiki Temple, El Jefe close; EggBoy opens
