JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — (The video above is from a previous report)
A craft brewery and Mexican restaurant are opening up shop in Jacksonville Beach, which the developer hopes will help move the area beyond its reputation as a “party” destination.
Jekyll Brewing and Oaxaca Club have both signed leases with an opening date of July 2022. The dedicated event space is scheduled to open next year in July as well.
Jekyll Brewing will be a craft brewery with an executive chef driven kitchen. The business has leased a two story, corner location of over 6,000 square feet and almost 2,000 square feet of outdoor patio space to include a second story patio overlooking Latham Park and the beach.
Oaxaca Club, a Mexican Restaurant, will provide food, drinks and entertainment on the first floor with an outdoor patio looking out towards Latham Park.
Developer, Marc Angelo, personally visited both businesses to sample their food and drinks.
“We can’t have enough businesses at the Beaches that are at the top of their game and provide excellent service to everyone," he said. "It was important to me to bring establishments with the best quality in both food and beverage; someplace my family and I would visit frequently.”
Michael Lundmark is the owner of Jekyll Brewing. He's in the process of expanding his Atlanta based brewery & distillery to other developments across Florida.
He says he's excited to bring his craft to Jacksonville Beach.
"Coming to Jacksonville Beach as our first Florida location was important to both me and our brand given Jacksonville Beach’s close proximity to Jekyll Island, where the first brewery of the deep south was established in 1734," he says. "I can’t wait to serve the Jax Beach community and introduce our brand.”
Oaxaca Club marks the return of Mexican food to the area after the closure of Campeche Bay, which closed its doors permanently on Aug. 7, 2019, after 33 years in business.
The hospitality group behind Southern Grounds have partnered with long-time chef and restaurateur Eddy Escriba to bring the new concept to the beaches.
Oaxacan food is known for it's distinctive cuisine that is characterized by flavorful moles, fresh herbs, quesillo and mezcal.
The hospitality group says the new restaurant will have dishes such as tamales, stuffed chilis, fresh salsa, charred avocado with toasted pumpkin seeds and herb crema, wood fired rosemary lemon oysters and other coastal inspired dishes.
The second floor above Oaxaca Club will serve as an indoor and outdoor entertainment area for events.
Angelo started this effort in 2019 with the desire to create excitement and a reason for everyone to visit Jacksonville Beach for dining and entertainment, moving beyond a reputation as a “party” destination.
Jax Beach Town Center is slated to begin construction this week, with a completion date of July 2022.
