JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A retired Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle hopes to score a touchdown with a brunch-themed restaurant downtown about a mile and a half from the stadium where he spent many a Sunday.
Marcus Stroud plans to open Baby Got Brunch at 610 N. Julia St. after renovating and remodeling the roughly 5,175-square-foot storefront that previously served as a coffee shop and co-workspace.
Construction is about to begin. A city building permit issued Sept. 19 estimated the restaurant buildout at $401,610. Avant Construction Group of Jacksonville is listed as the primary contractor.
The building permit comes four months after the Downtown Investment Authority (DIA) unanimously approved a $96,620 Retail Enhancement Program grant to help Stroud establish the restaurant.
Baby Got Brunch will be Stroud's first restaurant. He couldn't be reached for comment immediately.
However, the restaurant is detailed in documents submitted by Stroud to the DIA as well as an agency staff report prepared for the May 15 DIA board meeting where the grant was approved.
What to look for on the Baby Got Brunch menu
The menu will be brunch-focused, which as the restaurant's business plan notes "is a growing trend in US dining."
Sandwiches and salads also will be offered, and the restaurant will have a full bar featuring "creative brunch-themed cocktails, wine, and beer."
The potential menu lists:
- Stay Awhile Platter: Fried chicken thighs, sage sausage links, a buttermilk waffle, slow-cooked collards, warm cornbread, mac & cheese and a sauce flight
- Chicken & Waffles: Crispy chicken thighs and a hot maple drizzle
- Short Rib & Waffles: A spoon-tender short rib with a fried egg and chives
- Crispy Pork Belly & Waffles: Barbecue-glazed pork belly with a fried egg and chives
- Suns Out Burger: With a fried egg, crispy potato sticks, Cheddar cheese and smokey aioli
- Shrimp & Grits: Mayport shrimp and Carolina stone ground grits
Potential side dishes range from lobster mac & cheese to slow-cooked collards and Carolina stone ground grits. Salads will include Caesar, BGB Cobb and Quinoa.
Mimosas and other cocktails will be a highlight of the bar.
Marcus Stroud: Jaguars defensive tackle turned entrepreneur
Stroud was a first-round draft choice by the Jaguars in 2001. He was a Pro Bowl and All-Pro selection in 2003, 2004 and 2005. He played in 100 games with 84 starts in his seven years with the Jaguars.
When he retired from football in 2012, Stroud told the Times-Union that Jacksonville holds a special place in his heart.
"That's where I started my career, I consider Jacksonville like my second home," Stroud said. "That's where my quote-unquote football family is based. That's where I felt like I gained my notoriety. That's where I've always been at heart. I'm a Jaguar from day one, and I'll be a Jaguar now," he said at the time.
In March 2022, Stroud via his company MS Real Estate Ventures LLC of Canton, Ga. bought the Julia Street property for $295,000, according to Duval County property and court records.
The one-story storefront is part of the Residences at City Place condominium complex at 311 W. Ashley St., property records show.
How Baby Got Brunch got its name
Stroud played college football for the University of Georgia when he was drafted by the Jaguars. The restaurant's name reflects the nickname his Georgia teammates gave him because of his "baby face."
As proposed, Baby Got Brunch will have 80 seats comprised of chairs and booths plus another 14 bar stools. Plans also show a small stage area suitable for music or comedy acts. The stage area will double as "extra seating when not in use and a private room that opens to the bar and stage area."
In addition, there will be multiple televisions throughout the bar so guests can watch weekend sporting events, the DIA report noted.
Baby Got Brunch is within walking distance of Jacksonville City Hall as well as the state and federal courthouses, the State Attorney and Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department offices.
The restaurant plans to be open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. It will be the only brunch-themed restaurant downtown, and one of the few open on Sunday on the Northbank.
It expects to employ about 25 people.
