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Saleya Riviera Cafe, a new restaurant in San Marco, opened on November 4.The restaurant features Southern European-style cuisine inspired by the French Riviera.It is the eighth restaurant from Medure Brothers Culinary Concepts and the third in the San Marco area.The menu offers lunch, dinner, and late-night options with French and Italian influences.
The newest restaurant in historic San Marco embodies the spirit of an iconic French Riviera cafe with an inspired menu offering Southern European-style cuisine
Saleya Riviera Cafe held its grand opening on Nov. 4 at 2006 San Marco Blvd. in the center of the San Marco retail and restaurant district.
Modeled after a traditional Nicoise cafe, Saleya is the latest concept from well-known Jacksonville chef and restaurateur Matthew Medure of multi-restaurant group Medure Brothers Culinary Concepts.
Saleya is led by husband-and-wife co-owners executive chef Scott and beverage program director Gabrielle Alters, who also guide nearby Rue Saint-Marc, a Medure Brothers fine-dining restaurant.
“Saleya Riviera Café was conceived on an excursion along the Côte d’Azur that culminated in the port city of Nice, France. After a trip to the Cours Saleya farmer’s market, while drinking Champagne and enjoying oysters at a café on the Place Massena,” the couple wrote on the restaurant’s website of their inspiration.
They also said they were “inspired by the incredibly fresh ingredients, simplicity of the regional cuisine, the convivial approach to dining, and several ice-cold Negroni cocktails.”
Saleya is the eighth restaurant from Jacksonville-based Medure Brothers Culinary Concepts, which was founded and is led by Medure and his brother, David Medure, also a well-known chef.
On the menu at Saleya Riviera Cafe
Saleya offers lunch, dinner and a late-night menu. The menu — reflecting French and Italian influences — is “casual cuisine” highlighting fresh, high-quality ingredients.
Along with wines and craft cocktails, Saleya “celebrates the culinary traditions of the Provencal and Ligurian coasts while highlighting the bounty of North Florida agriculture,” according to the Medure Brothers website.
Saleya offers a diverse selection of spreads, small plates, soups, salads, panini, sandwiches, and desserts, its online menu shows.
The offerings include:
Nicoise Salad ($16): Poached tuna, haricots verts, egg, olives, potato, and red wine vinaigretteValensole Salad ($13): Chickpeas, parmesan, croutons, crispy kale, and roasted sunflower seed vinaigrettePoulet Salad ($13): Roast chicken, shaved radish, celery, green grapes and herb buttermilk dressingLe Boeuf Panini ($16): Pulled short rib, gorgonzola cheese, balsamic onions and roasted garlic-DijonGenoa sandwich ($15): Pistachio salame, prosciutto cotto, mortadella, stracciatella, tomato, basilAthens sandwich ($17) Roast leg of lamb, hummus, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and whipped feta cheese
Sandwiches and panini are served on Herbes De Provence bread baked daily, and come with a choice of a side item. Soups ($10 each) include Savory Pumpkin Bisque and Soup De Poisson, the menu shows.
Among the desserts are Almond cake ($10), which is pine nuts, sultanas, and apricot sherbet; and Le Grand Sundae ($12), which features vanilla, hazelnut, and fig ice creams.
Saleya joins other Medure Brothers restaurants in Northeast Florida
Saleya is the third Medure Brothers restaurant in San Marco.
Overlooking Balis Park in the middle of San Marco Square, the cafe is a short walk from established Medure fine dining restaurants Rue Saint-Marc at 2103 San Marco Blvd., and Matthews Restaurant at 2107 Hendricks Ave.
Other Medure Brothers restaurants include Restaurant Medure in Ponte Vedra Beach, Midtown Table near St. Johns Town Center, MShack in Nocatee, and M Brothers at Mayo, and Zest at Mayo, both on the Mayo Clinic Jacksonville campus.
San Marco diverse dining hub
Saleya is flanked by popular, established restaurants Town Hall and Maple Street Biscuit Company.
Nearby is the recently opened gourmet dessert shop Cookie Fix. And just across Hendricks Avenue is Gemma Fish + Oyster, Foxtail Coffee Co., Anejo Cocina Mexicana, and Crumbl Cookies — all at East San Marco.
Saleya took over the storefront previously used by Missy Riley Art & Pieces gallery, which relocated a few doors away to 1992 San Marco Blvd., which is part of the former historic San Marco Theatre building.
The theatre building also houses the recently opened Electric Dough Pizza Co., the third restaurant from well-known Jacksonville chef Tom Gray, who also owns Town Hall and Prati Italia, at the Markets at Town Center.
Renovations transforming the 2,646 square foot art gallery into Saleya were estimated at $400,000, according to a Feb. 21 city building permit.
Saleya, licensed for up to 149 seats, is open from 11 a.m. to midnight Monday to Saturday, and closed Sunday, the restaurant’s website shows.
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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Dining and Cooking