A month after its debut at The HUB in Jacksonville, a modern Mediterranean restaurant specializing in Aegean-inspired cuisine is already working to open a second location in Jacksonville Beach.
Alder & Oak will open at 131 1st Ave. N. Suite 1 in Jax Beach Town Center. The restaurant, including rooftop lounge concept Zorbas, is taking over the space vacated by Jekyll Brewing, which closed abruptly in May 2025 after two years.
Alder & Oak is the newest concept from Restaurant & Hospitality Investment Group (RHIG), a Jacksonville-based hospitality group known for its innovative dining concepts with chef-driven menus reflecting fresh, locally sourced and sustainable ingredients.
They hope to open the Jacksonville Beach location of Alder & Oak and Zorbas during the third quarter of this year, Mark Janasik, RHIG managing partner, told the Times-Union on March 2.
Janasik said they’re doing interior demolition now to clear the way for renovations to the two-story space.
“It’s an absolutely great spot, but we need to change it from a brewery to our upscale Mediterranean brand,” Janasik said of the three-year-old building.
The new restaurant will be next door to Oaxaca Club, another RHIG concept at Jax Beach Town Center. Oaxaca Club, which opened in March 2023, offers Latin-inspired cuisine rooted in the authentic flavors and culture of the Mexican region that is known as “the culinary capital of Mexico.”
Having the restaurants adjacent to each other “is a natural transition for us.” Jacksonville Beach was a natural choice for both restaurants, he said.
“We absolutely love Jax Beach, and we think it’s ideally positioned for a high-end Mediterranean restaurant like Alder & Oak. We can see growth, and I would say long-term stability in that market,” Janasik said.
Jacksonville Beach is part of the broader Jacksonville metro market, which is “one of the fastest growing markets in the country with population projections that are growing twice the national rate,” he said.
“We think it fits in incredibly well with our local community as well as tourism for Jax Beach, and the coastal lifestyle kind of ambiance that a Mediterranean restaurant brings,” he said of the decision to open the second Alder & Oak there.
Alder & Oak at The HUB sets the stage for expansion
The first Alder & Oak debuted Jan. 31 at The HUB, a first-of-its-kind multi-restaurant and social venue at 400 Riverside Ave. in the historic Brooklyn neighborhood near downtown Jacksonville.
The restaurant is the centerpiece of The HUB, which is designed to be “an urban oasis” with a courtyard gathering space. The HUB offers a scenic view of the St. Johns River and downtown skyline.
Along with Alder & Oak and Zorbas, The HUB features the eighth Jacksonville location of Southern Grounds & Company coffeehouse, also an RHIG concept.
The Jax Beach restaurant will have about 225 seats. Encompassing about 12,000 square feet of restaurant space, it will be about the same size as the entirety of The HUB complex, he said.
‘More sea-faring dishes’ on Jax Beach menu
Alder & Oak’s menu pays homage to the cuisine and cooking techniques found on the coast of the Aegean Sea — from Greece to Turkey, as well as Morocco and some parts of France and Spain, executive chef William Mishkel previously told the Times-Union.
The restaurant’s signature offerings include sushi-grade Verlaso Salmon with charred eggplant, preserved lemon, tomatoes and schug; grilled octopus with Romanesco, fingerling potatoes, olive oil, chorizo and herb salad; and roasted cauliflower with Mediterranean-style onion yogurt.
Alder & Oak’s menu also includes interpretations of classics such as scratch-made Baba ghanoush, Muhammara, hummus and Tzatziki, all served with pita bread made fresh in the Alder & Oak kitchen, and a horiatiki (Greek) salad.
“We’ll have more whole fish offerings and more seafood because we’re closer to the beach and the coast there. More sea-faring dishes for sure,” Janasik said of the new restaurant’s menu.
Zorbas offers a curated wine selection focusing on Mediterranean coastal varieties and unique craft cocktails.
“We have the Coravin Wine Program that allows you to drink high-end bottles of wine by the glass, so you don’t have to buy the whole bottle,” he said.
He said they offer “100% imported wines from around the Middle East, Aegean-based, Mediterranean and Spain.”
More Alder & Oak locations to come
Janasik said Jacksonville Beach is at the forefront of the planned expansion of Alder & Oak.
They’re currently working on the third location. Describing it as “a little south of here,” that location will be announced in the second quarter of 2027, he said.
Janasik said all the future restaurants will be in well-known communities.
“They will be in tourist destinations, irreplaceable real estate and hot spots around Florida,” he 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.
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Dining and Cooking