A month after opening its first site in Jacksonville, the Aegean-inspired restaurant Alder & Oak is set to expand to Jacksonville Beach. The new venue, including a rooftop lounge called Zorbas, will occupy the former Jekyll Brewing space. Restaurant & Hospitality Investment Group aims to launch it in the third quarter of 2026.
Alder & Oak debuted on January 31 at The HUB, a multi-restaurant venue at 400 Riverside Avenue in Jacksonville's Brooklyn neighborhood. This modern Mediterranean spot, focusing on Aegean-inspired dishes, serves as the centerpiece of the complex, which includes a courtyard and views of the St. Johns River. Alongside it is the rooftop lounge Zorbas, and the site also features a Southern Grounds & Company coffeehouse.
The second location will open at 131 1st Avenue N., Suite 1, in Jax Beach Town Center, replacing Jekyll Brewing, which shut down abruptly in May 2025 after two years. The 12,000-square-foot, two-story space will seat about 225 people, matching the size of the entire HUB complex. Interior demolition is underway to transform the brewery into an upscale Mediterranean brand, as stated by Mark Janasik, managing partner of the Jacksonville-based Restaurant & Hospitality Investment Group (RHIG).
"It's an absolutely great spot, but we need to change it from a brewery to our upscale Mediterranean brand," Janasik told the Times-Union on March 2. The new restaurant will sit next to RHIG's Oaxaca Club, which opened in March 2023 and offers Latin-inspired cuisine from Mexico's culinary capital.
Janasik highlighted Jacksonville Beach's appeal: "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." He noted the Jacksonville metro area's population growth, projected at twice the national rate, and its fit for tourism and coastal lifestyles.
The menu will emphasize coastal Aegean influences, with additions like more whole fish and seafood dishes suited to the beach setting. Signature items include grilled octopus, roasted cauliflower, and fresh pita accompaniments. Zorbas will feature Mediterranean wines via a Coravin program and craft cocktails, with 100% imported selections from the region.
RHIG plans further expansion, with a third Alder & Oak site "a little south of here" to be announced in the second quarter of 2027, targeting tourist hotspots in Florida.