In April, a new restaurant opened at the JTA Regional Transportation Center in LaVilla, an area that hasn’t seen a new restaurant in years and has progressed into several new restaurants, including a Thai restaurant in Riverside, a burger at the downtown and the reconstruction of a long-standing barbecue near downtown St. Johns after a devastating fire.

Blue Orchid Thai Cuisine Riverside

Blue Orchid Thai Cuisine Riverside received a building permit from the city on April 22 for an estimated $ 1.1 million renovation of a former medical office at 1551 Riverside Ave. in his second restaurant in Jacksonville. Occupancy is listed for up to 181 people in the 4,450 square foot restaurant, according to permit. An opening in September is planned. | Read more

Crazy Beans Coffee Company

Crazy Beans Coffee opened on April 6 on the ground floor of the Jacksonville Regional Transportation Center in LaVilla – the first restaurant to open in the neighborhood in over 15 years. The cafe is owned by brothers Edgar and Herbert Bartley and is run by respected Jacksonville pastry and chocolate maker Erika Cline. | Read more

Bono’s Pit Bar-BQ Gate Parkway

Destroyed by a massive fire a year ago, Bono’s Pit Bar-BQ is set to rise from its ashes with a new design incorporating lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic. The new restaurant will total 4,000 square feet, including a 1,000-square-foot outdoor dining area – one of many new features that also include drive-thru and an expanded take-out area, according to plans. | Read more

Customers are back in Jacksonville restaurants. But the cooks and the waiters are not, which creates a new problem for the owners.

Restaurant inspections: Jacksonville area’s best and worst reports for May 3

The great Greek Mediterranean grill

The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill plans to open its first Jacksonville-area restaurant at the Shoppes of St. Johns Parkway, 60 Shops Blvd. in St. Johns. There, The Great Greek will join Al Dente’s Ristorante Italiano, Canopy Road Café, Ember & Iron, Xtreme Wings Sports Grille and 1928 Cuban Bistro. | Read more

Jax vegan cafe

Jenna Bardroff and her brother, Chef Mat Bardroff, opened the Vegan Cafe Jax, a fully vegan restaurant, in St. Nicholas at 2624 Atlantic Blvd. April 19. The restaurant, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, offers a selection of vegan sandwiches, wraps, burgers and bowls. | Read more

Previously: Jacksonville area restaurant openings, March closures

Charleys Wings & Steaks Philly

Charleys Wings & Philly Steaks received a building permit in Jacksonville on March 29 for $ 1.2 million in renovations at 9840 San Jose Blvd. in Mandarin for his new restaurant. Located on the site of a former Krystal, the restaurant will be Charleys’ third in the Jacksonville area.

Firehouse Subs Wildlight

Firehouse Subs opened its first sandwich shop in Yulee on March 25 at 40 Homegrown Way in Wildlight, a mixed-use and planned community in Nassau County. It is the fifth restaurant of the future for the Jacksonville-based restaurant chain and the third new prototype in the Jacksonville area, company officials said. Pictured is the first restaurant prototype opened in Durbin Park. | Read more

The juicy crab

The Juicy Crab received planning permission on March 30 for an estimated $ 240,000 renovation of the former Sticky Fingers Ribhouse at 13150 City Station Drive in River City Marketplace.

Culver

The city of Jacksonville issued a building permit on March 31 for the construction of a Culver’s restaurant at 7818 Gate Parkway near IKEA. The estimated cost of the project is $ 1.45 million. The restaurant would have an occupancy cap of 212 people, the permit said.

Whataburger

Whataburger received a building permit for the City of Jacksonville on April 12 for a new restaurant at 11559 Atlantic Blvd. in Atlantic North where a Cinemark cinema is already under construction.

Grumpy Restaurant

St. Johns County issued a building permit on April 12 for the construction of a Grumpy’s restaurant at 155 Fountains Way in St. Johns. The project is estimated at $ 250,000 for the 3,800 square foot restaurant. (Pictured is Grumpy’s in Middleburg.)

Green papaya

St. Johns County issued a building permit on April 6 for the construction of a Green Papaya restaurant at 175 Fountains Way in St. Johns. The 4,000 square foot restoration project is estimated at $ 135,000. (Pictured is Green Papaya at River City Marketplace.)

Bread & Burger

The owners of The Bread & Board announced on April 27 that they will be opening a new concept, Bread & Burger, featuring gourmet burgers, fries and milkshakes in converted shipping containers in the walkway of the VyStar Credit Union campus at 100 W. Bay St. in downtown Jacksonville. The new restaurant will join the sister restaurants Estrella Cocina, Bread & Board Market and Bread & Board Provisions on site. | Read more