JACKSONVILLE BEACH | A highly anticipated Aegean-inspired modern Mediterranean restaurant featuring a rooftop lounge highlighted by a scenic ocean view is drawing diners to Jacksonville Beach.
Alder & Oak, including Zorbas bar, debuted July 15 at 131 1st Ave. N., Unit 101, at Jax Beach Town Center in the heart of the oceanfront restaurant and retail district.
The upscale-casual restaurant — already the focus of social media buzz — showcases a chef-driven menu celebrating the authentic flavors and wood-fire cooking techniques on the coast of the Aegean Sea.
The two-story Jacksonville Beach restaurant comes six months after the original Alder & Oak opened at The HUB at 400 Riverside Ave. near downtown Jacksonville.
Alder & Oak is the latest restaurant to open from Jacksonville-based Restaurant & Hospitality Investment Group (RHIG).
The prominent and prolific restaurant group led by Mark Janasik is known for its innovative dining concepts with chef-driven menus focusing on fresh, locally sourced and sustainable ingredients.
Alder & Oak is among 14 RHIG restaurants, most in Northeast Florida, ranging from fast-casual coffeehouses to upscale-casual dining destinations. RHIG brands include Blueberry Artisan Bakery & Cafe, Oaxaca Club, and Southern Grounds & Co. The Rosetta Room, a new Italian concept, is in the works.
RHIG also developed, owns and operates The HUB, a first-of-its-kind “urban oasis” restaurant and gathering complex featuring the first Alder & Oak and Zorbas as well as Southern Grounds.
The concepts differ, but RHIG restaurants share a common bond.
“Our mission is to design experiences that bring people together, fostering connections through exceptional food and ambiance,” Janasik previously said in an exclusive interview with the Times-Union.
“We try to cook real food that makes you feel healthier,” he said. “RHIG’s restaurants are deeply committed to supporting local farmers and producers, ensuring that every dish reflects both freshness and community pride.”
Heart and hearth in Alder & Oak kitchen
Executive chef Jimi Porter leads the kitchen team at Alder & Oak Jacksonville Beach. Porter specializes in globally inspired cuisine, reflecting his more than 20-year culinary career and world travels. He most recently worked in the British Virgin Islands and as a private chef before joining Alder & Oak.
Respected, locally known chef Eddy Escriba is RHIG’s operations partner. He oversees Alder & Oak as well as all the hospitality group’s food programs. Escriba previously co-founded Taqueria CINco, Burrito Gallery and Uptown Kitchen & Bar.
An Earthstone wood-fired oven is the centerpiece of both Alder & Oak kitchens — holding the steady radiant heat of a Mediterranean clay hearth. Alder & Oak has an open-style kitchen, so guests can watch their meals being prepared.
What’s on the menu at Alder & Oak
The Jacksonville Beach menu has been expanded to offer more seafood and fish, but also features many of the customer favorites from the original Alder & Oak.
Porter said exclusive to the Jacksonville Beach restaurant is a sushi program upstairs at Zorbas. Tuna and salmon crudos are also new and unique to the Jacksonville Beach restaurant, Escriba said.
“They are unique in the sense that we’re a fusion of flavors. We’ve done some Mediterranean-inspired dishes using some Asian ingredients,” Escriba said, noting Porter’s creativity and skill also make them stand out.
Escriba said Porter created a sushi roll featuring Hamachi (Japanese yellowfin tuna) wrapped in steamed grape leaves instead of using Nor for the restaurant.
He also noted that creating the menu for Alder & Oak Jacksonville Beach was “a little bit challenging” because the concept is so unique.
“We had to really do a lot of research, tasting and traveling to develop the flavors and the dishes that we thought would complement our concept and also would be well-received in the area,” Escriba said.
One dish was locked in from the very beginning. The lamb shank tops their signature dishes, followed by the rack of lamb.
“The unique things about our lamb is that it’s cooked with date molasses, so it brings a little sweetness to the dish,” Escriba said. “When you eat a tagine from Morocco, you know the sweetness of the dried fruit, you get that in the lamb dish here. And you’re getting the Moroccan spices.”
Signature entrees:
Alder & Oak’s dinner menu also features a selection of innovative pizzas, salads, hummus, crudos and more. Desserts range from Seasonal Fruit Crostata to Baklava and Galatopita.
Wine pairings are recommended to complement each dish. About 32 different wines are offered. The price per glass varies from about $10 up to $140 based on its rarity, said Corey Tighe, beverage director.
“We focus on wines from the Aegean region, highlighting indigenous varietals and ancestral wine making,” he said, noting they use a Coravin program to be able to offer hard-to-find wines by the glass.
Encompassing about 12,000 square feet, Alder & Oak Jax Beach took over and renovated the space vacated by Jekyll Brewing, which closed abruptly in May 2025 after two years.
The new restaurant is adjacent to Oaxaca Club, another RHIG concept, which offers Latin-inspired cuisine reflecting the vibrant flavors and culture of the region known as “the culinary capital of Mexico.”
Alder & Oak at Jacksonville Beach, with about 220 seats, is open from 4 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 4 to 11 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.
Zorbas is open from 4 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 4 p.m. to midnight Friday, 11 a.m. to midnight Saturday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.
Reservations can be made for both Alder & Oak and Zorbas via OpenTable, but are not required. Walk-ins are welcome.
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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This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Alder & Oak, rooftop bar Zorbas open in Jacksonville Beach
Reporting by Teresa Stepzinski, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union
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By Teresa Stepzinski, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union | USA TODAY Network
