Known for introducing inspired, live-fire hearth grill cuisine in Northeast Florida, a husband-and-wife team will open a second location of their popular rustic American restaurant in St. Augustine.
Chef Michael and Brittany Cooney plan to bring Ember & Iron to 62 Spanish St. in the heart of the city’s historic district in Summer 2027.
The new restaurant will join the original Ember & Iron at 60 Shops Blvd. at Shoppes of St. Johns Parkway in Saint Johns.
“The incredible support we’ve received at our other restaurants has shaped how we approach our growth,” Michael Cooney said in a news release announcing the St. Augustine restaurant.
“We are a brand that fits well within neighborhoods with strong roots, and St. Augustine is a welcoming, close-knit community that values local businesses. We are thrilled to bring our live-fire cooking experience to St. Augustine locals, as well as the millions of tourists who visit our nation’s oldest city each year,” He also said.
New restaurant, historic location
Ember & Iron will take over the historic Don Pedro Fornells House — a Spanish Colonial building dating back to the early 1800s. It was rebuilt with work completed last year after being demolished following its partial collapse in 2014.
Len Weeks, former St. Augustine mayor and co-founder of Night of Lights, has owned the space for 25 years. Weeks is also a general contractor specializing in historic preservation.
Weeks described Ember & Iron as “the right fit” for the rebuilt building. The restaurant “is exactly what the historic district needs, and the Cooneys are going to be a tremendous addition to the community I call home,” he said in the news release.
“More and more people are visiting downtown, and they are looking for a higher-quality dining experience, which is exactly what Ember & Iron does so well,” Weeks said.
The new Ember & Iron will have seating for 200 guests indoors and 100 outside the 9,546-square-foot building, according to the news release.
A private dining room will overlook Hypolita Street with room to accommodate up to 50 people during large gatherings and special events.
In addition, there will be a separate 10-seat outdoor bar — the Gun Shop — named after a former retailer that once operated on the property.
Hearth the heart of Ember & Iron
An eight-foot-long, oak-burning hearth grill that infuses smokiness and intense flavor is the centerpiece of the Ember & Iron kitchen.
The St. Augustine restaurant will offer the full menu made popular at the original Saint Johns location.
Ember & Iron’s best-selling dishes include Chimichurri Steak with crispy fried Garlic-rosemary Potatoes, Seared Salmon with Jasmine Rice and Pistachio Pesto, Ember-grilled Shrimp in Togarashi butter, and Logan Turnpike Mill skillet cornbread served in cast iron.
In addition, the restaurant will feature a raw bar menu inspired by Gemma Fish + Oyster, the couple’s three-year-old upscale casual restaurant and raw bar at East San Marco in Jacksonville’s historic San Marco neighborhood.
Ember & Iron will offer a full bar featuring “a rare bourbon and whiskey selection, including allocated whiskeys.”
Signature cocktails will include the St. Johns County Housewife and the E&I Hibiscus Margarita.
Initially, the restaurant will open for dinner Tuesday through Sunday. Lunch and Sunday brunch will be added later, according to the news release.
Another Ember & Iron in the works
And beyond St. Augustine, the Cooneys plan to open another Ember & Iron at The Village at Seven Pines — an outdoor restaurant and retail center expected to debut next year near Interstate 295 and Butler Boulevard in Jacksonville — in 2028.
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: Ember & Iron plans new restaurant in historic downtown St. Augustine
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
