Billed as an “urban oasis” with a modern Mediterranean restaurant specializing in Aegean-inspired cuisine, a rooftop lounge and a popular coffeehouse, The HUB is now open in Jacksonville’s historic Brooklyn neighborhood.
The unique concept featuring three restaurants, a courtyard gathering space and more opened Jan. 31 at 400 Riverside Ave., adding another dining destination to the growing corridor between Riverside and Jacksonville’s downtown.
“I think what’s special about us, with the HUB as a whole, is that we really have something for everybody all in one space,” HUB general manager Brittney Hall told the Times-Union amid final preparations for the grand opening. “So, I think the good thing about us is that no matter what the occasion is, you can come here and find something that you’re looking for.”
Highlighting The HUB is Alder & Oak. The new restaurant celebrates the fresh, authentic flavors of wood-fired Aegean cuisine. With a custom-made oven/grill imported from Spain, the restaurant is believed to be the first of its kind in Northeast Florida, if not statewide.
Joining Alder & Oak is Zorbas, a rooftop lounge offering a curated wine selection focusing on Mediterranean coastal varieties and unique craft cocktails created to complement the food. Zorbas also offers a scenic view of the St. Johns River and downtown.
The ninth location of Jacksonville-founded Southern Grounds & Company coffeehouse completes the trifecta of dining spots at The HUB.
“Alder & Oak is going to be your sit-down, your nice dinner with your family, friends, loved ones. Upstairs is Zorbas, where we’ve got fun, casual cocktail vibes,” Hall said. “And then in Southern Grounds, we have our coffee, we have pastries, we have more of our casual cafe feel.”
The HUB comes 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.
Designed as an urban oasis, the HUB’s goal is to be a gathering place where friends meet for coffee and artisanal fare, a refuge from the office grind and a spot to refresh after walking the Emerald Trail, Mark Janasik, RHIG managing partner, told the Times-Union.
“You can come and get a $14 pizza, or you can get a $50 entree,” Janasik, who grew up in Greece, said of the HUB’s menu aimed to bring people together.
The HUB: Two top chefs under one roof
Two veteran chefs — each considered an expert in their chosen cuisine — lead the HUB’s kitchens.
Executive chef William Mishkel at Alder & Oak began his 18-year career in New York City steakhouses. Mishkel then honed and refined his culinary skills under Michelin two-star chef Taylor Stark at The Wolf’s Tailor in Denver, Janasik said.
Janasik noted Mishkel brings passion and vision for wood-fired Aegean cuisine to Alder & Oak.
Ryan Randolph, executive chef of Southern Grounds, trained under chef, restaurateur and six-time James Beard Award semifinalist Daniel Lindley of Chattanooga, Tenn.
Janasik said Randolph, based at the HUB, is “building an amazing daytime menu around scratch-made pastries, seasonal breakfasts and lunches, and house-roasted coffee from Itelligentcia in Chicago.”
Alder & Oak menu: Not just Aegean cuisine, but spans the whole Mediterranean coast
Alder & Oak’s menu is replete with entrees featuring fresh seafood, such as octopus, shrimp and prawns, and fish, including sushi-grade salmon, as well as slow-roasted chicken, lamb and beef, plus veggies.
Mishkel told the Times-Union the 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.
“It’s all about being connected to the sea there, using lots of wood-burning methods of cooking and just kind of being very vibrant with spices and hominess,” said Mishkel, noting those countries are “very big on old-school methods of cooking.”
Mishkel said 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.
“We’re also doing a date molasses braised lamb shank that will be done with an orzo pilaf and a Moroccan roasted carrot. It’s very sweet, got a lot of zing to it,” Mishkel said.
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.
A Mibrasa wood-burning oven/grill from Spain is the cornerstone of Alder & Oak’s kitchen. Janasik said Alder & Oak appears to be the first Florida restaurant to have the state-of-the-art oven and grill, which is known for infusing a deep, smoky flavor.
Aegean wines are the focus at Alder & Oak, with selections from Turkey, Lebanon, Croatia, Slovenia and Greece. The restaurant offers 30 different wines, which are “a perfect pairing for our food,” Corey Tighe, RHIG beverage director, told the Times-Union.
Tighe said craft cocktails, such as a Feta-washed Gin Martini, are crafted in-house to complement the food. There are non-alcoholic beverages such as Moroccan Mint Tea, Cucumber Dill Lemonade and a Roasted Red Pepper Strawberry Soda, which are made in-house. In addition, local craft beers will be available, he added.
Zorbas’ wine list is a bit smaller than at Alder & Oak. But the rooftop lounge will have three of its own special cocktails, he said.
Southern Grounds at the HUB will rely on the mainstay menu that has made its pastries, breakfast, lunch and dinner fare popular staples.
Rising two stories, the HUB, with a covered and landscaped courtyard, is primarily an outdoor venue. It’s on a 0.21-acre lot at the corner of Riverside Avenue and Forest Street. The site is on the last remaining block of Riverside Avenue with historic buildings.
Alder & Oak has 56 indoor seats plus 148 outside. Southern Grounds has 36 seats and Zorbas has 38 seats, Hall said.
Reservations are recommended. Initially, the restaurant will be open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Zorbas will match those hours, with two exceptions: it’s not open for lunch, and will stay open two hours later on Friday and Saturday night to close at midnight, Hall said.
Southern Grounds will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
Where can you park?
The HUB neighbors Burlock and Barrel American Whiskey Distillery and Arepa Please, a popular Venezuelan restaurant. It’s also within a block of Vista Brooklyn and restaurants Anejo Cocina Mexicana, The Greenhouse, First Watch, BurgerFi and more.
Parking can be a challenge at times in the high-traffic neighborhood, but the HUB is ready for that possibility.
“We will have complimentary valet parking that will be available right out front of the restaurant. All you have to do is pull up, hand over your keys, and we’ll take care of the rest,” Hall said.
Hall said nearby parking garages “have free parking from 6 p.m. on.”
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: New Aegean restaurant, rooftop bar and coffeehouse open at The HUB
Reporting by Teresa Stepzinski, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union
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