A popular breakfast and lunch chain is opening its newest Northeast Florida restaurant at River City Marketplace.
Keke's Breakfast Cafe plans to celebrate its grand opening on Oct. 22 at 840 Nautica Drive, Suite 115, at the North Jacsksonville regional shopping center.
The diner is known for its large breakfast menu of freshly made waffles, pancakes, French toasts and more as well as a lunch menu of paninis, sandwiches, burgers, wraps and salads.
The River City Marketplace location is the Orlando-based restaurant chain's fifth Jacksonville restaurant. It joins other Keke's locations at 4906 Town Center Parkway, No. 104, at The Strand at Town Center, 9570 Crosshill Blvd. in Oakleaf Town Center, 12959 Atlantic Blvd. in Arlington, 11112 San Jose Blvd. Suite
2 in Mandarin.
In addition, Keke's has area restaurants at 450 Durbin Pavilion Drive, Suite E106 at The Pavilion at Durbin Park in Saint Johns, and at 135 Jenkins St. No. 106 at Cobblestone Village Shopping Center in St. Augustine.
The River City Marketplace cafe is owned and operated by franchisees Vic Cuda and John Metz, longtime business partners who have worked together since 2002, according to a news release announcing the opening.
Cuda and Metz have a combined portfolio that includes 63 Denny’s restaurants and five Keke’s Breakfast Cafe locations, bringing decades of restaurant industry experience to the new location.
“The River City Marketplace is a great fit for Keke’s, bringing together shopping, dining and opportunities for the community to gather around the breakfast table,” Cuda said in the news release.
Cuda said they "look forward to welcoming guests to the new location and giving Jacksonville diners another place to enjoy the freshly made breakfast and brunch favorites they crave.”
Keke’s entered the Jacksonville market in 2019 with its restaurant at The Strand at Town Center.
At River City Marketplace, Keke's spans 3,500 square feet. It took over, joined and renovated two adjacent spaces. Those storefronts had been vacated by Mr. Potato Spread, which closed in October 2024 after 1 1/2-years; and Mattress One, which shut its doors in late 2019.
Keke's, licensed for up to 149 seats, will be open from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.
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: Keke's Breakfast Cafe sets opening for latest Jacksonville location
