A Savannah-based beach-themed restaurant with a rooftop bar is preparing to open its first Northeast Florida location in Jacksonville.
Zunzibar, highlighting "coastal cuisine and curated cocktails," will is targeting a mid-November opening at 90 Riverside Ave., Suite 601, at Brooklyn Station, a representative told the Times-Union.
Spanning about 6,025 square feet across two levels, the new restaurant will feature indoor and outdoor dining, an integrated indoor-outdoor bar, and lounge-style gathering spaces.
The Jacksonville restaurant will be Zunzibar's fifth, joining locations in Savannah and Tybee Island, Georgia, as well as Jupiter and Middleton in Florida.
Zunzibar took over and is renovating the space vacated by the last remaining Burrito Gallery
in Jacksonville, which closed in June 2025 after nearly a decade.
“Jacksonville has been on our radar for a long time, and Brooklyn Station gives us the kind of setting we were looking for,” Loren Bontrager, CEO of Zunzibar. said in a news release announcing the restaurant.
Zunzibar not only will fit in the neighborhood, but also complement the community.
"There is already so much happening in this part of the city, but it still feels like a neighborhood. We want Zunzibar to become a place people work into their routine, whether that means meeting friends for drinks on the rooftop, sharing dinner or stopping in because they already know what they want before they sit down,” Bontrager said.
The estimated renovation and improvements to accommodate Zunzibar were estimated at $371,114, a June 16 city building permit shows.
On the menu at Zunzibar
The menu will reflect "Zunzibar's coastal, shareable approach with fresh seafood, raw bar selections, small plates, salads, handhelds, and chef plates."
It will feature dishes such as East Coast oysters, chilled peel-and-eat shrimp, and ceviche. Other offerings will include wings, "seafood-forward dishes," burgers, wraps, a steak sandwich and other handhelds, as well as salads and desserts.
Zunzibar are showcases curated cocktails. The bar program "centers on fresh ingredients, consistency, and a rotating selection of cocktails, wine, and beer."
Another highlight will be the scenic view of St. Johns River and downtown from the rooftop bar.
'Relaxed, polished design'
Zunzibar opened its original Savannah restaurant in 2021.
The Brooklyn Station restaurant will also mirror Zunzibar's "relaxed, polished design approach across two distinct levels."
The first floor "will feature an integrated indoor-outdoor bar connecting the dining room to the patio, plus a fire pit surrounded by Adirondack chairs."
The second floor space will be more like a lounge "with living room-style seating for comfort and an industrial Edison-light wall adding a distinctive visual element."
The spaces "are intended to feel layered and collected rather than overly themed. The idea is to give Jacksonville its own expression of Zanzibar while staying true to the brand’s relaxed, intentional aesthetic," according to the news release.
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: Beach-themed restaurant, rooftop bar prepping to open in Jacksonville
