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.
More restaurant openings, closings: Sign up for Dining Notes, our free weekly newsletter for the latest restaurant news in Jacksonville
What’s to eat: 5 Jacksonville-area restaurants open, 6 permanently close in September
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.”
The Florida pancakes at Keke’s with fresh strawberries, banana, blueberries and powdered sugar Tuesday, February 27, 2024. Keke’s Breakfast Cafe at 12959 Atlantic Blvd. offers breakfasts, sandwiches, burgers, and salads all day in the Orlando-based restaurant chain.
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.
26 restaurants are in the works in Jacksonville in 2026. See the list
1 of 26
Asado Life
Jacksonville Shipyards, downtown Jacksonville waterfront, asadolife.com
Asado Life, a popular live-fire grilling restaurant established in St. Augustine three years ago, is coming to downtown Jacksonville. The concept from Nick Carrera is slated to join the Shipyards project under construction across from EverBank Stadium, Jaguars team owner Shad Khan’s Iguana Investments announced in September. The 140-seat, full-service restaurant with indoor and patio dining will be part of the development’s marina support building located on the Northbank Riverwalk just west of the Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences Jacksonville and south of a nearby office building, both taking shape at the site. Diners can expect chef-cut steaks ranging from an 8-ounce Hanger to a 36-ounce Porterhouse; fresh catch seafood; grilled vegetables and more, all prepared on a parilla, a traditional Argentinian barbecue grill. | Read more
(Provided by Iguana Investments)
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.
If you’re a subscriber, thank you. If not, become a subscriber to get the latest dining coverage.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Keke’s Breakfast Cafe sets opening for latest Jacksonville location
