Jacksonville will have a new cuisine served in Downtown come late 2024 or early 2025.
Dorothy’s Downtown will serve an upscale Southern and Creole-themed menu along with other offerings.
It will be at 21 E. Adams St. in the former Burrito Gallery space.
Downtown investor Elias Hionides bought the 114-year-old building Aug. 2 for $1.6 million.
Indochine, a Thai restaurant, is the building’s second-floor tenant. Hionides said there are no plans to change the Indochine operation.
The owners of Dorothy’s Downtown are Felicia Luke, Jorge Gonzales, Ashley McCaskey and Jim Broy. The restaurant group bought the Walnut Inn at 2026 Walnut St. in Springfield in 2019 and opened The District SPR in 2020.
Speaking for the group, Luke said opening a second restaurant has been on the table for a while. When the Burrito Gallery space became available, they decided the time was right.
“It was really something we’ve been thinking about for probably the last year, and that space seemed to be kind of ideal with what we were looking for in regards to location and having the patio,” Luke said.
The back patio was a key in the group wanting to open there. The District also has a patio area.
“People enjoy sitting outside. Personally, I do. I know sometimes it’s really hot here in Florida, and obviously we get our fair share of rain, but we’re going to plan on doing a retractable awning that would allow people to still sit outside if it was hot or raining,” Luke said.
“And I think with COVID, people just kind of like having that open air (option).”
Marvin Barnes, chef at The District, also will be the chef at Dorothy’s Downtown. Barnes is from New Orleans and his grandmother’s name was Dorothy.
“Dorothy is kind of everybody and nobody. Honestly, we like vintage old names like Dorothy and Walter and Henry,” Luke said.
“Because we’re doing something with the New Orleans style, it just kind of felt like it had that old connotation to it.”
The restaurant will serve lunch, brunch and dinner, Luke said. It will feature New Orleans favorites like étouffée, gumbo and beignets, as well as a selection of steaks and rack of elk.
The owners expect to hire 32-35 employees.
It will have full bar service.
Dinner prices will be about $50-$75 per person, Luke said. The restaurant will be upscale but not fine dining. Jackets and ties will not be required.
The restaurant will undergo about $300,000 of interior renovations. Glory Homes of Jacksonville is the contractor. It also is designing the remodel.
Luke said the total investment will likely be higher.
Shari Graham of G&H Reclaims of Callahan is handling the inside decorations and furnishing. Don’t expect a garish Mardi Gras theme for the interior. It will feature reclaimed wood.
Burrito Gallery had two dining areas. Luke expects to take down the dividing wall and make one dining area. The bar is in a separate side room and will remain because it shares a wall with the kitchen.
A small nook in the front of the restaurant and the sidewalk will be used for outdoor dining.