Just Hatched: Spring 2018 Openings Around The State
Debuts to Peruse
NORTH
DEFINE BODY & MIND
Jacksonville Beach
Businesswomen and fitness enthusiasts Kelly Kuntz and Julianne Klempf have brought one of America’s most successful exercise studio concepts to the Sunshine State. Their enterprise is the new Define Body & Mind, whose Jacksonville Beach location is the 18th shop to open in the United States (there’s also one in Dubai). Members experience the brand’s holistic approach to physical and mental well-being. The studio focuses on five areas, with yoga, high-intensity cycling sessions, a meditative mind-hammock class (think: yoga using a fabric swing), a multidisciplinary body sculpting class and the cardio-boosting “bounce” regimen (aka trampolines). jacksonville.definebody.com
DOG ROSE BREWING CO.
Saint Augustine
Craft beer auteur Doug Murr has been a force in St. Augustine since 2001, when he started running the A1A Ale Works brewery. When the business phased out its brewing operation last year, Murr decided to launch his own brewery and bought all of his former employer’s equipment for the new enterprise. Dog Rose, an elegantly appointed 5,000-square-foot brewery and taproom that abuts St. Augustine’s historic downtown and the vibrant Lincolnville community, is a showcase for Murr’s signature beers. Murr’s got lots on tap for the adventurous—Stout de Mole, a beer made with poblano peppers and cocoa and a gin-inspired jenever lager—but likes to focus on classic styles. “Fun is fun,” he says, “but sometimes it’s nice to just get a beer.” facebook.com/Dog-Rose-Brewing-Co
THE HAWTHORN
Tallahassee
Many Tallahassee natives remember the old Jitney Jungle grocery store from the 1960s. The store’s site has enjoyed a 21st-century renaissance as a food-and-beverage hub, home to Fuma Cigar Social, Liberty Bar & Restaurant and local java franchise Lucky Goat Coffee. Seven Hills Hospitality Group, which owns the Liberty and nearby tacos-and-tequila restaurant El Cocinero, has added a new refined dining restaurant next door to its flagship pub. The Hawthorn offers a creative spin on Southern cuisine with a dedication to locally sourced produce and quality meats. Entrees include Gulf Coast grouper poached sous vide, while the array of small plates features a lamb crepe and butternut squash toast. hawthorntlh.com
RIVER & POST
Jacksonville
Sweeping rooftop vistas of downtown Jacksonville and the St. Johns River are only part of the appeal at restaurant and bar River & Post, which takes its name from its location at the corner of Riverside Avenue and Post Street. Nine floors up, a rooftop lounge offers patrons that captivating civic panorama. And the restaurant on the first floor backs up the scenery with a satisfying and traditional surf-and-turf menu, along with flavorful treats such as curried coconut conch chowder (say that three times real fast), cola-braised pork belly sliders and truffled steak tartare. riverandpostjax.com
CENTRAL
ZENO’S WORLD’S MOST FAMOUS TAFFY FACTORY
Daytona Beach
Purveyor of the iconic “World’s Most Famous Taffy,” Zeno’s was named in homage to owner Johnny Louize’s father, who ran a boardwalk gift shop under the same slogan. (It’s also the name of Louize’s son.) The family tradition, dating from 1948, shines in candy-colored confections of all kinds, from cashew brittle to the crunchy, melty caramel delight of sea foam made from an heirloom recipe. The celebrated taffy comes in what’s practically a crayon box of hues, a treat for the eyes as well as the sweet tooth. Zeno’s World’s Most Famous Taffy Factory was recently expanded to the sugary boardwalk empire, sharing the wonderment of candy making through tours, a retail store and even parties. worldsmostfamoustaffy.com
IMAGINE MUSEUM
St. Petersburg
The brainchild of Bay Area glass artist Trish Duggan, this 35,000-square-foot exhibition center, located on St. Petersburg’s Central Avenue, is a permanent showcase for 550 works of American studio glass. That collection, which dates back to the early 1960s and the pioneering efforts of artists like Dominick Labino and Harvey K. Littleton, will be joined by traveling exhibits of glass works from international artists. Duggan’s cohorts include the museum’s executive director Nate Jessup and senior consultant Joanna Sikes, a longtime associate of master glass sculptor Dale Chihuly—the signature focus of the Chihuly Collection at the nearby Morean Arts Center. imaginemuseum.com
CELINE
Orlando
On the scene since its big New Year’s Eve launch, Celine is the latest project from the Team Market Group, which has also brought Tier, Ono and Mathers Social Gathering to Orlando. The downtown nightspot flaunts four different spaces, each with its own vibe. The ballroom hosts an array of concerts by country, rock, EDM and hip-hop artists, which you can watch from the mezzanine’s private bar. A speakeasy lounge charms with Prohibition-era decor and themed cocktails. And a rooftop deck is designed to host private events as well as weekly parties. celineorlando.com
SOUTH
RH ROOFTOP RESTAURANT
West Palm Beach
All right, all right, all right. Cultural icon Matthew McConaughey was on site to celebrate the opening of RH West Palm, The Gallery at City Place—Restoration Hardware’s sprawling 80,000-square-foot luxury home furnishings gallery—when it launched late last year. High above its immersive retail showroom, the $26-million development is crowned by the rooftop restaurant, a leafy atrium decked out with olive trees, a courtyard fountain and bluestone herringbone floors. After perusing the glittering store, diners can kick back and nibble a selection of cheeses, dig into a lobster roll or just sip an RH Bellini. The elegance comes via RH Hospitality’s founding president Brendan Sodikoff, whose restaurants include Chicago’s Doughnut Vault and New York’s 4 Charles Prime Rib. Tell ’em Mac sent ya. rh.com
HUTCHINSON SHORES RESORT & SPA
Jensen Beach
Taking their cue from the ocean just outside their doors, the 178 guest rooms in this lavish getaway reflect aquatic nature’s own array of colors in shades of blue, green and pearl. The resort, occupying a sweet spot on Florida’s Treasure Coast, is the first of its kind to open in 20 years on Jensen Beach, an often overlooked oasis that has been acclaimed as one of the top spots for beach volleyball. It’s also famous by another name, “Sea Turtle Beach,” thanks to all the loggerheads that flock there to lay their eggs. If turtle-watching gets too slow, there’s plenty on tap at the resort, including endless beachside frolics, spa sessions, two pools, and the Drift Kitchen + Bar, an American bistro specializing in fresh seafood. hutchinsonshores.com
BRIGHTLINE
West Palm Beach to Ft. Lauderdale
Miami (Coming Soon)
The Brightline train service plans to simplify transit through South Florida. Each centrally located station in downtown West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami is built to service both commuters and day trippers. The service boasts 60-minute trips from West Palm Beach to downtown Miami and 30-minute trips between Fort Lauderdale and Miami. While the modern rail cars offer welcome respite from congested highways and nightmarish traffic jams, the Brightline stations also serve as fun gathering points for travelers. MiamiCentral, for example, will host a food hall with more than 20 vendors, including an 800 Degrees Pizzeria and Rosetta, an authentic Italian bakery. As befits its South Florida route, the Brightline trains aim to be as fashionable as they are functional. gobrightline.com
STUBBORN SEED
Miami Beach
Jeremy Ford, season 13 winner of Top Chef, applies his culinary celebrity and gustatory skills to his first signature kitchen, the latest foodie hot-spot to hit Washington Avenue, Miami Beach’s restaurant row. Stubborn Seed is the fruition of an 18-year love affair with cooking, which began when the Jacksonville native was only 14. The menu offers a chef’s tasting selection of eight courses or a la carte dining, with dishes that include Jojo tea–cured cobia (with sorrel, celery, clementine and hearts of palm) and, for dessert, corn pavlova (corn custard with white meringue). The cozy dining space seats 74 in a building designed in Miami’s art deco tradition. stubbornseed.com
