Fresh oysters are seeing a renaissance in the food world. And now, this sustainable and nutritious food will be featured as one of the main menu items at one of the most anticipated restaurants opening in Jacksonville.
The owners of the popular rustic American-fare restaurant, Ember & Iron, are introducing a new concept. And rather than “live-fire” cuisine, this seafood restaurant is focusing on fresh.
Gemma Fish + Oyster will be located at 2039 Hendricks Ave., No. 111 in San Marco and will feature a two-story building with rooftop seating, as well as outdoor street seating—fitting as many as 250 customers, according to the Jacksonville Daily Record.
Husband and wife team, Mike and Brittany Cooney, have collaborated to bring the new concept to life after seeing how many oysters would sell on a busy night at their restaurant. And that included a whopping “900 one night,” Brittany Cooney told the Record.
The new restaurant hopes to open in either February or March 2023 and will be located in the new Publix shopping center. It will be on the corner of Atlantic Blvd and Hendricks Ave.
Besides oysters, Gemma will feature tuna tartar, seafood towers, and other creatively inspired dishes.
Outside seafood, the restaurant will feature a full upstairs bar, as well as “a 6-foot hearth, so there will be meats, definitely the steaks and the pork chops, but we want to focus on using seafood with a different approach,” Brittney Cooney said.
Prior to Ember & Iron, Mike Cooney was the chef de cuisine at Restaurant Medure, a fine dining establishment owned by restaurateur Mathew Medure.
“Gemma” will be the name of the Cooney’s future daughter, whom they are planning for.
