A new sushi-forward restaurant is taking shape in Avondale, with Boathouse Avondale preparing to take over a longtime restaurant space on St. Johns Avenue.
The restaurant is planned for 3951 St. Johns Avenue, the former home of Ale Pie House. Restaurateurs Nathan Stuart and Margo Klar are behind the new concept, which is expected to open around Thanksgiving 2026, according to the Jacksonville Daily Record.
The new restaurant will bring the Boathouse name to Avondale, adding another location to the group’s growing Northeast Florida portfolio. Stuart and Klar already operate Boathouse locations in St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra Beach and Julington Creek.
At the Avondale location, the focus will be firmly on sushi. While the Boathouse concept includes seafood and a raw bar, the new restaurant will take a more sushi-forward approach, with a limited selection of hot food rather than the fried-food-heavy options guests might find at other seafood restaurants.
That focus will carry through to the restaurant’s presentation as well, with sushi and fresh seafood expected to take center stage alongside cocktails and other drinks.
The new restaurant will occupy the building that previously housed Ale Pie House, a neighborhood pizzeria that operated at the address before moving its business to Orange Park.
For Stuart and Klar, the Avondale opening represents another addition to their growing presence in Northeast Florida. The pair already have Boathouse locations in St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra Beach and Julington Creek, with the new restaurant bringing the concept into another established Jacksonville neighborhood.
For now, Boathouse Avondale is targeting an opening around Thanksgiving 2026, although an exact opening date has not yet been announced.
