Estrella Cocina, a new specialty restaurant, bar and lounge space, is set to open this spring on the seventh-floor rooftop of the VyStar Credit Union campus downtown at 100 W. Bay Street. The restaurant is situated in 3,500 square feet of indoor rooftop space with an additional 4,500 square feet of outdoor seating and rentable event space.

Owned and operated by local restaurateurs Jonathan Cobbs and Dwayne Beliakoff, founders of The Bread & Board, and partners, the new restaurant, bar and lounge is inspired by the pair’s passion for fresh, locally sourced food, and a combination of Beliakoff’s early roots in SoCal, many years exploring Mexican beach towns and love for seafood-focused coastal Mexican cuisine.

“Inspiration for Estrella Cocina really stems from my travels and the time I was able to spend in Baja California and a number of beautiful western Mexico coastal towns like Vallarta, Sayulita, Zihuatanejo and Escondido over the last two decades,” said Beliakoff. “My grandmother was Mexican and I was born and lived in southern California until my early teens so I’m very passionate about the area.”
The menu will feature tastes of Baja coastal Mexican, Baja Mediterranean and SoCal-Mexican cuisines.

“We love the synergy of what’s going on Downtown and are thrilled to be a part of the revitalization of the urban core,” said Cobbs. “This rooftop space will offer one-of-a-kind food and be a great hang out spot to grab a cocktail or even host an event with panoramic views of the river and cityscape.”
“We continue to focus on creating a best-in-class downtown campus that helps to create the type of Jacksonville that we all want to live, work and play in. By partnering with innovative restaurateurs like Dwayne and Jonathan, we are working hard to ensure that our employees have great food and amenities, we’re doing good for downtown and leading by example on what is possible in Jacksonville,” said Brian Wolfburg, President/CEO of VyStar Credit Union.

 
Dana B. Kenyon Company was the contractor for the space, RS&H, Inc. was architect on the project and interior design was by Micamy Design Studio and RS&H, Inc.
The 3,500-square-foot indoor space will seat up to 75 guests at regular capacity. Additional table and lounge seating on the rooftop patio will allow for an additional 150 diners, with more outdoor standing room available for up to 500 people for reception-style events. Large retractable windows along the perimeter of the indoor space open to the patio to allow for a connected, indoor/outdoor feel year-round. Other notable design elements of wood, rustic tile, greenery and vibrant accent colors are incorporated to bring a beachy, airy and modern Baja feel to the space. Five-feet tall specialty nighttime lighting displays further enhance the Baja vibe.

Estrella Cocina aims to open later this spring. Progress on the space as well as savory menu teasers will be shared on Instagram @estrellajax and Facebook @estrellajax