Downtown Jacksonville's Next Openings: European Street at Riverfront Plaza, PopUp Bagels and 5 More Shops Coming to The Vandeveer

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Downtown Jacksonville moved closer to several restaurant and retail openings last week after the city issued construction permits Oct. 30 for European Street Cafe at Riverfront Plaza and PopUp Bagels at The Vandeveer, according to the Jacksonville Daily Record. European Street received a permit listing $200,000 in construction work for its planned riverfront location, while PopUp Bagels received approval for a $450,000 project in the Pearl Street apartment development. The permits come as Gateway Jax prepares to introduce five additional businesses in and around The Vandeveer, including a Pilates studio, nail salon, coffee and wine business, yogurt shop and beer garden.

The two permits cover separate downtown projects with different development plans. European Street will operate in the pavilion building at Riverfront Plaza, while PopUp Bagels is planned for commercial space at The Vandeveer, a seven-story apartment building with 205 residential units. According to the Daily Record, the projects are part of ongoing efforts to establish new commercial operations at both locations.

European Street previously received approval for a $71,310 forgivable loan from the Downtown Investment Authority. The Vandeveer, meanwhile, is part of Gateway Jax's Pearl Square development district, which the Daily Record described as a project valued at more than $750 million. Opening schedules vary among the businesses, and the reported permits do not establish exact opening dates.

Two downtown construction permits issued Oct. 30

The city issued a construction permit for European Street Cafe at Riverfront Plaza on Oct. 30, according to the Jacksonville Daily Record. The permit identifies $200,000 in construction work at 2 Independent Drive W., Unit 1. The restaurant will occupy space in the park's pavilion building.

The permit came approximately six weeks after the Downtown Investment Authority approved financing for the restaurant project. The DIA voted Sept. 16 to provide financial assistance through its Core Retail Enhancement Program Grant, according to the Daily Record. The authority's action followed the city's July 6 announcement selecting European Street for the location through a competitive request for proposals.

Also on Oct. 30, Jacksonville issued a construction permit for PopUp Bagels at 515 N. Pearl St., according to the Daily Record. The permit identifies Unit 160 at The Vandeveer and lists JMC Commercial Contractors LLC of St. Petersburg as the contractor. The project covers 1,443 square feet and carries a listed construction cost of $450,000.

The permits represent separate construction authorizations. The Daily Record identified both as developments advancing planned commercial spaces in downtown Jacksonville. Neither report established a confirmed date when the newly permitted businesses would begin serving customers.

European Street Cafe plans riverfront location

European Street Cafe is preparing a restaurant at Riverfront Plaza that will adapt its existing concept to a downtown setting, according to the Daily Record. The planned operation is described as a more urban, grab-and-go format. Its menu concept includes breakfast, coffee drinks, Italian ice and other items.

The restaurant is planned to include indoor service and outdoor seating overlooking the park. According to the Daily Record, European Street has proposed operating hours of 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Weekend hours are planned for 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., with possible extended service during special events.

The Riverfront Plaza restaurant would become European Street's fourth location in Duval County. The Daily Record identified the company's other locations as Jacksonville Beach, Riverside and San Marco. The new restaurant would add a downtown location to that existing group.

The project has several named firms involved in its development. According to the Daily Record, Intracoastal Builders Corp. is the contractor, while Doherty Sommers Architects Engineers Inc. of Jacksonville Beach is the architect. NV5 Inc. is handling private plan review.

European Street is expected to open by late fall 2026, according to the Daily Record. The Oct. 30 construction permit establishes that the city authorized construction work at the location. It does not confirm that the restaurant has opened or provide a final opening date.

European Street receives $71,310 in downtown assistance

The Downtown Investment Authority approved a $71,310 forgivable loan for the European Street project Sept. 16, according to the Daily Record. The funding was approved under Resolution 2026-09-03 through the Core Retail Enhancement Program Grant. The recipient is E Street Riverfront Inc., whose president is Andrew "Andy" Zarka.

The Daily Record reported that the restaurant's total build-out cost is $412,058. The $71,310 incentive represents approximately 17.3% of that amount. The separate construction permit issued Oct. 30 lists a project cost of $200,000.

According to the Daily Record, the financial agreement establishes a loan that carries no interest and is forgiven over three years. The agreement provides for annual amortization at 33%, subject to default provisions. Those terms distinguish the incentive from the larger amount identified as the restaurant's total build-out cost.

The agreement also contains construction and operating deadlines. The Daily Record reported that the build-out must begin within three months of the agreement's effective date and be substantially completed within nine months after that. Business operations must begin within one year of the effective date.

The DIA's Sept. 16 vote was the final approval action for the incentive, according to the Daily Record. The project therefore did not require additional consideration by Jacksonville City Council for that financing decision. The subsequent construction permit was issued Oct. 30.

PopUp Bagels receives $450,000 construction permit

PopUp Bagels is planning a location at The Vandeveer, 515 N. Pearl St., according to the Jacksonville Daily Record. The city issued its construction permit Oct. 30 for Unit 160, a 1,443-square-foot space. The permit lists a construction cost of $450,000 and names JMC Commercial Contractors LLC of St. Petersburg.

The company is based in Westport, Connecticut, according to the Daily Record. Its first location in the Jacksonville area opened in the Town Center area in late 2025. The planned Vandeveer location would bring the brand to downtown Jacksonville.

The Oct. 30 permit establishes authorization for construction at the Pearl Street location. The Daily Record did not identify a confirmed opening date for PopUp Bagels in its report. Gateway Jax has separately published a general opening timetable for businesses planned at The Vandeveer.

PopUp Bagels is one of six named commercial tenants associated with The Vandeveer development and its surrounding area. The other five are JetSet Modern Pilates, Pearl Street Nails, Bar Citra, Go Greek Yogurt and Buchner's Biergarten. The Daily Record identified those businesses as part of Gateway Jax's plans for the property.

Five more businesses planned at The Vandeveer

Gateway Jax's plans include a combination of fitness, personal services, food and beverage businesses, according to the Daily Record. The projects occupy different spaces within the apartment development or nearby property associated with it. Some have received construction permits, while others remain at different stages of the approval process.

Source: Jacksonville Daily Record, Oct. 30, 2026.

JetSet Modern Pilates received a permit June 26 for its planned space at The Vandeveer, according to the Daily Record. The project covers 2,342 square feet and carries a permitted cost of $275,000. Gateway Jax identified JetSet among the businesses expected to begin operating during fall 2026.

Pearl Street Nails is planned for Unit 110, with approximately 2,030 square feet of commercial space. The Daily Record reported an estimated project cost of $200,000. Its permit was under review as of the newspaper's Oct. 30 report.

Bar Citra is identified as a St. Augustine business planning approximately 2,000 square feet at the development. The reported concept includes coffee, pastries, seasonal plates and wine. Go Greek Yogurt is also planned for The Vandeveer and would establish its first Northeast Florida location in a 1,141-square-foot space.

Buchner's Biergarten is planned for the Porter House lawn east of The Vandeveer. According to the Daily Record, the project comes from Buchner's Bierhalle of Murray Hill. The beer garden is among the businesses Gateway Jax has identified for the development area.

Gateway Jax announced Sept. 18 that JetSet Modern Pilates and Buchner's Biergarten were expected to open in fall 2026, according to the Daily Record. The developer identified PopUp Bagels, Pearl Street Nails, Bar Citra and Go Greek Yogurt for 2027 openings. Those schedules were announced plans rather than confirmed opening dates.

The Vandeveer is part of a $750 million-plus district

The Vandeveer is a seven-story apartment building containing 205 residential units, according to the Jacksonville Daily Record. It is the first project in Gateway Jax's Pearl Square development district. The newspaper reported that the broader district is valued at more than $750 million.

The development has also received previously approved city incentives. According to the Daily Record, Jacksonville City Council approved a $9.06 million REV grant in 2024. The council also approved a $4.63 million completion grant for the project.

Those incentives are separate from the Downtown Investment Authority assistance approved for European Street Cafe at Riverfront Plaza. The Vandeveer incentives were approved in 2024, while European Street's $71,310 forgivable loan received DIA approval in September 2026. The Daily Record reported both projects as part of downtown Jacksonville's commercial development activity.

The two Oct. 30 construction permits provide specific project costs for European Street and PopUp Bagels, but the reported amounts do not represent the full cost of downtown development at either location. European Street's overall build-out is listed at $412,058, while PopUp Bagels has a $450,000 construction permit. The Vandeveer's previously approved incentives and broader Pearl Square development valuation refer to different financial measures.

Opening dates remain subject to project schedules

The Daily Record's Oct. 30 reports establish that Jacksonville issued construction permits for European Street Cafe and PopUp Bagels. European Street is expected to open by late fall 2026, while Gateway Jax identified PopUp Bagels among tenants planned for 2027. Neither permit establishes that either business has opened.

The timetable for the other Vandeveer businesses also varies. Gateway Jax identified JetSet Modern Pilates and Buchner's Biergarten for fall 2026 openings, with Pearl Street Nails, Bar Citra and Go Greek Yogurt among the businesses expected in 2027. Those dates reflect the developer's previously announced schedule.

The Oct. 30 permit activity adds to the documented progress of both downtown commercial projects. European Street is preparing a restaurant at Riverfront Plaza with financial assistance approved by the Downtown Investment Authority, while PopUp Bagels and five other businesses are associated with Gateway Jax's Vandeveer development. The reported construction approvals, incentives and announced tenant plans establish the current status of those projects without confirming final opening dates.