For more than four decades, the busiest table at The Corner was at 299 Atlantic Blvd. Through this winter, nobody will be serving dinner there.
AB Kitchen closes on Nov. 16, when its lease at that address runs out. The Florida Times-Union calls the spot "a historic corner at Beaches Town Center in the heart of the oceanfront restaurant and retail district." Next door, the former Ragtime Tavern property is under construction, and its new steakhouse is scheduled for 2027. Across Ocean Boulevard, the oceanfront hotel at 1 Ocean Blvd. has opened four food and drink concepts since summer. Until the new steakhouse opens, the newest places to eat and drink at the Atlantic Beach end of Town Center are inside Dune House Hotel & Spa.
How One Address Got Here
Ragtime Tavern was the anchor of 299 Atlantic Blvd. for 42 years. It closed abruptly in January 2025. The Jacksonville Daily Record reported that the closure came one month after SPB Hospitality sold the restaurant to Kelly Cos. of Southern California. The same article says the Duval County Property Appraiser dates the building to 1927, and that the taproom and brewery were added in the 1980s and 1990s.
AB Kitchen is also reported at 299 Atlantic Blvd. When the Times-Union covered its opening in January 2023, the bistro had moved into the space where the original MShack used to be. Its two neighbors went in opposite directions, and now both sides of the address are between tenants at once.
Here is how the stretch has played out, in order:
- January 2025: Ragtime Tavern closes after 42 years.
- July 3, 2026: Coastal Farmer opens inside Dune House, taking the place of the hotel's former restaurant, Azurea.
- Sept. 30, 2026: River Restaurant Group breaks ground on Grafton & Fleck's at the Ragtime site.
- Sept. 30, 2026: On the same day, Dune House announces that its renovation is complete and all four food and drink concepts are part of it.
- Nov. 16, 2026: AB Kitchen's last day of service.
- 2027: Grafton & Fleck's is expected to open.
That's a gap of several months at the address, and the corner's dining has shifted to the hotel across the street.
What's Going Up on the Ragtime Site
Grafton & Fleck's comes from River Restaurant Group. The group runs River & Post in Jacksonville, River & Fort in St. Augustine and SAINT, an Italian restaurant in downtown St. Augustine. The name comes from the group's founders, Jeffrey Grafton McCusker and Robert Fleckenstein. A media invitation quoted by the Daily Record describes the project as "an upscale steakhouse and rooftop lounge." Plans the Daily Record reported in March call for a first-floor dining room plus a new second-story rooftop dining area.
The opening date depends on which outlet you read. The Daily Record's Sept. 29 story said early 2027. Three days later, the Times-Union said the target was summer 2027. Either way, the site will likely still be under construction through the holidays and into next year.
A rooftop changes how a site sits on its corner. At First Street and Ocean Boulevard, a second-story dining room puts guests above street level at a spot that has always been enjoyed from the sidewalk. That will be the detail to watch as the building goes up.
The Hotel Across Ocean Boulevard Has Become the Corner's Dining Room
The building at 1 Ocean Blvd. opened in 1973 as the Sea Turtle Inn and later became One Ocean Resort & Spa. The completion announcement on Business Wire describes it as an independent, 193-room hotel run by Sage Hospitality Group. General manager Erik Kreft says in the release that the team is "incredibly proud to have local ownership that understands the significance of this property."
The name has a design story. It refers to the dunes, and also to late Jacksonville architect William Morgan's Dune House, a 1975 home built into the dunes less than a mile from the hotel. Sage Studio and New York-based Islyn Studio based the interiors on Atlantic Beach's midcentury architecture and surf culture. They used wood, stone, woven textiles, handcrafted ceramics and local artwork, in colors taken from sand, sea and vintage surfboards.
All four concepts are open to anyone walking over from Town Center:
- Coastal Farmer is the main restaurant. It's a coastal version of Sage's Urban Farmer brand, led by Executive Chef Daniel Tederous. It buys from regional suppliers including Mayport Fishery, Georgia's Chatel Farms and Claxton Poultry Farms. The menu includes East Coast oysters, a 16-ounce dry-aged New York strip from Chatel Farms and Chef de Cuisine Nicolos Kes' flounder with haricots verts and caper brown butter. There's a 54-seat bar lounge with 10 seats at the bar, two private dining rooms and an oceanfront patio that seats 48.
- Cafe Dune serves coffee, pastries and light fare.
- Sea Turtle Scoops serves Mayday Ice Cream along the path to the beach. The name is a nod to the old Sea Turtle Inn.
- Soothsayer is the poolside spot, a tiki-style bar serving craft cocktails and small bites from day into night.
The Daily Record first described Coastal Farmer as a modern steakhouse open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Published hours have varied from one source to the next, so check the restaurant's page on the Dune House site before booking a late lunch or happy hour.
The hotel is also trying to connect with the shops around it. The release mentions perks for guests at participating Beaches Town Center merchants. It also lists surf and paddleboard rentals, lessons and yoga on site through JAX Surf & Paddle.
The Next Two and a Half Weeks at AB Kitchen
The owners have a clear message for the time that's left. News4JAX reported that owners Ben and Liza Groshell chose not to renew the lease because Southern Table Hospitality is moving on to new projects. AB Kitchen will serve its regular menu through Nov. 16, and the staff will keep working at the company's other restaurants. "We hope you'll join us for another meal before we close our doors," the owners wrote.
After that, the same group's other restaurants are nearby. According to News4JAX, they include North Beach Fish Camp, Palm Valley Fish Camp, Julington Creek Fish Camp, St. Augustine Fish Camp, Dockside Seafood Restaurant, Marker 32, Valley Smoke and Billy Jacks.
AB Kitchen isn't the only change on Atlantic Boulevard this fall. Farther west, at 1021 Atlantic Blvd., Sierra Grille served its last day on Sept. 13 after four years.
Holiday Dates at The Corner
Town Center's holiday calendar takes place right next to the construction site. The Beaches Town Center Agency holds its free Holiday Celebration and Christmas tree lighting on Dec. 5 where Atlantic Beach and Neptune Beach meet. Activities start at 3 p.m., with crafts, performers, the tree lighting and Santa.
The North Beaches Art Walk takes place on the third Thursday of each month. That puts it on Nov. 19, from 5 to 9 p.m., and again on Dec. 17. On Nov. 19, AB Kitchen will have been closed for three days. That makes it the first Art Walk with both sides of 299 Atlantic Blvd. dark, while Coastal Farmer's oceanfront patio stays open across the street.
I'm watching closely as a 1927 building gets a rooftop and a 1973 hotel takes on a midcentury design story. If you'd like to talk about what the Grafton & Fleck's project means for your own home near Town Center, Lesia May would love to hear from you. Let's Connect.
