<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2PQdxe_0eaF86cU00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2PQdxe_0eaF86cU00" width="1320" height="744" ></figure>With one restaurant under construction and expected to open this spring at Yulee’s Crossings at Wildlight, popular Northeast Florida chain Grumpy’s Restaurant is making plans to bring its breakfast, lunch and brunch diner concept to Neptune Beach. There, the restaurant – owned and operated by Clay County natives Michael and Tracy Yarbrough – will take over the spot recently vacated by Kamiya 86 at 200 3rd St., near Al’s Pizza. <nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate>The restaurant will be the fifth for Grumpy’s, which currently has three restaurants: the flagship diner at 834 Kingsley Ave. in Orange Park; 1805 Blanding Blvd. in Middleburg; and 155 Fountain Way in northern St. Johns County. Grumpy’s Middleburg restaurant is temporarily closed while work is underway to restore it following a devastating fire in January. Founded in 1999, Grumpy’s is known for its fresh, made-from-scratch breakfast and lunch fare, including biscuits and gravy, omelets, pancakes, waffles, shrimp and grits, burgers, sandwiches, meatloaf and more. The restaurant’s recent growth comes after <a href="https://www.jacksonville.com/story/entertainment/dining/2021/12/15/grumpys-restaurant-expanding-jacksonville-area-locations/8802250002/">Daniel and Morgan DeLeon bought and revived</a> the original Orange Park restaurant. MORE IN STORE FOR TOWN CENTER: In recent weeks, we’ve highlighted a couple of new restaurants planned for the St. Johns Town Center area: <a href="https://www.jacksonville.com/story/entertainment/dining/2021/11/18/sugar-factory-open-jacksonville-markets-town-center-spring-2022/6353059001/">Sugar Factory</a> and <a href="https://www.jacksonville.com/story/entertainment/dining/2022/02/18/yard-milkshake-bar-coming-jacksonvilles-st-johns-town-center-area/6830754001/">The Yard Milkshake Bar</a>. Now comes word that Central Florida-based Light on the Sugar Bakery &amp; Café is bringing its Asian take on French pastry to the Markets at Town Center, where it will bake up creampuffs, macarons, crepe rolls, tarts and more using flavors like Matcha, Ube, Taro and Black Sesame to name a few. Teresa Stepzinski <a href="https://www.jacksonville.com/story/entertainment/dining/2022/03/09/light-sugar-bakery-cafe-coming-jacksonvilles-town-center/9404658002/">has more on the restaurant’s concept</a>. <nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate>TAKING ROOT: Look for the grand opening of new Filipino restaurant <a href="https://www.purple-roots.com/">Purple Roots</a> later this month at Tinseltown Plaza on Jacksonville’s Southside. The restaurant, which is in the middle of a reservations-only soft opening for family and friends, takes over the former Kazu Sushi Burrito spot at 4549 Southside Blvd., Suite 202. There, it joins <a href="https://www.jacksonville.com/story/entertainment/dining/restaurant-reviews/2020/01/30/restaurant-review-souparsquos-enormous-broths-will-bowl-you-over/112221890/">Soupa Noodle Bar</a>, Senor Loco Tacos and <a href="https://www.jacksonville.com/story/entertainment/dining/2019/09/21/insomnia-cookies-delivers-late-night-sweet-treats-on-jacksonvilles-southside/2732343007/">Insomnia Cookies</a> in the three-year-old development near Cinemark Tinseltown. A peek at the menu shows Lumpia Sliders, Bao Chicken Adobo, Pork Simoai, Sisig Burrito, Pork Liempo, Fish Inihaw, Pancit, Oxtail Kare Kare, Chicken Arroz Caldo and more. BACK ON COURSE: On the same week one of golf’s biggest events returns to Northeast Florida, a restaurant bearing one of the sport’s biggest names has reopened at Jacksonville International Airport. <a href="https://www.jacksonville.com/story/entertainment/dining/2022/03/08/jacksonville-international-airport-sam-sneads-grill-tavern-reopens/9385765002/">Sam Snead’s Grill &amp; Tavern</a> is open once again after closing in April 2020 during the first weeks of COVID-19 pandemic in our area. Located outside of the airport's secure area, making it available to all travelers and visitors, the full-service restaurant is offering a limited menu until it returns to full staffing levels, officials say. <nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate>MORE CUSTARD? YES PLEASE: Culver’s this week <a href="https://www.jacksonville.com/story/entertainment/dining/2022/03/08/culvers-opens-fifth-jacksonville-area-restaurant-arlington/6951524001/">opened its fifth Northeast Florida restaurant</a>, this one at 101 Monument Road, across from Regency Square Mall on the site once occupied by Miami Subs Grill long, long ago. It’s a bright spot for an area that hasn’t seen a lot of new restaurants open there in recent years. Known for its signature ButterBurgers, cheese curds and fresh frozen custard, Culver’s has opened restaurants in <a href="https://www.jacksonville.com/story/business/2019/07/20/culvers-grand-opening-monday-of-first-northeast-florida-restaurant/4595882007/">Middleburg</a>, Saint Johns and Jacksonville’s <a href="https://www.jacksonville.com/story/entertainment/dining/2021/10/04/culvers-newest-jacksonville-area-restaurant-opens-near-ikea/5982682001/">Southside</a> and Westside since debuting in Northeast Florida less than three years ago. And in case you missed it, here’s a look at more than <a href="https://www.jacksonville.com/story/entertainment/dining/2022/02/23/jacksonville-restaurants-list-whats-coming-2022/6900089001/">25 restaurants coming to Jacksonville this year</a>. You’ll read more about these as openings near. More restaurant news below.Have a question about a restaurant opening or closing in your neighborhood? Let me know.<nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate>Cheers!Gary MillsThe Florida Times-Union Email: gmills@jacksonville.com Twitter: @garytmills </div></body>

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With one restaurant under construction and expected to open this spring at Yulee’s Crossings at Wildlight, popular Northeast Florida chain Grumpy’s Restaurant is making plans to bring its breakfast, lunch and brunch diner concept to Neptune Beach. There, the restaurant – owned and operated by Clay County natives...