Iconic Beach Bowl reopens, Hooters closes

June saw the restoration, renovation and reopening of an iconic Jacksonville Beach bowling center, expanding to accommodate a new two-story restaurant that served as an entertainment destination in Northeast Florida for approximately six decades.

A third of the Jacksonville-area locations of a national restaurant chain best known for its “world famous chicken wings” and wait staff dressed in orange shorts and white tank tops have abruptly closed after 24 years.

A highly anticipated national retro-themed restaurant known for its smash burgers, shakes and hand-crafted fries made its Jacksonville debut to standing-room crowds in its dining room and in cars lined up around the restaurant to head to the drive-through.

June also saw the opening of two Mexican restaurants: one at Mandarin and the other in Jacksonville Beach.

Here's a roundup of notable Jacksonville-area restaurant news in June.

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY daily crossword puzzle.

Beach bowl

With a new two-story rooftop restaurant featuring a menu of freshly prepared, made-from-scratch dishes, and 24 state-of-the-art bowling lanes, the historic Beach Bowl has reopened at 818 Beach Blvd in Jacksonville Beach after undergoing a multi-million dollar restoration, repair and renovation project. Beach Bowl also features a renovated arcade and space for live music, conferences, private parties and other special events. The resurrection of the iconic bowling and arcade venue caught fire years after its abrupt closure. | Read More

Boos

After 24 years, Hooters has abruptly closed its Orange Park restaurant at 1740 Wells Road, one of its three locations in the Jacksonville area. The closure is one of dozens of Hooters locations to close nationwide. In a statement to News from the country's restaurants, The Florida-based chain said that like many restaurants under pressure due to current market conditions, Hooters has made the difficult decision to close a number of underperforming stores. The Hooters locations that remain open in Jacksonville are the restaurants at 4521 Southside Blvd. and 8938 San Jose Blvd. | Read more

Burgers, milkshakes and fries Hwy55

The highly anticipated Hwy55 Burgers, Shakes & Fries has opened at 1027 Danmac Lane off Commonwealth Avenue on the Westside. The retro-themed North Carolina restaurant is known for its fresh, never-frozen, hand-tossed burgers, as well as premium cheesesteaks, frozen custard and fries. Specialties include the Americana Burger, Moose Chicken Cheesesteak, Shrimp Po'Boy or the Carolina Classic Cheeseburger. | Read More

Dirty dough

Known for its fresh-baked, multi-layered cookies, Dirty Dough is the latest addition to the Durbin Park Pavilion in St. Johns. Located at 90 Durbin Pavilion Drive, Suite C-103, the gourmet “grab and go” dessert shop is the first in Northeast Florida from Dirty Dough, which was founded in 2018 in Tempe, Arizona. Dirty Dough also offers custom specialty sodas, ice cream and, eventually, edible cookie dough. Additional stores in the state are planned for Orlando, Pensacola and Sarasota, according to the company’s website. | Read more

Tony's Cantina Mexican Grill

Tony's Cantina Mexican Grill, a South Carolina-based Mexican restaurant chain known for its made-to-order tacos, fajitas, burritos and chilaquiles as well as fusion sushi and handcrafted margaritas served amid colorful Day of the Dead-themed murals, has opened its first location in Jacksonville. Located at 10131 San Jose Blvd., No. 12, in the Crown Point Plaza shopping center, the restaurant offers a full menu of Mexican cuisine, pastas, salads and bowls, and handcrafted margaritas. | Read more

I can do it

A one-of-a-kind Japanese gastropub featuring freshly hand-made yakitori, sushi and other Asian small plates has debuted in Jacksonville Beach. Izakaya Ko, at 1198 Beach Blvd., Unit 9, offers hot and cold small plates, yakitori and kushiyaki as well as sushi and sashimi and nigiri, beer and sake. It’s the new concept from restaurateur brothers Jimmy and Johnny Tung, who founded the Florida-based Pan-Asian restaurant chainBento Asian Cuisine + Sushiin Gainesville during the summer of 2002. | Read more

1810 Tacos and Tequila

Birria tacos and burritos, fajitas, enchiladas, quesadillas and other freshly prepared dishes, including homemade salsa, are on the menu at 1810 Tacos Y Tequila, 950 Marsh Landing Parkway, Suite 370, in Jacksonville Beach. The 6,000-square-foot restaurant with outdoor patio offers an extensive menu of Mexican street food, traditional dishes and specialty items. Tacos Y Tequila is located in the storefront of the Marsh Landing Plaza shopping center, formerly used by Whiskey Jax, which moved to Atlantic Beach and eventually closed. | Read more

Rita's Italian Gelato and Ice Cream

A Pennsylvania-based frozen dessert chain has opened its seventh gelato and ice cream shop in the Jacksonville area at 840 A1A N. in the corridors anchored by The Fresh Market at Ponte Vedra Shopping Center. Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard is known for its freshly made gelato, ice cream, gelati, blendini, concretes, milkshakes and more. Made with real fruit, Rita’s signature gelato is made fresh daily on-site and available in a rotating daily selection of more than 80 flavors. | Read More

Gary T. Mills of the Times-Union contributed to this report.