JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Mark your calendars for the reopening of a historic restaurant in Riverside's Five Points district.
After a slight delay, Derby House Diner is set to officially open on Monday, June 17. For the last 60 years, the restaurant formerly named Derby on Park has been known as the diner at the corner of Park and Margaret streets. So when it closed its doors and was bought out in January, the new owners knew they had to return to its roots and keep the diner-esque vibe, but now, it comes with a twist.
Derby House owners Chad Munsey and Michael Schmidt took News4Jax inside to get a closer look at the fresh new space. They call the concept coming to Five Points a "modern American diner." The menu will have classics such as burgers and patty melts.
"But with our 'modern America,' we elevate that quality a little bit," Munsey said. "We also add in vegetarian and vegan options to keep up with the times."
As a local who grew up in Jacksonville, Munsey knows the importance of the landmark.
We will officially be open for dinner this Monday, June 17th at 5pm! We can’t wait to serve you! . . . . . . . #dhdjax...
Posted by Derby House Diner on Saturday, June 15, 2019
"You don't have many of these cool buildings left," he said. "This building is iconic. It's been here 60 years as a diner/restaurant of some sort."
The layout of the restaurant is basically the same, but customers will notice some upgrades.
"We've painted everything from top to bottom," Munsey said. "(Added) all new furniture to give it that diner-esque feel."
The gluten-free menu will be created by Dustin Wigglesworth, the former chef of the Candy Apple Cafe. The restaurant is currently designing the layout of the menu and tweaking a few items, but it's set to open in mid-June.
Lunch and dinner will be served Monday through Friday, and brunch will be offered on weekends.