European Street Cafe traces its Jacksonville roots to 1980, when the Zarka family took over Mr. Dunderbak’s at Regency Square Mall. The business became European Street Cafe in 1990 and has grown into a recognizable locally founded, family-owned and family-run restaurant brand. Known for its signature overstuffed sandwiches, fresh soups and salads, decadent desserts, imported specialties, extensive beer selection and welcoming hospitality, European Street Cafe has served Jacksonville families, friends and coworkers for decades. The San Marco location opened in 1996 and celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2026.

The city of Jacksonville has chosen European Street Cafe to run a café at the new Riverfront Plaza, introducing one of the area’s most well-known local restaurant brands to the center of Downtown’s revitalized riverfront.

Beloved local eatery European Street Cafe came out on top in not one but two categories in our JAXBest 2025 voting: best lunch & best vegan/vegetarian.

European Street Cafe in Riverside, Jacksonville, has been a community staple for 33 years, operating in a historic art deco building originally constructed in 1941. Owned by Andy Zarka, whose family transformed the former service station into a cafe in 1992, the venue honors its architectural heritage while serving as a cherished local gathering spot.

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European Street Cafe, a local restaurant filled with history, is the first multi-location restaurant to partner with Blue Zones.