Aloha Waffle Bar debuts bubble waffle concept in North Jacksonville

Gary T. Mills, Florida Times-Union
·3 min read
Co-owner Melissa Endrina makes a bubble waffle at Aloha Waffle Bar Monday, April 25, 2022 in Jacksonville. Aloha Waffle Bar is a new cafe at River City Marketplace. It specializes in from-scratch bubble waffles — either in cones, bowls or as sandwiches — with a variety of sweet or savory fillings and customized with a variety of toppings.
Co-owner Melissa Endrina makes a bubble waffle at Aloha Waffle Bar Monday, April 25, 2022 in Jacksonville. Aloha Waffle Bar is a new cafe at River City Marketplace. It specializes in from-scratch bubble waffles — either in cones, bowls or as sandwiches — with a variety of sweet or savory fillings and customized with a variety of toppings.

Earlier this year, we told you about a number of new restaurants coming to River City Marketplace, the North Jacksonville outdoor shopping mall that opened in 2006.

Those included the area's first P.F. Chang's To Go, which opened in March, as well as the forthcoming Texas Roadhouse, the third in the Jacksonville area.

The list also includes the area's first-of- its-kind local bubble waffle bar, the recently opened Aloha Waffle Bar, located in the northern end of the retail center, by McDonald's and Pollo Tropical.

The locally-owned restaurant comes from retired U.S. Navy veterans Melissa and Anthony Endrina, who wanted to bring a taste of the popular street food and snacks they enjoyed when stationed in Hawaii for 15 years to Jacksonville.

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So what's a bubble waffle? It's a waffle made in a special pan with divots resembling an egg carton that produces the bubbles in the batter that forms the unique-shaped waffle that's then filled with fruit and whipped cream or ice cream and other toppings.

But there's also the Breakfast Waffle, with melted Havarti, a freshly-cooked egg and ham or bacon; and Avocado Toast Waffle, a bacon-infused waffle with fresh avocado slices; the Turkey Bacon Ranch Melt Waffle, a bacon-infused waffle with turkey, bacon, lettuce and tomato; and more. Read more from Teresa Stepzinski.

Also coming to River City is Mr. Potato Spread, the popular gourmet baked potato concept which started as a food truck.

Chef Jojo Hernandez and his wife, Desiree, plan to open Abstrakt Filipino Essence this summer.
Chef Jojo Hernandez and his wife, Desiree, plan to open Abstrakt Filipino Essence this summer.

Abstrakt: From food truck to restaurant

After our story on former food trucks that have made the leap to brick-and-mortar restaurants, we learned of another food truck set to do the same: Abstrakt Filipino Essence.

The food truck launched by Chef JoJo Hernadez just two years ago is planning to open a 1,600-square-foot restaurant at 1500 Beach Blvd. next to Engine 15 Brewery in Jacksonville Beach.

A native of the Phillipines, Hernandez moved to the U.S. in 1995, getting his start as a cook at the Ponte Vedra Inn and Club and then moving on for a long stint at the Florida Yacht Club in Ortega before going out on his own with his food truck concept. Reviewer Caron Streibich has more on Hernandez and his new restaurant.

And in case you missed it, here's our list of other food trucks that have opened restaurants.

Crumbl Cookies, known for its gourmet milk chocolate chip and other signature flavors is expanding its footprint to five bakery shops in the Jacksonville area.
Crumbl Cookies, known for its gourmet milk chocolate chip and other signature flavors is expanding its footprint to five bakery shops in the Jacksonville area.

More gourmet cookie shops on the way

Last week we mentioned that gourmet cookie shop Crumbl Cookies was planning a location at East San Marco, the Publix-anchored San Marco project more than 15 years in the making.

Crumble will join Gemma Fish + Oyster, the new concept from Ember & Iron Chef Mike Cooney and his wife, Brittany; and Foxtail Coffee Co., from franchise co-owners Ty Claggett and Doug Tutwiler.

But Crumbl, which opened its first two Northeast Florida stores in Beach Haven and Mandarin last year, has at least two other area stores in the works for 2022: Oak Leaf and Jacksonville Beach.

More restaurant news below.

Have a question about a restaurant opening or closing in your neighborhood? Let me know.

Cheers!

Gary Mills

Deputy Managing Editor

The Florida Times-Union

Email: gmills@jacksonville.com

Twitter: @garytmills

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville restaurants: Aloha Waffle Bar makes debut