New brewpub hopes to cast spell of 'good food, good drinks and good vibes' in San Marco
A highly anticipated two-story gastropub offering at least 24 craft beers on tap plus elevated pub fare and craft cocktails plans to open this weekend in historic San Marco.
Voodoo Brewing Co. debuts Saturday at 1974 San Marco Blvd. in the 99-year-old San Marco Building owned by Sleiman Enterprises of Jacksonville that has been home to Café on the Square, Square One, Thai Bistro, Indochine and most recently, Bohemian Lounge.
The brewpub neighbors the original Taverna, the adjacent Taverna Oceana, and the historic San Marco Theatre, which is being repaired, renovated and revitalized to become Electric Dough Pizza Co.
Friends turned business partners and now, franchise co-owners, Chris Rudin and Ryan Locke of Ponte Vedra Beach brought the popular Pennsylvania-based craft brewer to Jacksonville, the first in Northeast Florida.
Voodoo Brewing is designed to be a go-to destination for families, couples having a date night, celebrations and a place to gather with friends and co-workers.
"Good food. Good Drinks. Good vibes. That's our thing," Rodin said of the brewpub.
Voodoo in casks, cans and on tap
Founded in 2005 in Meadville, Penn., Voodoo Brewing opened its first taproom in 2012. In addition to the San Marco location, two others — Fort Myers and St. Petersburg — are listed in Florida, according to the company's website and state records.
Voodoo brews its beer in Meadville and then distributes it nationwide.
"We'll have 24 beers on tap on the first floor and eight taps on the second floor. And 90% percent of the beers will be ours," Locke told the Times-Union.
He said the brewpub's signature beers are Good Vibes, a West Coast-style IPA; Lacto-Kooler, a Berliner weisse sour ale; Empty Calories, an American light lager; and Voodoo Love Child, a fruited Belgian tripel.
The craft brewer also is known for Oh Mama, a traditional golden American lager; and Where Our Secrets Go, an Imperial stout. In addition, its seasonal offerings such as Beach Gear, an American blonde ale; Key Lime Kolsch, a traditional Koln Kolsch; and Schnitzengiggle, a traditional Oktoberfest brew, according to its website.
Most of the beers on tap generally will cost about $7 each. Wine will be about $7 to $10 per glass and craft cocktails will start at $12, they said.
Elevated pub fare
"It's going to be elevated pub fare so it's not your normal bar food," Rudin told the Times-Union. "We're going to have our play and our twist on pizza, burgers, salads … noodle bowls, seafood and brisket. So, we're going to dabble in a bunch of different things."
He noted that only about 5% of their menu is frozen.
"We're not necessarily a scratch kitchen 100% but we're fresh made to order every day," Rudin said.
There also will be some regional twists to the San Marco menu, he and Locke said.
"One thing that we'll have here that others won't is fresh seafood. So we'll do a Mayport shrimp po'boy, which will be specific to here," Locke said.
"We've got a double smoker so we'll smoke brisket and do brisket tacos, brisket sliders, brisket grilled cheese and brisket dip. So we'll dabble in the brisket world," said Locke, noting they'll also offer peel-and-eat Mayport shrimp along with salmon bowls and Ahi tuna poke bowls.
Signature offerings previewed on the San Marco brewpub's social media pages include:
Bayou Po' Boy: Fried chicken, Mayport fried shrimp, charred tomato compote, field greens, Bang Bang drizzle, and Cajun spice on a golden-toasted hoagie roll
Caprese Pizza: Ripe tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, spring mix, balsamic vinaigrette and roasted garlic pesto
Foodoo Burger: Smash burger with cheddar cheese house-made Cajun ranch, lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickle. Served with Pub Chips
Spicy Salmon Quinoa Bowl: Spicy salmon with quinoa, shredded carrots, fresh cucumbers, fresh jalapeno, field greens, nori, avocado aioli and Bang Bang Drizzle
Black Pepper and Garlic Mussels: One pound of mussels sautéed in Voodoo's Oh Mama Golden American Lager then topped with citrus, black pepper, and garlic. Served with warm bread for dipping
Shaved Brussels Sprout Caesar Salad: Shave Brussels sprouts, bacon crumbles, housemade croutons, homemade Caesar dressing, parmesan cheese and garnished with Cajun spices
Chilled Pad Thai Noodle Bowl: A choice of chicken, shrimp or kimchi on Pad Thai noodles, pickled daikon, shredded carrots, fresh cucumber, fresh jalapeno, agave vinaigrette, basil and cilantro
Rudin said they also plan to add menu specials such as flounder tacos, sheephead or Mahi to have a focus on seafood specific to Northeast Florida.
They said prices are expected to range from $12 to $15 for entrees, $10 to $13 for burgers, and $9 to $11 for appetizers.
Friends and franchise co-owners
Rudin and Locke describe themselves as "yin and yang."
Locke is a Jacksonville native while Rudin has lived here 13 years. They're friends and neighbors, as well as business partners.
Rudin has been in the hospitality industry for almost 20 years ― working his way up mainly in the restaurant business. Locke has worked "through mergers and acquisitions in businesses of all sorts" but has always loved the hospitality industry.
"Chris is the restaurant guru and my background with building businesses, what he's bad at, I'm good at and vice versa," Locke said.
Challenging renovation
Rudin and Locke signed the lease in March 2023 for the 8,646-square-foot Mediterranean Revival-style landmark building that was designed by noted architects Marsh & Saxelbye and built in the mid-1920s.
Time had not been kind to the building, which was vacant for five years. The restaurateurs said they confronted some major construction challenges ― from floor to roof and everything in between ― which they detailed in video updates posted on the brewpub's Facebook page.
Among the challenges: tearing up and replacing the entire floor, and replacing the leaking roof, according to their May 11 video post. The building also needed new plumbing, electrical and air conditioning.
"It was to be expected going into a historic building that you run into bumps and hurdles along the way. But there is light at the end of the tunnel," said Locke, conceding it was frustrating that repairs and renovations moved slower than they had wanted.
The bottom line, it cost about $1 million, they said.
'Very hard decision': 'Very hard decision': Popular Murray Hill pub closes after 7 years
But it was essential, they said, that the brewpub respected and preserved the history of the building as well as San Marco.
They preserved the original brick in the walls which dates back to the 1920s, and historic photos of the community hang on the walls.
"San Marco has a great feel, a great vibe, right? We're all about community. We're all about the people, a family-friendly atmosphere. A community atmosphere where everybody feels welcome," Rodin said in a May 8 video.
Gary T. Mills of the Times-Union contributed to this report.
Teresa Stepzinski is the dining reporter for the Times-Union. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @TeresaStepz or reach her via email at [email protected].
If you're a subscriber, thank you. If not, become a subscriber to get the latest dining coverage.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Voodoo Brewing Co.opens in Jacksonville, Florida
