JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — European Street Cafe will celebrate the 30th anniversary of its San Marco location on Wednesday, Aug. 12, with special menu offerings inspired by company founder Mary Zarka, whose birthday falls on the same date.
The celebration will take place at all European Street Cafe locations, honoring both the San Marco restaurant’s three decades of service and Zarka’s influence on the family-owned Jacksonville business.
Guests can order a cup of chicken with wild rice soup or split pea with ham — Mary’s two favorite soups — for $2.96. Her favorite lunch, a single scoop of tuna salad with chips, will be offered as a special single-scoop Build-A-Plate for $4.96.
The first 200 guests to dine at any location that day will receive a complimentary special-edition Humongous Birthday Cake Cookie, limited to one per person while supplies last.
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“At a time when the restaurant industry continues to face real challenges, reaching 30 years in San Marco carries tremendous meaning for our family,” said Andy Zarka, owner of European Street Cafe. “This milestone belongs to our employees, our longtime guests and the entire Jacksonville community that has continued to support a locally founded, family-owned and family-run restaurant. We never take that loyalty for granted.”
The Zarka family took over Mr. Dunderbak’s at Regency Square Mall in 1980. The business became European Street Cafe in 1990, and the San Marco location opened in 1996. It has since become a neighborhood gathering place known for its sandwiches, soups, salads, desserts, imported specialties and beer selection.
For European Street Cafe, the San Marco location’s 30-year milestone reflects the strength of a business built through family leadership, loyal employees and decades of community support.
“Restaurants become part of people’s routines and their lives,” Zarka said. “We have guests who first came to European Street Cafe with their parents and now bring in children and grandchildren of their own. That kind of history is incredibly special. We are grateful to still be here, still serving Jacksonville and still creating memories around the table after all these years.”
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