A fast-casual burrito restaurant that once promised to shake up local dining has closed just six months after opening in a new Ponte Vedra strip mall.
Dank Burrito, located at the Shoppes of Valley Ridge in St. Johns County, abruptly shut its doors weeks ago, leaving behind scratched-out signage and stacked equipment visible through the front windows.
The restaurant’s phone number is no longer in service, and while online listings still describe the business as “temporarily closed,” neighboring business owners say the franchise is gone for good.
Several merchants in the retail strip said business at the burrito spot lagged and that the franchise owner sought to cut their losses.
They also pointed to unwieldy and confusing road access into the shopping center, which they said hampered customer traffic not only for Dank Burrito but for all businesses in the development.
The closure comes roughly half a year after the restaurant’s debut, which marked the North Carolina-based franchise chain’s first location in Florida.
At the time of its opening, Dank Burrito was positioned as an attempt to introduce a California-style, fast-casual Mexican concept that had yet to take hold in St. Johns County.
The restaurant occupied a 2,450-square-foot space and represented the sixth overall location for the growing brand.
Dank Burrito was founded by Clarke Merrell, who worked in his father’s restaurant as a child before launching the concept as a food truck in North Carolina in 2014.
The truck gained popularity, leading Merrell to open the brand’s first brick-and-mortar location in Morehead the following year.
Expansion followed, culminating in the Valley Ridge opening as the company’s first venture into Florida.
The chain differentiated itself by offering burritos that went well beyond traditional carne asada and grilled chicken.
Menu items include jerk chicken, honey truffle Buffalo shrimp, pork belly, and teriyaki chicken, alongside vegetarian options. The restaurant also served tacos, salads, bowls, and children’s meals, aiming to appeal to a wide range of diners.
“Classic but never basic, irreverent, never casual, Dank Burrito is the irresistible favorite you never saw coming,” the company wrote in its branding materials.
