A marquee waterfront site in Palm Valley is getting a bold new vision.
New details have emerged about a hotly anticipated transformation of a familiar property along the Intracoastal Waterway, with developers officially announcing plans to bring an upscale restaurant and private club to 301 N. Roscoe Blvd.
True Story Brands, an Atlanta-based hospitality group, and Shark Tooth Dining LLC told The Citizen Monday that they will introduce Yebo Beach Haus, a high-end restaurant concept, alongside the Lions Head Private Members Club.
Construction is expected to begin in early 2026.
The announcement follows earlier reporting by The Citizen that Shark Tooth Dining LLC — helmed by oil executive and prominent school-choice advocate Alex Cranberg — purchased the property in 2024 for $4.1 million.
County officials approved the demolition of the existing structure, clearing the way for redevelopment of the long-vacant Lulu’s restaurant, which closed in 2021.
True Story Brands, founded in Atlanta in 2012 by South African-born restaurateur Justin Anthony, is known for blending New American cuisine with globally inspired flavors drawn from South Africa’s wine country and coastal cuisine.
The menu will feature sushi, seafood and prime steaks, with signature dishes such as Red Butter Curry Halibut, Peri-Peri Chicken Frites and Spicy Tuna Rolls.
The restaurant’s beverage program will include craft cocktails and a curated wine list featuring South African, Napa Valley and French selections.
Anthony said the name “Yebo,” a South African expression meaning “yes,” reflects the welcoming, social atmosphere the brand aims to create.
“We’re excited to bring this storied property to life as a world-class dining and hospitality landmark for Ponte Vedra,” Anthony said in a statement. “Yebo Beach Haus will add something truly distinctive to the growing culinary scene in St. Johns County, inspired by flavors and wines collected over a lifetime of travel.”
In addition to the public restaurant, the project will include the Lions Head Private Members Club, described as an exclusive dining venue offering a more discreet hospitality experience.
Membership details have not yet been released.
Cronk Duch Architecture and Wolf Design Group will lead the design of the project. Plans previously submitted to the county indicate the restaurant will seat approximately 207 guests indoors and outdoors and include 69 parking spaces.
Cranberg, who moved to Ponte Vedra from Colorado more than a decade ago, owns a home on Ponte Vedra Boulevard.
He has emerged as a prominent local and national figure through his advocacy for school choice and his leadership of the Alliance for Choice in Education, which has funded more than $100 million in scholarships for low-income students.
His wife, Cathy Cranberg, serves as CEO of Aspect Energy.
