A decade of fire, flavor, and the pursuit of something truly worth sharing.
Chef Marcus Blackwood grew up watching his grandmother cook over an open fire pit in rural Georgia. That primal connection to flame and food shaped everything that followed — culinary school at Johnson & Wales, a decade working his way through Charleston's most celebrated kitchens, and the relentless refinement of his craft at places like Husk and FIG.
By 2021, Marcus had earned a reputation as one of the Southeast's most promising young chefs. But something was missing. He didn't want to cook in someone else's kitchen anymore. He wanted to build something that felt like home.
That's when he and his wife Sarah — a veteran sommelier and hospitality director — started looking south. They found Riverside.
“Cooking over fire isn't a technique — it's a conversation. The wood speaks, the flame listens, and if you're patient enough, the food tells you when it's ready.”Chef Marcus Blackwood
Jacksonville's Riverside neighborhood has always been a place where art, community, and good taste converge. When Marcus and Sarah discovered the century-old building on Oak Street — a former woodworking shop with soaring ceilings, exposed brick, and original heart pine floors — they knew they'd found their home.
The renovation took eight months. Every detail was intentional: the custom white oak bar hand-built by a local craftsman, the open kitchen anchored by a wood-fired hearth, the intimate 68-seat dining room designed to feel like a dinner party rather than a restaurant.
Ember & Oak opened its doors in the fall of 2023, and Riverside hasn't been the same since.
Three principles guide everything we do — from the kitchen to the cocktail bar to the way we greet you at the door.
Every protein that crosses our kitchen is kissed by fire. We cook exclusively over white oak and fruitwood — no gas, no shortcuts. The flame is our most important ingredient.
We partner with farms, fishermen, and foragers within 150 miles of Jacksonville. Our menu changes with the seasons because the land dictates what we serve, not the other way around.
Sarah curates every pour. Our bar program features house-infused spirits, hand-cut ice, and cocktails designed to complement the kitchen — not compete with it.
Chef Marcus Blackwood leads the kitchen with a quiet intensity and an obsessive attention to sourcing. A James Beard semifinalist in 2024, his cooking is rooted in Southern tradition but unbounded by it. He's as comfortable breaking down a whole hog as he is plating a delicate crudo.
Sarah Blackwood runs the front of house and bar program with the warmth and precision of someone who genuinely loves hospitality. A certified sommelier with 15 years in the industry, she designed Ember & Oak's wine list and cocktail menu to be approachable without sacrificing depth.
Together, they've built a team of 32 who share their belief that great restaurants are built on consistency, generosity, and respect — for the ingredient, the craft, and the guest.
We'd love to welcome you to Ember & Oak. Come for dinner, stay for a nightcap, and leave with a story worth telling.