"This isn't goodbye. It's simply 'we'll see you across the street.'" Nina and Mario Amelio used that line on social media in September when they announced that Johnny D's Market & Bistro would close for a year-long renovation, as Vero Beach 32963 reported. The closing has now happened. A note on Johnny D's website says the family "served our final guests at this location" and will be "closed for renovations through October 2027."
The phrase "across the street" sounds like a polite goodbye. On South A1A it's a set of directions. The building Johnny D's left and the new complex across the road have the same owner, and he is moving the corner's dining from one side of A1A to the other in stages. The first stage to open is the formal dining room.
One Owner on Both Sides of A1A
Anthony DeChellis runs Windward Restaurant Concepts. He owns the Johnny D's building at 1409 A1A and the new Turtle Cove complex across the road. He also owns a commercial building just south of Johnny D's along A1A. He told Vero Beach 32963 the series of moves is meant to give South Beach residents "a series of establishments the community can be proud of."
The people are moving with the business. The Amelios are DeChellis's cousins, and both are joining the management team at the new complex. Every Johnny D's employee was invited to apply there, and DeChellis said "about 10 or 12" had already been hired by mid-September. Johnny D's own closing note makes the same point, telling customers they will find "many of the foods, wines, and specialty items you already love" at Turtle Cove Market, "along with some familiar Johnny D's faces."
The new address is 916 Turtle Cove Lane, on South Highway A1A beside the 7-Eleven and facing the old Johnny D's building. When Vero News described the plan in August, it laid the building out as three businesses side by side. The Turtle Cove Gourmet Market sits closest to the highway, the Blu Fin restaurant is at the back, and the Motley Cow tiki bar is in between.
The Corner This October
| Business | Address | What it is | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnny D's Market & Bistro | 1409 A1A | Family-style Italian bistro and market for 15 years | Closed for renovation through October 2027 |
| Blu Fin | 916 Turtle Cove Lane | Mediterranean seafood with Latin influences, fine dining | Open since Oct. 13, Tuesday–Sunday, 5–10 p.m. |
| Motley Cow | 916 Turtle Cove Lane | Open-air tiki bar under a palm-frond palapa | Announced to follow Blu Fin, with hours of 11 a.m.–9 p.m. |
| Turtle Cove Gourmet Market | 916 Turtle Cove Lane | House-made pastas, seafood, pastries, coffee | Announced to follow Blu Fin |
The Dining Room Opened First
That wasn't the original order. The market was supposed to open first. By September, DeChellis was waiting on an equipment delivery before he could set its date, and the restaurant pulled ahead. According to Hometown News, Blu Fin held its grand opening Oct. 10 and opened to the public on Tuesday, Oct. 13.
The room has some island history. Hometown News reports that the 3,000-square-foot restaurant occupies the space that once held Charlie Brown's. The kitchen is run by culinary director Sebastian La Rocca. He was born in Argentina and spent 27 years cooking across South America, Europe and Central America. He told Vero News he wanted the room to feel "sophisticated without being pretentious."
The two dishes coverage keeps returning to are a beef tartare smoked at the table and a surf-and-turf steak topped with lump crab fricassee. FSR's opening announcement also listed cedar-plank grouper, tuna crudo, tiger shrimp, capellini with sea urchin, and Iberico pork.
The prices show how much the corner has changed. Vero Beach 32963 described Johnny D's as a family-style casual spot with $22 summer specials and $6 glasses of wine. Blu Fin's OpenTable listing puts it in the "$50 and over" category. So for now, the restaurant open on this corner is a reservation-recommended dinner room.
To book, use OpenTable or call 772-494-6440. Blu Fin's own website, theblufin.com, still shows a "coming soon" page and sends visitors to OpenTable. It serves dinner only, Tuesday through Sunday from 5 to 10 p.m., and is closed Mondays.
The Casual Half Opens Next
The two businesses that would bring back something closer to Johnny D's everyday prices are the ones still to open. In October, TCPalm and FSR both reported that the Motley Cow and the Turtle Cove Gourmet Market would open "shortly after" Blu Fin. Neither gave a date.
Here's what has been announced for each:
- Motley Cow is an open-air tiki bar under a large palm-frond palapa. La Rocca says it was inspired by "the relaxed lifestyle of Florida's coast," with creative cocktails and music. Announced hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., so it would cover the lunch and early-evening hours that Blu Fin doesn't.
- Turtle Cove Gourmet Market will sell house-made fresh pastas, seafood, pastries, coffee and other specialty products. La Rocca called it "fresh, convenient, high-quality and constantly evolving." This is where Johnny D's says its regulars will find the foods and wines they're used to.
The staff is largely in place. Windward set out to hire about 80 people, including a barista and a market cashier. By mid-September La Rocca said about 70 percent of the positions were filled.
The Room Was Built for The Tides
The Blu Fin space was designed for The Tides, one of the island's best-known fine-dining restaurants. That deal fell through late in construction, and DeChellis brought in La Rocca to create a new concept instead.
The Tides stayed at 3103 Cardinal Drive in Central Beach. Owner and chef Leanne Kelleher renovated the restaurant over two months, and Vero News reviewed it after it reopened in early October. Vero Beach 32963 reported that she also won approval to add Sunday brunch and weekday takeout lunches.
So after the shuffle, the island has two fine-dining rooms where it was expected to have one. The Tides is still on Cardinal Drive and has added daytime service, and Blu Fin is open on South A1A.
What Comes Back at 1409 A1A
When the Johnny D's building reopens around October 2027, it may not be a bistro. DeChellis told Vero News that his family once ran South Beach Liquors on the site. Since he still holds a liquor license, the next business there may be a high-end wine and liquor shop. "In a way, it may be back to the future for the liquor store," he said. The final format hasn't been decided, and no renovation cost has been announced.
If that plan holds, the corner will be organized differently from the past 15 years. Prepared food, the casual bar and fine dining will be at 916 Turtle Cove Lane, and bottles will be across the road. Until the market and the Motley Cow open, Blu Fin is the only part of the new complex serving customers, and it's dinner only, Tuesday through Sunday.
Team Provancher keeps track of South Beach changes like the Turtle Cove openings and the Johnny D's renovation, address by address. If you own a home near this stretch of South A1A and want to know its value today, start with your Instant Home Valuation.
