Brett's Closing at the end of Saturday dinner

By Mike Lednovich

Despite a lease that has three months left, officials of Brett;s Waterway Cafe have announced the venerable restaurant will close at the end of service this Saturday.

Leaseholders made this announcement on Facebook:

"A Note from Brett’s Waterway Café

After much thought, we have made the difficult decision to close Brett’s Waterway Café. Our final day of service will be Saturday, October 4, 2025.

These last few months have brought challenges, and while we had hoped to continue through October, the time has come to say goodbye.

For over 41 years, Brett’s has been more than a restaurant—it’s been a place for family, friends, and memories. We are deeply grateful to our guests and community for your loyalty and support. None of this would have been possible without you, and you will always be part of the Brett’s family.

With heartfelt thanks,

All of us at Brett’s Waterway Café"

Perched on the edge of the Fernandina Harbor Marina, Brett’s wasn’t just a restaurant — it was a piece of Amelia Island’s identity. Loved for its sunset views, fresh seafood, and deck seating over the water, it stood as a symbol of relaxed coastal life.

But behind the views and vibes, a deeper story unfolded — one of aging infrastructure, legal battles, and an increasingly strained relationship between the city of Fernandina Beach and the restaurant’s operators.

Brett’s opened in the early 1990s under the operation of Centre Street Restaurant Group, quickly becoming a popular destination for tourists and locals alike. The restaurant built its reputation on Southern-influenced seafood, panoramic harbor views, and an unbeatable location at 1 South Front Street.

Over the years, it weathered storms — both literal and figurative — including damage from hurricanes and periodic maintenance challenges. But by 2021, the city owned building's structural problems became impossible to ignore.

City inspections revealed that the restaurant’s concrete support structure over the river was deteriorating, with one report noting an “active collapse” in a key substructure component. Engineers warned of a potential failure if repairs weren’t made. The city gave the restaurant until Sept. 22, 2021 to address the safety concerns. Repairs never came.

While the city flagged Brett’s as unsafe, the restaurant’s leaseholders pushed back. They argued that the city’s handling of the situation had caused irreparable harm to the business. Legal complaints were filed. As settlement talks collapsed. arbitration was requested.

By 2023, the Fernandina Beach City Commission took a firmer stance. Officials declared the structure unsalvageable and began preparing for demolition. The restaurant’s lease, which expires Dec. 31, 2025, would not be renewed.

The battle wasn’t just about stucco and concrete — it was about who should pay for decades of deferred maintenance and whether the restaurant’s removal would enhance or harm the character of downtown Fernandina.

In the end, the city ended up paying a $660,000 settlement to the leaseholders,

Demolishing Brett’s won’t be cheap. Current city estimates put the price at $2 million for demolition and another $2 million to repair the marina bulkhead and surrounding infrastructure. The city has floated various redevelopment options for the space, ranging from a simple pavilion to a completely new restaurant structure with modern flood protections, but finally settled on just a river wall and extended dock. Siting limited funds, city leaders have signaled their desire to keep future plans modest. “The simplest solution is often the best,” one commissioner noted during a recent planning session.

As the final weekend approaches, longtime patrons are expected to flood Brett’s for one last meal, one last view. For many, the restaurant holds memories of anniversaries, graduations, and first dates— moments etched into the planks of its now-condemned deck.

Despite its closure, Brett’s leaves behind a legacy that helped define Fernandina’s waterfront culture. Its fall is a reminder of how quickly coastal institutions can slip away when maintenance lags and politics take over.

The building will be gone by next year. But for the generations who passed through its doors, Brett’s won’t be forgotten.