A brunchy Oak Cliff restaurant has plans to make Preston and Inwood cool again.

Jonathon’s Oak Cliff, known for waffles, breakfast fare and decadent burgers, is moving its original Oak Cliff restaurant. Husband-and-wife owners Jonathon and Christine Erdeljac have plans to open a new Jonathon’s in the old Kel’s space on Forest at the North Dallas Tollway as soon as this fall.

Christine Erdeljac is an Ursuline Academy alumna (class of ’97), and she used to hang out there in high school. Ever since Kel’s closed in 2014, the Erdeljacs have wished they could open there, and it recently went up for rent. Their lease on 1111 N. Beckley Ave. is up, and the landlord wanted a 20% increase, Christine says.

Their last dinner service at 1111 N. Beckley is Sunday, Aug. 29, and the Erdeljacs plan to move all of their furniture and equipment from there to the Forest Lane location.

The Kel’s building just underwent asbestos abatement. It’s currently down to the walls and vent hood (see below). They hope to open in late fall, but that all depends on construction and permitting.

While Jonathan’s is closing its “flagship” location on Beckley at Zang, its spinoff, Jonathon’s Diner, is still open just down the hill at 1619 N. Beckley Ave. serving the same menu as Jonathon’s Oak Cliff. That restaurant also took the place of a classic diner that had closed, Mama Connie’s Cafe.

This isn’t the first restaurant on this corner with Oak Cliff roots. The owners of Streets Fine Chicken and Liberty Burger are second-generation Dallas restaurateurs who live in that neighborhood.