Longbeach Cafe will open tomorrow

This isn’t an April Fools joke: A new restaurant opens tomorrow at the mostly vacant Whitney Beach Plaza.

The Longbeach Café is opening April 2 at the old Isabelle’s Eatery location at 6836 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Like Isabelle’s Eatery, it will serve breakfast and lunch and offer many of the same items on its menu in addition to new selections.

One of the partners, Colleen Collandra, is a former manager and part owner of Isabelle’s, which closed in 2007. She and her husband, Pete Collandra, a longtime Longboat Key firefighter/paramedic, met their partner in the restaurant, Jeff Daly, years ago at the old Isabelle’s.

The menu includes omelets and other breakfast items, salads, sandwiches, soups, burgers and more. Nearly all items are under $10, and everything on the menu will be homemade.

Hours are 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday. Catering is also available.

Longbeach Cafe is the latest business to move into the shopping center, which remains largely vacant but is beginning to show signs of life.

Plaza co-owner Ryan Snyder will open a liquor store in the space previously occupied by Longboat Key Liquors. In the fall, Engel & Volkers Florida, Linen Locker and attorney Christopher Caswell moved into the plaza. Longtime tenants Design 2000 and Bayou Tavern remain open in the plaza.

Contact Robin Hartill at [email protected].