New Sanibel restaurants to open from the owners of Island Cow and Mad Hatter

If all goes according to plan, Sanibel Island will be welcoming two new restaurants in November.

Brian and Elke Podlasek, owners of The Island Cow, and The Mad Hatter owners Max and Bridget Kolshak announced they are teaming up to open Wickie’s Lighthouse Restaurant and The Magic Bus Caffeine & Creamery.

Even before losing their restaurants, the couples were friends. They decided to become partners when an opportunity on the east end of the island came up.

“It’s been a tough year to say the least and this is a great comeback story of two business owners who lost everything coming together to bring the island some great new venues for amazing food and fun,” Brian Podlasek, whose Island Cow restaurant closed in August 2022 after severe fire damage, said in a news release.

“While plans are coming together to rebuild the Island Cow restaurant in its original location, this gives an opportunity to more immediately employ some former employees of both restaurants while revitalizing the east end of the island.”

According to the release, Wickie’s Lighthouse — which will balance the feel of the beloved Mad Hatter’s elegance with a comfortable setting — will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner and feature signature cocktails in its full bar.

The Magic Bus will mix new and old, offering modern coffees, drinks and bakery items with a vintage ice cream and candy store vibe, complete with Volkswagen-inspired décor.

“Both concepts are a nod to the past with an eye to the future,” Max Kolshak, whose Mad Hatter was destroyed by Hurricane Ian, said in the release. “Wickie’s honors the history of the island and its original lighthouse keepers, Dudley Richardson and Henry Shanahan, but with a modern, updated décor and a fresh, coastal dining experience. A few doors down, The Magic Bus serves up nostalgia with a modern twist.”

The new establishments are taking over the spaces previously occupied by the Lighthouse Café and Sanibel's Best Homemade Ice Cream in the 362 Periwinkle Way plaza. The Lighthouse Café plans to reopen at 1020 Periwinkle Way in the old Sanibel Fresh location late this year.

Renovations to Wickie’s and The Magic Bus are going on now.

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The news release went on to say the couples hope their ventures — a blend of The Island Cow and The Mad Hatter — act as a beacon of hope to the island.

“More importantly, our joint venture is a sign that the people and businesses of Sanibel are stronger than ever and ready to welcome guests and residents back home,” Kolshak said in the release.

The future of Island Cow and Mad Hatter?

The Hurrican-ravaged Mad Hatter at 6467 Sanibel Captiva Road is on hold at the moment.

"We would love to reopen the Mad Hatter in its original location, but that is up to the landowners, Sanibel Captiva Beach Resorts (Tween Waters owners)," Kolshak said via email. "In the meantime, we are keeping ourselves busy with this new adventure with the Podlaseks."

The rebuild for the Island Cow at 2163 Periwinkle Way, meanwhile, is moving along.

"We're in the review and permitting process right now," Podlasek wrote in an email. "We'd like to be open sometime in 2024 but the hurricane and related permitting and construction challenges have made that a little tricky to predict."

And that's not all the Podlaseks are doing.

"We're also excited about some great new additions we'll be building on 2.5 acres of property we own behind the restaurant site," Podlasek wrote.

"We're planning to add seven Key West-inspired rentals. Picture colorful cottages with tin roofs in the heart of Sanibel with a short walk to the Island Cow for dining. We decided if we’re going to make a mess bringing in the construction equipment for the restaurant, we might as well go all out and make a big mess and add more accommodations for visitors to the community. As they say, go big or go home!"

Robyn George is a food and dining writer for The Fort Myers News-Press. Send news to rhgeorge@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: New restaurants, Wickie's Lighthouse and Magic Bus, to open on Sanibel