Blue Giraffe Island Bar & Grill led the way for food trucks on Sanibel Island after Hurricane Ian in 2022. Instrumental in making food-truck permitting on the island possible, it opened at Periwinkle Place the same day the public was allowed back.
It reopened its brick-and-mortar location in March at 2075 Periwinkle Way. On May 2, the SanCap Chamber hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the location that suffered a 100% loss during Ian.
Former Blue Giraffe employee Michael Puente purchased the restaurant and has been mentored by former owner Bill Letendre. The new owner faced rebuilding from the new blue epoxy floor up, plus expanding to an adjacent storefront and freshening the look. A hand-painted giraffe mural by local artist Alex Bustamante, an open floor plan and TVs around the dining room give the place a modern appeal. Art and artifacts from the previous Blue Giraffe restaurant ground it in history.
The menu, too, takes cues from the past while adding new twists. The restaurant offers breakfast, lunch, dinner, special events and catering, with plans for late-night dining. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
