Behind two new cafes in the Naples area are first-time restaurant owners with many years of restaurant experience. Café Seabreeze and Sunny House Cafe recently opened in neighborhood centers along busy streets in East Naples and North Naples, respectively. Because of their post-season launches, the owners of the new dining spots hope to connect with local patrons this summer.

Café Seabreeze

Miroslav Volic came to the United States from Serbia many years ago to pursue the American dream, and he aspires to reach the next level with his own restaurant. Before launching Café Seabreeze on June 22, Volic worked for 10 years for some of Stefano Frittella’s downtown Naples restaurants, including The Bevy, Bice, Bonta Bakery and Caffe Milano.

“But no more. Right now, this is my baby,” said Volic, referring, of course, to Café Seabreeze.

While grateful for the local hospitality opportunities he has experienced, Volic has been working two years to launch his own café. To create his cozy dining spot with coastal vibes, he significantly transformed a former Subway sandwich shop at 4830 Davis Blvd., next to the original Tacos & Tequila Cantina in the Publix-anchored Kings Lake Square.

“It’s like a Mediterranean cozy place,” Volic said of the 39-seat Café Seabreeze, which serves Instagram-worthy dishes for brunch, lunch and dinner 8 a.m.-8 p.m. daily.

Six brunch menu items — avocado toast topped with sunny-side-up eggs; a scrambled egg croissant with baby spinach and feta cheese; French toast with fresh strawberries and maple syrup; a croissant with Nutella, apricot jam and crema; a yogurt parfait with granola, honey and berries; and a scrambled egg, ham and cheese ciabatta sandwich — are available 8 a.m.-2 p.m. only. The rest of the eatery’s Mediterranean-inspired menu is available all day.

Café Seabreeze’s inaugural menu includes a selection of sandwiches, salads and pinsa — a popular Italian flatbread the café serves in three options: Margherita, pepperoni and prosciutto. Sandwiches served on ciabatta bread feature options headlined by Italian salami, mortadella, prosciutto, turkey, ham or a chicken cutlet. Chicken, salmon and shrimp can be added to the Greek, Caesar, burrata, quinoa and watermelon salads.

The café also serves gourmet coffees such as espressos, cappuccinos, macchiatos and lattes, as well as beer, wine and raw juices such as Beet Rush with beets, green apple, carrot and lemon; and Green Juice with spinach, apple, cucumber, celery, lemon, cilantro and ginger.

“A couple of dinner items I need to add,” Volic said. “But this is for now, for the moment.”

Volic also plans to eventually add wine-tasting dinners. In season, he also may extend his hours until 9 or 10 p.m.

Sunny House Cafe

The co-owners of Sunny House Cafe have the breakfast-and-lunch experience that’s perfect for their new local business, which recently opened in the former BurgerFi end unit at 1514 Immokalee Road, Suite 101, in Creekside Corners, the retail center anchored by Bone Hook Brewing Co. and McAlister’s Deli. The breakfast and lunch restaurant fronts Goodlette-Frank Road on that North Naples corner.

Jabiel Gutierrez of Golden Gate Estates worked as a cook for 17 years at the regional Skillets restaurants. So, he’s at home helming the kitchen of the new Sunny House, which serves only breakfast and lunch, similar to the ever-expanding Skillets.

Carla Arredondo of North Naples manages the front of the house for the new Sunny House. She honed her hospitality experience at Blueberry’s, another Naples cafe known for its breakfast service and more.

Gutierrez and Arredondo also share partnership of Sunny House Cafe LLC with Gutierrez’s brother, David Gutierrez of the Bronx, New York. Jabiel Gutierrez said the idea for the restaurant stemmed from the combination of partners.

“Three people with ideas are making something different,” he said.

The basic idea is to give guests a fresh start to each day. The motto for Sunny House — “Start Sunny, Start Happy” — appears large on the restaurant’s menu and on one of the dining room walls.

The team’s goal is to attract repeat business with good food, good service and a clean restaurant, Gutierrez said. “This is very important for guests to come again,” he said.

Sunny House Cafe is open for breakfast and lunch 6 a.m.-2:30 p.m. daily.

Breakfast items occupy two-thirds of the menu. Gutierrez believes egg dishes such as omelets and Benedicts will be favorites, but the menu offers much more.

In addition to the anticipated skillet selections, pancakes, waffles and French toast, Sunny House has some unexpected sections, such as Sweet & Salty with chicken tenders atop Belgian waffles, potato pancakes served with sour cream and applesauce, and pigs in a blanket — sausage links wrapped in buttermilk pancakes.

Other distinctive menu sections for breakfast include Tex-Mex Style with a chorizo omelet, huevos rancheros and a Mexican burrito; Healthier Suggestions include a keto platter and The Sunny Fit, an egg white omelet with turkey, onions, green pepper, spinach and mushrooms.

The breakfast menu also has build-your-own breakfast sandwiches with choices for meat, cheese and bread; and sweet and savory crepes. The lunch menu includes sandwiches, burgers, wraps, quesadillas, chicken paninis, bowls and specials that feature a chicken breast, rib eye steak or chopped steak.

The Tim Aten Knows weekly column answers local questions from readers. Email Tim at tim. aten@naplespress.com.