JUPITER, Fla. — Beachgoers at Jupiter's Carlin Park have been waiting years for a new restaurant to fill the space left behind by the Lazy Loggerhead Cafe, which closed in 2022.
WATCH BELOW: 'This is my mom and dad's favorite restaurant for years,' Greg Ryerson tells WPTV's Jon Shainman
The Ryerson family of Wellington stopped to look at the blue building at the top of a small rise during a recent visit to the park.
"This is my mom and dad's favorite restaurant for years, and they were really disappointed when it closed," Greg Ryerson said.
A coming soon sign continues to fade from the elements. For a time, it appeared the popular Dune Dog restaurant would be moving in, but those plans fell through.
The manager of Dune Dog Operations told me that this spring, Dune Dog and the county mutually decided to terminate an agreement that was in place. He added there is no ill will between the two sides, but that needed repairs would be too expensive for them to take on.
Anita Ryerson said she had been watching and waiting.
"Coming by several times, thinking it was supposed to open," Anita Ryerson said.
I reached out to Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation and was told the county is planning a new Request for Proposal in the next several months. A new concessionaire would also have the option to tear down the existing building and replace it.
The county also said the new vendor selected would have the option, but not the obligation, of managing 10 new sand volleyball courts that will eventually be built at the park.
In the meantime, the county is allowing a variety of food trucks on a monthly trial basis. Dune Dog had a presence this summer, with its food truck parked at the site on a day I stopped by in July.
But Gretchen Maclachlan, who just moved back to Jupiter, is hoping for something more permanent.
"It would be great to have a breakfast and lunch facility again to be able to come over to the beach and experience a nice meal on the water," Maclachlan said.
Dune Dog is still planning a major expansion, with a location on Orlando's International Drive set to open this November.
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