The owners of the Island Cow and The Mad Hatter have teamed up to open two new restaurants on Sanibel Island: Wickies Lighthouse Restaurant and The Magic Bus Ice Cream & Caffeine. The restaurants are scheduled to open in November 2023 and will be located in the former Lighthouse Café space at 362 Periwinkle Way.
Wickies Lighthouse Restaurant will feature a casual dining atmosphere with a menu of breakfast, lunch, and dinner items. The restaurant will also have a full bar and signature cocktails. The Magic Bus Ice Cream & Caffeine will be a family-friendly spot with a vintage VW-inspired décor, offering ice cream, coffee, and other snacks.
The two restaurants are the brainchild of longtime island restaurateurs Brian and Elke Podlasek and Max and Bridget Kolshak. The couples teamed up after the Podlasek’s Island Cow restaurant was destroyed by fire and the Kolshak’s Mad Hatter was lost to Hurricane Ian.
“We’re excited to bring two new dining options to Sanibel Island,” said Brian Podlasek. “We think Wickies and The Magic Bus will be a great addition to the community.”
The restaurants are currently under construction and are expected to open in November 2023.
