- April 25, 2024
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Maggie’s hits 100,000 customers
After almost five years of serving breakfast and lunch in Flagler Beach, Maggie’s European Bakery & Café served its 100,000th customer last week. The restaurant has a seating capacity of 38, so reaching this milestone was a big deal, said restaurant co-owner Andrew Bochnar, who owns the restaurant with his wife, Maggie Bochnar.
The Bochnars served their 100,000th meal to Wayne Gunthrope. The restaurant recognized Gunthrope by bringing complimentary champagne to his table and giving him his food at no cost.
The café specializes in European-styled food, which reflects the Brochnars’ heritage.
Maggie Bochnar is originally from Germany, and moved to the Brooklyn, N.Y., with her parents when she was 4. Andrew Bochnar, who is the same age as his wife, has Polish parents but lived in France until he was 8 years old.
“What I always say is you never know where your true love will be,” Maggie Brochnar said. “We arrived in the U.S. from two different places, and you still meet the person you’re supposed to be with.”
The two met in eighth grade, and started dating when they were in high school. They’ve been married for 35 years.
Eventually, after they were married, the couple left New York and moved to Connecticut for Andrew Bochnar’s job as a regional manager at a food manufacturing company.
During those 18 years in Connecticut, the two vacationed in Palm Coast frequently because they had family in the area. When Andrew Bochnar lost his job after 27 years at the company, the couple decided to move to Florida, since they’d always wanted to anyway.
“We decided to do what I do best, which is entertain,” Maggie Bochnar said. “I love entertaining.”
Maggie Bochnar said opening a restaurant has been a rewarding experience for her. Maggie’s sees a mixture of regular customers and new ones each week. She’d known Gunthrope for at least three years before she served him the restaurant’s 100,000th meal.
“It couldn’t have happened to a better person,” Maggie Bochnar said. “You couldn’t find a nicer guy.”
Maggie’s also offers monthly, internationally themed dinners. During the café’s peak season, from February to April, the couple hosts these dinners twice a month.
Maggie’s European Bakery & Café is at 909 N. Oceanshore Blvd., in Flagler Beach. Call 439-9990.
Blue at the Topaz closed for remodeling; will open with new menu
Blue at the Topaz in Flagler Beach is closed for approximately two weeks to remodel and launch a new menu. The closure started Sept. 8, and the restaurant will reopen Sept. 24.
“We have been open since 2002,” owner Kelli O’Reilly said in a statement. “This will be the first time we’ve ever closed the doors for this length of time.”
When it re-opens, the restaurant will boast new menu items and will have made alterations to some current dishes. For example, they will now offer gluten-free lasagna, beef braised short ribs and seafood paella.
Blue will also introduce a new feature to its menu: the Blue Plate Special. Each week, Blue will serve a dish that’s not available on the regular menu at a special price Monday through Thursday nights.
The newly remodeled Blue will feature a retiled kitchen, redone bathrooms and a fresh coat of paint.
Blue at the Topaz is at 1224 S. Oceanshore Blvd., in Flagler Beach. Call 439-4322.
Beachhouse Beanery decreases hours to prepare for move
During the month of September, Beachhouse Beanery in Flagler Beach will close daily at 2 p.m. as its owners prepare to move to its new location at the corner of South 12th Street and State Road A1A.
The coffee house will be open in its new location by the end of this month.
Until then, Beachhouse Beanery is at 202 S. Central Ave., in Flagler Beach. Call 338-2484.
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