Toni and Joe’s Patio is New Smyrna Beach History
When we talk about New Smyrna Beach history, one of the most iconic restaurants is right on the water next to the Salty Mermaid Oceanfront Hotel. Toni and Joe’s Patio is New Smyrna Beach history.
The restaurant began in 1958, originally started by Antoinette and Joseph Granieri, now still operated by the same family. The Granieri’s were Pennsylvania restaurant entrepreneurs who moved to New Smyrna Beach in the 1950s.
There are only couple of deck restaurants directly on the beach, Toni and Joe’s, Sea Vista Resort and Chase’s on the Beach. The oldest being, the Sea Vista Resort that opened in 1954. However, Toni and Joe’s Patio is the only one that serves breakfast.
Having lived in New Smyrna Beach for many years, and raising my daughter here, our favorite breakfast place has always been Toni and Joe’s. I can’t tell you how many times we were even waiting outside for the doors to open in the morning. If you drove there, you had to wait for someone to move the wire that blocked the entrance to the parking lot.
Now a days our routine, after we watch the sunrise on the beach at Flagler Avenue, is to walk up the street to see the roosters crow then back over to Toni and Joe’s. Everyone has seen the “Don’t feed the roosters” sign by the dirt parking lot across the street from the Hampton Inn.
Toni and Joe’s breakfast burrito never gets old and still is our favorite. It’s nice to be right on the ocean to have breakfast. Even in the middle of the summer it’s still comfortable. With umbrellas and tented areas, the sun is never a problem.
Over the years so much has changed on Flagler Avenue and beachside as a whole. With places like the Salty Mermaid Oceanfront Hotel and Toni and Joe’s Patio, we can still remember the old New Smyrna Beach.
