Founded in Tallahassee by Brad Buckenheimer and David Raney in 2007, Canopy Road Cafe has been growing consistently and bringing its selection of breakfast and brunch favorites to more outposts in Florida ever since. The brand has just soft-opened a new location at 5614 Fishhawk Crossing Blvd in Lithia.
“This is our eleventh location in the state,” founder Brad Buckenheimer told What Now on Friday. “We started it back in college, when we bought a restaurant and it turned into this other idea.”
Described as “our tribute to the American Diner” on the brand’s website, that idea consists of “traditional breakfast and lunch fare, with some fresh, funky, and innovative twists.” These include familiar offerings like the Breakfast Burrito or Classic Avocado Toast, along with wilder ideas like Churro Waffles, Cap’n Crunch French Toast, and Peppermint Bark Pancakes. The brand also offers a specials menu that is reimagined four times a year, keeping Canopy’s Road’s offerings fresh.
The brand is also looking to keep expanding, both in Tallahassee and the Tampa Bay Area—plus a restaurant planned for Orlando, Buckenheimer said. Locations are in store for Wesley Chapel and Central Tampa in the future, along with a Bloomingdale location expected in the next four to five months. The Bloomingdale store will be the brand’s first to offer alcoholic beverages like a mimosa and a bloody mary.
“We love Tampa. We’ve been so fortunate to be embraced in this community,” Buckenheimer said. “We’re looking forward to doing more stores. Full steam ahead.”
