Long Island Cafe gets a splash of new ownership

]When the time came for Ravi Scher and his silent partner to pass the torch to new owners of Long Island Cafe and the adjacent IOP Raw Bar, it was a natural progression for the Lackey family, owners of Imagine One Hospitality, to purchase the iconic island establishments.

Based in Hickory, North Carolina, the Lackeys have owned a home on Isle of Palms for decades, according to director of marketing operations Sallie Long. Long, who has worked in the restaurant industry under the Lackeys for 10 years and whose children grew up going to Long Island Cafe and the IOP Raw Bar, said it made sense to keep the ownership on the island.

“As longtime guests of both restaurants, the Lackeys have strong relationships with Scher and deep connections with the staff who have been there forever,” Long continued. “We think so highly of the previous owners and what they created. We want to respect that, so we won’t be doing a massive overhaul. Of course, any time there is a transition, there will be some small changes. Over time we will keep refreshing but that will be a slow progression. Our intention is to highlight what we have inherited and keep the vibe of this space going. With this being such a tight-knit community, we want customers to feel the same homey, nostalgic love they’ve had for years.”

Long noted that while there will be aesthetic renovations in the kitchen, such as installing new appliances, there won’t be any major modifications to the interior decor in the front of the house or bar area. Additionally, there won’t be any alterations to the core chef-driven menus at either of the two restaurants that share a kitchen while operating as separate establishments. Long added that Chef Jacob Mitzel does love incorporating daily and weekly specials, highlighting the fresh catch with his own spin.

The Long Island Cafe, known for its she-crab soup, signature fresh flounder dish and shrimp and grits, serves lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily and dinner with menu options from both restaurants available from 5-8 p.m. every evening. The IOP Raw Bar, renowned on the island for oysters, local catch, chilled appetizers and seafood towers, is open for dinner nightly from 5-9 p.m.

She also said that there will be a few bonuses coming this spring, which include a to-go kitchen and two new items on the menu, steam buckets and a Lowcountry boil.

By Sarah Rose