What is known as the “Coastal Grandmother” aesthetic has now moved from trendy to timeless. With casual elegance, breezy coastal designs, baskets, and effortlessly mixed patterns, it’s easy to see why. Think Martha Stewart and Oprah Winfrey, the leads in Mamma Mia! and How Stella Got Her Groove Back, or Elin Hilderbrand books and Nancy Meyers films. And now that understated southern charm and coastal elegance is at FloraBelle, the redesigned breakfast concept at the Omni Amelia Island Resort & Spa.
FloraBelle is a wonderland of fine foods. When you are seated, you’re handed an á la carte menu of curated delights, but you’ll also find that a smorgasbord of breakfast bliss awaits you next door. The Morning Table is a roomful of breakfast buffet that fills all four walls and the top of an aquarium in the center of the room. When my friend Patti Burch and I went for breakfast recently, she suggested we walk around to get the FloraBelle feel. Wicker furniture, pale coastal colors, mixed prints, vintage china patterns, and so many flowers placed us comfortably amidst the hospitable southern charms of this coastal grandmother named FloraBelle.
Patti chose a latte to begin while I decided on a nitro from The Morning Table. The nitro was so smooth, cool, and creamy that I forgot to make it a lemon nitro like I usually enjoy. Fresh juices are available, and I loved watching whole oranges squeezed into my glass, which brought back childhood memories of drinking fresh-squeezed orange juice with my grandparents at the cone-shaped Fernandina Marine Welcome Station.
Honey is a showpiece here, as the bees are from the Omni’s own apiaries down the street at its aquaponic farm called The Sprouting Project. French toast made with Challah bread is served with Orange Blossom Royal Honey. Whether in pancakes, butters, fried chicken, muesli, or straight from the comb, this honey is the bee’s knees.
The Rise and Dine omelet station offers a choice of proteins – shrimp, of course – with vegetables, cheeses, and four different hot peppers. In the corner is a vegan/gluten-free station. Tropical dragon fruit and star fruit popped up on our plates. In the center of the room, with the smoked salmon, pastries, muffins, grainy breads, and butters, I heard someone say, “How artisanal, I can slice my own bread!” Lots of Applewood Smoked Bacon, Buttermilk Biscuits & Gravy, Old-Style Sausage, and Herbed Potatoes are kept warm on the buffet.
On the á la carte menu, you’ll find Fernandina Shrimp & Grits with Andouille Redeye Gravy and Hot Honey Fried Chicken & Waffle with Meyer Lemon Hollandaise and Poppyseed & Kale Salad. You’ll also find FloraBelle’s Avocado Toast, Banana Pudding Waffle, and their classic Amelia Breakfast. With so many choices, the only solution is to return often.
The new look at FloraBelle is part of a “reimagination” of the resort. The ongoing changes are building excitement for other new concepts to be revealed. FloraBelle is open every day at 6:30 a.m., until 11 on weekdays and until noon Friday through Sunday. An elevated brunch is offered on holidays such as Easter, Mother’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. For details, keep an eye on Omni Amelia Island’s social media accounts. FloraBelle is located at 39 Beach Lagoon at the Omni Amelia Island Resort & Spa.