A Dining Landmark

George and Denise Shinn, part-time residents of Vero Beach, are sitting in their home overlooking the ocean, discussing their recent purchase of Vero Beach’s iconic restaurant, The Lemon Tree on Ocean Drive. Cocoa, a miniature poodle curls up quietly on Denise’s lap while Louis, a very regal-looking standard poodle, busily sniffs the voice recorder that sits on the table between us. 

The Shinns moved to Vero Beach from South Florida several years ago after searching for a less congested place to buy a home. “We just loved the area on the beach, the great restaurants and the slower pace,” George says. Eight months out of the year, they call Tennessee home but Vero Beach has captured a special place in their hearts. They purchased The Lemon Tree, a beloved landmark restaurant from Paul and Marybeth Castraberti in June 2015, promising concerned locals that they would keep things just the same. 

Denise explains, “Like most people in Vero Beach, we ate breakfast there at least three or four times a week,” she says of the popular eatery. “We became friends with Paul and Marybeth and talked to them for probably two seasons before the sale went through. When we talked about it again this past year, Paul was ready.”