Linger Lodge Restaurant closes indefinitely to ride out spike in COVID-19 cases
Linger Lodge Restaurant announced this week that it has closed until further notice because of the rise in COVID-19 cases.
The restaurant, located on a bend in the Braden River at 7205 85th St. Court E., is known for its collection of Americana and taxidermy. It has been a folk tradition and Bradenton area landmark since 1945. The restaurant is also known for its menu which features frog legs, alligator bites and catfish.
A TV weatherman once called Linger Lodge one of the “Top 5 Weirdest Restaurants in America.”
Linger Lodge announced the closing on Facebook and on its webpage, https://www.lingerlodge.com/.
“Starting July 27, 2020, the restaurant is closed until further notice due to continuous rise in COVID-19 cases,” the restaurant announced.
The RV campground, which is co-located on the property, has been closed since October of 2019, with an expected reopening in fall of 2021, according to the Linger Lodge website.
“Everyone has been doing 120 percent beyond what they are required to do. But the disease has been spreading more and more and it feels like it is getting way too close to home. We decided to close now and come back later with a bang,” restaurant manager Ruth Hofer said. No Linger Lodge staff member has tested positive for COVID-19, nor have any customers that she knows about, she said.
The pandemic has been especially challenging for restaurants, which had their dining rooms closed for weeks by the order of Gov. Rom DeSantis.
Linger Lodge Restaurant was closed for four months in 2017 for renovations, including new flooring, bathrooms, wiring and plumbing.
Linger Loft, an Austrian company, bought Linger Lodge in November 2016 for $2,498,258.
In cleaning up and reorganizing the restaurant in 2017, several discoveries were made, including wooden walls and a handsome Linger Lodge sign that had been covered by a huge alligator on the wall, Ruth Hofer, a representative of Linger Loft, told the Herald in 2017.
“We tried to keep the flair of the lodge rustic, but clean and neat,” Hofer said.
Hofer told the Herald in 2017 that she particularly happy with the new restrooms, which replaced older restrooms along with space formerly used for showers and a campground laundry.
Linger Lodge joins other restaurants that have chosen to temporarily close during the pandemic, including:
▪ Beach Bistro, 6600 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach.
▪ Riverside Cafe, 955 Riverside Drive, Palmetto.
Restaurants that have permanently closed include:
▪ EnRich Bistro, 5629 Manatee Ave. W.
▪ Cleveland Kitchen, 2539 Lakewood Ranch Blvd.
▪ Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, 4406 53rd Ave. E.
▪ The Peach’s restaurants at 5702 Cortez Road and 6057 26th St. W.
▪ Sweet Tomatoes, 5407 University Parkway.
▪ Jason’s Deli, 5231 University Parkway
In addition, Lucky Pelican Bistro, 6239 Lake Osprey Drive, temporarily closed after a line cook died of COVID-19 complications, but reopened after a deep cleaning and testing of all staff members.
This story was originally published July 28, 2020 at 3:46 PM.
