New healthy restaurant opens on Anna Maria Island with arepas, acai bowls and more
The husband-and-wife team of Sergio Santinato and Thaina Cianciarelli recently opened Blueberries Cafe & Wine Bar, bringing something fresh, bright and healthy to Anna Maria Island.
Blueberries is a casual daytime restaurant at 5337 Gulf Drive, Suite 300, that is in tune with the island vibe, and trends toward healthier eating.
The menu includes breakfast items such as arepas, avocado toast, empanadas, croissants and parfaits, as well as bowls, wraps, green juices, natural flavored juices, shots, smoothies, protein shakes, coffees and teas. The owners hope to soon be able to offer beer and wine as well.
The no. 1 breakfast item at Blueberries is the Arepa King, which includes avocado, feta cheese and an organic egg served between arepas — a round, fried corn dough with toppings or fillings. The snack is native to Venezuela and Colombia, but has spread across Latin America and is growing in popularity in the United States. The Arepa King sells for $9.50.
The acai bowl is Blueberries’ best seller with a bed of acai, pineapple and coconut water, topped with strawberries, banana slices, blueberries, granola, hemp, almond butter and shredded coconut for $12.50.
Although it is a small restaurant with several tables inside and a couple on the boardwalk outside, there is much to explore on the menu.
Aside from multiple choices of paninis, bowls and wraps, there is a lot to choose from the drink side of the menu.
Green juices, for instance, include names like Energy (pineapple, cucumber, celery and matcha), Happiness (green apple, carrot, celery and ginger), Rescue (beet, carrot, orange, and ginger), and more.
Last, but not least, is the coffee and other drink menu with espresso, American coffee, macchiato (espresso with milk), cappuccino, chai latte, hot chocolate, Allegro Tea (Sencha green Japanese tea, roses, strawberries, raspberries, kiwi, cherries and butterfly pea flower), detox tea and more.
The owners are originally from Venezuela, but left the political unrest and economic chaos there eight years ago — and their livelihoods — and started over in the Miami area. Previously, Cianciarelli worked as an attorney and owned a small hotel in Venezuela. Santinato had a plastics business there.
The couple met and married in the United States and between them have four children.
After moving to the United States, Cianciarelli earned certification as a health coach at the Integrative Nutrition Institute, located in New York, which helped them make the decision to go into the healthy food business.
They operated a healthy food business in Coral Gables for six years, and then while on vacation discovered Anna Maria Island.
“We fell in love with it and returned every chance we could get. Its similar to a particular beach in Venezuela,” Cianciarelli said.
Blueberries is open 8:30 a.m. to 4 a.m. Monday-Friday and 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.
For more information, visit blueberriesusa.com or call 786-296-9612.
