Abraham and Elicia Bedell opened the doors of Waffle Monkey Bonita Springs in May 2023. They live in Southwest Florida with their two children, Rose and Benjamin — both of whom have been known to help out at closing time. Their journey to Waffle Monkey came through Elicia's family connection to Waffle Monkey's Cayman founders, Jay and Scott. Here's how it happened, in their own words.
The Story Behind the Cafe
How did you end up running a Waffle Monkey?
Elicia's mum is close friends with Jay and Scott — they're the co-founders of Waffle Monkey, based out of Grand Cayman. So we'd heard the story of Waffle Monkey long before we ever thought about opening a cafe of our own. When the time came to look at concepts, Waffle Monkey was already part of our family world. It felt natural to bring it to Florida.
What made Waffle Monkey the right concept for you?
We looked at a few different ideas, but we kept coming back to this one. Who doesn't love waffles? Who doesn't love coffee? And honestly — who doesn't love a place you can take your kids? That last bit mattered a lot to us. So many concepts are aimed at adults or at the late-night crowd. We wanted a cafe that felt right for families, for couples on a weekend, for friends grabbing breakfast before the beach.
Why Bonita Springs?
We moved to Southwest Florida from Dallas a couple of years before opening, and we fell in love with the area. Compared to the east coast of Florida, it's more calm, more laid back. We love the sunsets here. We love the pace. When we decided to open a cafe, this was the only place we wanted to do it. The plaza we're in — at the corner of Bonita Beach Road and Old 41 — was a great fit. Scott and Jay look at Waffle Monkey cafes as independent, owner-managed businesses rather than a big national chain. That mindset matched ours.
What's On the Menu
What are people ordering most?
The Fruit of the Day waffle is a top seller — strawberries, bananas, blueberries, whipped cream, the works. Egg & Bacon is right behind it. And Chicken & Waffles is one of those orders that splits people right down the middle: some leave the syrup well alone, some absolutely drown it in syrup and dig in. Both camps are right, in our book.
What about something a little different?
The Cinnabun (cinnamon sugar, walnuts, condensed milk) is the one that surprises people the most — a proper dessert breakfast. We've got a nice range of egg-based breakfast options, and the avo toast topped with chili eggs and arugula hits the spot. Our new lava-chicken waffle and breakfast burger are going down well too. The coffee's coming from Costa Rica — same as at our cafes there. That part of the brand we wouldn't change for anything.
Family, Community and the Bonita Vibe
Has running the cafe with kids been easier or harder than you expected?
The hours have been a gift, honestly. We close at 3pm. We're usually wrapped up and out by 5. As a former restaurant worker (Abraham) and real estate agent (Elicia), we've both done jobs that ate into family time. Waffle Monkey gives us our evenings back. Rose and Benjamin even come by some afternoons and help clean up — they take it very seriously.
What's the best part of the job?
The regulars. Three years in, we know names, we know orders, we know which kids are about to lose another tooth. There's a wall in the cafe covered in monkey-themed colouring sheets done by customers — we love that wall. It's the clearest sign we built the kind of place we wanted to build.
What do you want first-time visitors to know?
Come hungry, bring the kids, don't rush. We've got tables inside and outside, plenty of space for groups, and maple syrup on every table. The waffles are made fresh — never sitting under a heat lamp — so give us a couple of minutes and we'll bring you something worth the wait.
And what's next for you?
We'd love to open our second Waffle Monkey, and we're actively looking for a suitable location in and around Naples. Watch this space!
Visit Us
Waffle Monkey Bonita Springs is at 27975 Old 41 Road, Bonita Springs, FL. We're open daily from breakfast to lunch (seasonal hours vary). Check out our hours and our menu on the cafe page — and call ahead if you're bringing a big group.