A Florida hurricane couldn’t get in the way of a man and his diner
Not even Hurricane Milton could deter Tom Theophilopoulos from opening a new restaurant.
Theophilopoulos and his girlfriend of more than nine years, Marilyn Medo, were displaced for 11 months following Hurricane Milton’s catastrophic damage that caused flooding in Medo’s house in the Bradenton area.
During that time, Theophilopoulos, who has nearly six decades of experience as a restaurateur, juggled the recovery of their home with finding a place to open a diner.
By early 2026, he got a phone call from his real estate agent.
“Really decent guy, and he called me up, ‘I got a place,’” said Theophilopoulos, who has opened more than 30 restaurants and has been the director of operations for four chains.
That place is Izzy’s Place.
Theophilopoulos, who is from Montreal and has lived in Florida for nine years, opened the diner in March. The space was previously Slicker’s Eatery, which closed in February.
“Family diner making good, wholesome food,” Theophilopoulos said. “All natural stuff. Just good portions, good food, decent pricing. Family environment, a little more beachy than it was before.”
The tablecloths feature bright aqua and white checkered patterns, with artwork hanging on the walls depicting various marine scenes.
What’s on the menu?
Izzy’s Place in Cortez serves up biscuits and gravy, a 6-ounce smashburger, waffles and omelettes.
The chef “mixes it with cream, heavy cream, with the eggs, and then he finishes it in an oven so the omelet puffs up,” Theophilopoulos said. “You put it in front of people and they look at it like, ‘Whoa.’ Usually, omelettes are flat. … and the thing about finishing anything in the oven is it cooks evenly.”
In addition to the popular breakfast items, Izzy’s Place also serves sandwiches, salads and side dishes. The dinner menu features tenders and wings, meatloaf, turkey and fried chicken.
Who is Izzy?
The restaurant was named in honor of Theophilopoulos’ 5-year-old Havapoo dog, who is featured on the diner’s signs.
“Smart as a whip,” Theophilopoulos said. “Incredible, just a sweetheart.”
