At the northern tip of Lake County, State Road 40 carries motorists between Ocala, the St. Johns River and Florida’s Atlantic coast.

Travelers of that route and locals “in the know” have been turning off the highway to visit Castaways Restaurant for nearly two decades. Motorists who pass by thinking they have to go to the ocean to find fresh seafood don’t know what they missed.

“The biggest challenge has been getting people in the door,” Brian Martin says. “I hear all the time that people have driven by and never turned in.”

“But once they come in, we’ve got ‘em for life.”

Brian and wife Pam have given curious diners and repeat customers plenty of reasons to drop anchor in Astor since they opened Castaways in 2008 in a rented riverside restaurant on the St. Johns River. 

As business grew, Brian doubled seating capacity by converting an old houseboat into a barge. Years later, Brian and Pam bought property down the road, moved Castaways to its current location, and continued building the business.

They built on the belief that good food keeps people coming back. And Pam provides plenty of incentive to return.

Before opening Castaways, Pam spent 20 years in a high-volume corporate seafood restaurant, where consistency was everything. She brought that same discipline to her kitchen but added freedom to cook from scratch.

Open the freezer and you won’t find it packed with frozen, pre-breaded seafood. Nearly every fried item is hand-breaded in-house, while soups, sauces and seafood are prepared the old-fashioned way.

Today, the recipes for the restaurant’s signature lobster bisque and clam chowder live almost entirely in Pam’s memory.

“I don’t even know if I could write the recipe down at this point,” Pam says.

During the busy season, the kitchen goes through gallons of soup every week.

Ask Brian what separates Castaways from other restaurants and the answer comes quickly.

“Variety,” he says. “I’ve done my homework. We have more than 20 appetizers because people get bored. Everybody is different.”

The appetizer menu includes escargot, frog legs, gator bites, buffalo chicken wontons, fish dip and bacon-wrapped shrimp. Beyond the starters, diners will find fresh seafood, steaks, burgers, hand-cut fries and shrimp prepared just about any way they like.

“If we have the ingredients, we’ll make it for you,” Brian says. “If you aren’t having a good experience, we’ll fix it right then and there.”

Hospitality is just as important as the food.

Guests are greeted at the door by the staff and, on many days, by regulars like “Gator” Mark and “London” Dave. Server Linda has welcomed diners since the restaurant opened and has become a familiar face to generations of diners. Friday nights belong to local one-man band Ed Wofford, who has performed at Castaways since day one.

The restaurant has become a gathering place for motorcycle riders, airboat clubs, golf outings, birthdays, anniversaries, celebrations of life and countless local fundraisers and charitable events. Helicopter pilots occasionally fly in from Ocala, Port Orange and New Smyrna Beach, landing on the property before stopping for lunch or one of Castaways’ brownie sundaes.

A large sign outside proudly advertises the “Best Burger in Town.”

“People tell me it’s the best burger they’ve ever had,” Brian says. “I don’t mind, and I certainly won’t argue.”

For Brian and Pam, the shared memories continue to inspire them.

“I want people to be so happy about the experience that they promise to come back,” Brian says. “And they usually do.” 

Photos: Cindy Peterson