Heaven’s Table Café and Catering at Blueberry Hill RV Resort started with love. 

“I wouldn’t say love of cooking, but it became a love of cooking,” says Michael Lee-Brown, co-owner of the popular Bushnell restaurant with co-owner and wife Shanrika. “When we were dating, we would cook for each other and that kind of turned into something we loved to do.” 

Michael met Shanrika in Naples, Florida. They married and moved to Wildwood in October 2022. 

What started as a job opportunity for Michael turned into a great opportunity for the couple to become full-time entrepreneurs. 

Today, Shanrika coordinates the events and handles finances, while Michael works on the recipes and cooking. 

Shanrika also provided the inspiration for naming their café. As Christians, they wanted to pay homage to God by naming it Heaven’s Table. 

“We wanted to give Him the glory, because without Him, none of this was possible,” she says. 

On The Menu

The menu offers classic options including hot dogs, wings, burgers, fish and chips and tacos paired with a variety of side item options. Every ingredient is carefully chosen and all the food is freshly made to order from recipes developed from the many times Michael would cook for Shanrika – different kinds of chicken, salmon and Fettucine Alfredo dishes. Then she would give Michael her recommendations for seasonings and adding flavor, and the dishes all just came together. 

“I wanted our food to have a taste of what we experienced putting these recipes together – our love for each other, which then translates into the food,” Michael says. 

Shanrika also puts a lot of love and pride in choosing the ingredients they use. 

“I don’t want to cook anything frozen, everything should be fresh,” she says. “It adds to the taste of our food and what we’re trying to present to the customers.” 

She is also keen on feedback and is always asking their customers to tell her if there’s something she can do to better serve them. 

How it started

Michael and Shanrika’s journey to becoming business owners began when an opportunity to take on a food truck came out of nowhere. Michael went for it, and in June of 2023, they became established as Mike’s Smokehouse BBQ. 

Right away they tried to find new locations where they could set up their truck. Blueberry Hill and Red Oaks RV Resorts in Bushnell were two of their favorite spots. Many residents in the area had seen them on Facebook, including Dianne Ward, the previous director of activities. Michael and Shanrika’s food truck was her go-to for events when others didn’t show. 

Dianne noticed how much everyone loved the food and how often customers showed up at their truck. One day, she suggested that Michael and Shanrika check out the fully furnished on-site kitchen space inside their clubhouse. They began chatting with the RV resort management about leasing the kitchen and decided to sell their food truck. At the same time, they were also considering opening at Lake Square Mall in Leesburg. Ultimately, at the very last minute, Blueberry Hill won them over. 

It made sense to go that route. The couple felt they had developed a strong following and connection with customers who lived in the area. So they got everything set up for Heaven’s Table Café and Catering and opened in November 2023. 

How it’s going

Being on a property among residents makes it easier for patrons to just walk over and grab a quick bite. The busier days are when the community hosts events like bingo and karaoke nights that have a very large turnout. 

Across the wall near the takeout window at Heaven’s Table is a playful 50s-style mural, which leads to the main seating area. You can also order food from an inside window. Picnic tables are provided for those who prefer outside seating. 

When I went on a recent Friday evening, I chose to order from the outside walk-up window. Friday night bingo was in full swing inside, so I opted to eat at an outdoor table, too. 

I ordered teriyaki wings and they were honestly some of the best I’ve ever had. The meat pulled off the bone so easily and the teriyaki sauce was very flavorful. The wings had a savory taste with a hint of sweetness. The order came with five wings, which was plenty because they also came with a side. I ordered sweet potato fries. A good sweet potato fry can sometimes be hard to find and sometimes end up overcooked. Thankfully these were perfect. 

I also ordered a sweet tea, and even that had its own fresh brewed, in-house taste. It was the right amount of sweetness in my book. 

Overall, the experience was very pleasing and laidback. It’s a great spot to grab a quick lunch or dinner and the service is friendly and welcoming.