Palm Shores Bistro Owner Expands With New Double Tapp Grill at Shooting Center

February 1, 2024 | By Karyn Cole

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Jeff Kaplan, owner of the popular Palm Shores Bistro and the new Double Tapp Grill, adjacent to Frog Bones Shooting Center.

For 14 years, locals have flocked to Palm Shores Bistro on US1 for a homemade meal served with a smile. Now regulars are driving a bit farther south to try owner Jeff Kaplan's newest restaurant, Double Tapp Grill in Melbourne.

Double Tapp, located adjacent to Frogbones Family Shooting Center, is one of the best kept secrets in town. The full-service bar and restaurant is much more than a place to grab a quick beer or snack after a shooting session. It is a place to relax, reconnect, and enjoy a great meal, whether you are coming from the range, from home, or from a day at the office.

Kaplan and his team have introduced a menu similar to the one found at Palm Shores Bistro, full of favorites the whole family will enjoy.

The new restaurant opened at the tail end of 2023. While there had previously been a restaurant located next to the shooting center, Kaplan has elevated the experience. And while adding another restaurant wasn’t planned, when Frogbones owners approached him, Kaplan realized that taking over the space would be mutually beneficial.

“It’s extremely difficult to run a restaurant and that is not our skillset,” said one of Frogbones’ owners, Ethan Sansoni. “We did the best we could, but it was taking valuable resources away from Frogbones to manage it. So we decided to bring in an actual restaurateur, someone who was already running a successful business.”

Frogbones’ management team closed the restaurant for three months while they searched for the right partner. They spent that time remodeling and upgrading the space for its new owner.

“I wouldn’t say I was really looking to expand, but I thought it was a good deal for both sides,” Kaplan said. “It has the potential to do really well.”

The Double Tapp menu includes award-winning chicken wings, half-pound burgers, sandwiches, bowls, and even fried gator tail. The full-service bar serves local craft beers, wine, and specialty cocktails. Safety comes first at both Frogbones and Double Tapp — all customers who enjoy an alcoholic beverage must be done shooting for the day.

Many of Palm Shores Bistro’s regulars have visited Double Tapp Grill since it opened. Frogbones shooting club members have also welcomed Kaplan and his staff with open arms.

“The Frog Bones members are great customers,” Kaplan said. “But we want people to know it is a separate entity, there is a separate entrance to the restaurant. We want the public to come check out our food and join us.”

Kaplan has big plans for the space. He continues to change and grow the menu, including adding a taco section and a Sunday brunch. This month, Double Tapp will host a Superbowl party and a special Valentine’s Day dinner. They plan to add weeknight themed events, like karaoke and trivia, as well. He hopes to attract customers from both the shooting gallery and those simply looking for a delicious meal.

“If people are in the mood for a nice atmosphere and really, really good wings and burgers, they should head on down,” Kaplan said.