White Pelican and Liquor Library is preparing to open in Vero Beach, Florida, bringing together a private dining club, a wine and spirits retail concept, and daytime café offerings under one roof.
The project is planned for 4885 Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway, with suites 4885 and 4883 listed in a Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation filing. The application, recorded on October. 20, 2026, is marked as in process for an initial plan review involving a restaurant with seating. GTM 3 LLC is listed in the filing.
According to recent reporting from Business Debut, Vero Hospitality Group is behind the project, which will replace the former Vinz Wine and Dining space at Pelican Plaza. Managing Partner Rusty Cappelen III told the publication that construction was nearing completion in late October, with the team targeting a grand opening in early December.
White Pelican is designed to offer different experiences throughout the day. During daytime hours, the business plans to operate a public-facing café and juice bar alongside the Liquor Library, which will focus on wine and spirits.
In the evening, the concept will shift toward a membership-based supper club, with the Liquor Library space also serving as a bar and dining area for members. The main dining room, called the Roosevelt Room, is being developed from the former Vinz interior.
The atrium is expected to feature covered indoor and outdoor seating, a central Japanese blueberry tree and custom chandeliers. The daytime café is expected to serve coffee, juice and light food, including pastries, with additional offerings still being finalized.
The supper club’s culinary program is planned around a changing tasting-menu format, with approximately 15 dishes ranging from lighter plates to more substantial options. Guests will be able to order individual items or build larger, family-style meals for groups, according to Business Debut.
The team has also tested the concept through pre-opening events featuring multi-course omakase dinners with sake pairings, Italian American dishes paired with wine, and cocktail parties with hors d’oeuvres.
White Pelican is one of several hospitality concepts associated with Vero Hospitality Group. The group includes managing partners Rusty Cappelen III and Rick Engel, along with COO and partner Allison Domeneghetti, senior advisor Jose Robledo, and executive director of hospitality Paolo Domeneghetti.
Cappelen, a fifth-generation Vero Beach native, told Business Debut that the concept grew out of conversations among the partners about opportunities in the local dining scene. The team saw room for a destination centered on tasting-menu dining and a more focused wine and spirits program.
The group’s other projects include What a Tavern at 58 Royal Palm Point and Eight, a planned concept on Ocean Drive that is expected to combine sushi and ramen with a bar and bottle shop.
The White Pelican project has experienced delays during its development. In February 2026, Vero News reported that work had been halted over permitting and zoning issues involving the conversion of the former Vinz space and an adjacent retail unit.
By April, the publication reported that the stop-work notices had been removed and renovation had resumed after the ownership group addressed the outstanding issues.
The latest report from Business Debut indicates that the build-out is now nearing completion, with early December identified as the target for opening. The date remains a target rather than a confirmed opening day.
White Pelican’s official website is accepting membership applications for the private club. More information about the concept is available at whitepelicanclub.com.
WhatNow will continue to follow the project as additional details and an official opening date become available.
