Openings, closings, dining, drink deal info and more in Sarasota and Manatee counties.
This week’s restaurant news roundup includes exciting dining (and drinking) destinations coming to Manatee and Sarasota counties, as well as info on an Italian restaurant now open in Nokomis that has a grand opening later this month. Let’s begin with the latest on a bar and grill coming to the north bank of the Manatee River followed by a fusion-barbecue joint replacing a BBQ icon in Sarasota.
Whiskey Joe’s opening soon
A popular restaurant chain that started in Tampa will soon be welcoming guests to its new site on the Manatee River.
Whiskey Joe’s Bar & Grill, which broke ground in September in Ellenton, is “currently scheduled to open in early March,” a spokesperson for the restaurant said via email.
While details on the opening are still pending, Whiskey Joe’s has announced a job fair that will take place Jan. 21-23 at the Courtyard by Marriott along Bradenton Riverwalk (100 Riverfront Drive W.), with people asked to apply in advance at whiskeyjoesmanatee.com.
The Floribbean-inspired menu will include favorites like the Island Crab Cakes, Mango-Glazed Scallops and Gator Bites, along with a raw oyster bar. In addition, there will be a weekday happy hour and live entertainment.
For those looking to host a special event, Whiskey Joe’s will accommodate various gatherings including waterfront weddings and corporate meetings.
“We’re thrilled to join the Ellenton community and bring the vacation vibes, tropical drinks and delicious food of Whiskey Joe’s to such a unique waterfront destination,” said Whiskey Joe’s Brand Manager Marty Duffany, in a statement.
Whiskey Joe’s parent company, Specialty Restaurants Corp., which also owns and operates the Rusty Pelican in Tampa and Miami, anticipates the Manatee River restaurant will create approximately 120 new jobs in the area. Bradenton and Jacksonville are among the other 20 confirmed future sites for Whiskey Joe’s scheduled to open along Florida’s coast within the next five years, according to a press release.
Whiskey Joe’s Bar & Grill is at 5315 19th St., Ellenton. For more information, call 941-263-3111 or visit whiskeyjoesmanatee.com.
Smoqehouse set to open
Smoqehouse, a popular fusion-barbecue joint on Anna Maria Island, is set to open its first Sarasota location at the end of January in the former Oaks Open Pit BBQ spot on South Tamiami Trail.
“We were drawn to the location with oak trees and a brick front and thought it was cool, saw the potential and are making it our own,” said Heidi Kubes, who, along with husband Andy, owns the Smoqehouses on Anna Maria Island as well as one in Minnesota. “The new restaurant has undergone a complete cosmetic overhaul.”
The owner explained that Smoqehouse is not your typical barbecue restaurant. It doesn’t even have ribs, but features house smoked meats with a global influence in hand-crafted sandwiches, plus salads, soups and sides.
“We’re a fast casual fusion barbecue sandwich shop with everything made from scratch,” added Heidi.
They have transformed the restaurant’s interior with tables and seating hand crafted by Andy Kubes as well as the artifacts accenting the walls. The building has been painted black inside and out, and suspended Edison bulbs brighten the space, which seats about 50 customers.
Smoqehouse will offer a menu similar to its sister restaurants with international flavors such as Korean beef, jerk chicken, a Cubano sandwich and a tropical combination of smoked chicken, pineapple and teriyaki mayo. Among other favorites are the brisket burger, a smoked veggie version and poutine fries as a side. All the sandwiches may be ordered without the bun on a bed of greens.
The restaurant will serve beer and wine, and there will be a kids’ menu available.
Smoqehouse, at 6112 S. Tamiami Trail, will be open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, visit smoqehouse.com or their Facebook page.
3 Car Garage Brewing Company now open
Manatee County has another addition to its growing craft beer brewery scene.
3 Car Garage Brewing Company has opened in a Bradenton plaza anchored by Crunch Fitness, near the Heritage Harbour neighborhood and Lakewood Ranch. The brewery will hold a grand opening on Saturday, featuring food trucks, live music and a tasting.
Co-owner Stu Drymon and his wife Chris operate the brewery with another couple. Drymon was already a homebrewer — the 3 Car Garage name comes from the garage he used to work out of.
“We thought we would do this as a retirement,” Drymon said. “Then life changes sometimes and opportunities arise, so we had an opportunity and decided to go for it.”
The brewery offers 14 beers on tap, with plenty of lagers and other light, drinkable beers available. It also offers hazy, New England-style IPAs and stouts and porters.
Two ciders not made by the brewery are also on tap, with wine, hard seltzers and nonalcoholic drinks available as well. There is both indoor and outdoor seating, with food trucks on the weekends. Drymon said they will expand food trucks to Thursday through Sunday starting next week, but have no plans to add a kitchen.
3 Car Garage is one of several new businesses in the plaza, which Ian Black Real Estate partner Steve Horn told the Herald-Tribune is looking for “Amazon-proof” tenants. Fast-casual restaurant Hibachi Grille & Noodle Bar and medical marijuana dispensary MUV have also recently filed building permit applications with the plaza.
3 Car Garage also joins an expanding list of Manatee County breweries in recent years. Along with longtime staples Motorworks Brewing and Darwin Brewing Company, there’s 3 Keys Brewing and The Good Liquid Brewing Company in Bradenton, Naughty Monk Brewery in Lakewood Ranch and Corporate Ladder Brewing Company in Palmetto.
But Drymon said he’s not worried about there being too many breweries. And he thinks 3 Car Garage is in a good spot, with its proximity to both Lakewood Ranch and Heritage Harbour.
“Everybody wants their local place, and we happen to now be Heritage Harbour’s local place,” Drymon said. “The people that live behind us here come in, they’re so glad to have some place where basically they don’t have to leave their neighborhood. They can come have some beers and go home.”
3 Car Garage Brewing Company is at 8405 Heritage Green Way and is open 4-10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, noon-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, noon-8 p.m. Sunday and 2-9 p.m. Monday. For more information, call 941-741-8877 or visit 3cargaragebrewing.com.
Cucina Gloria grand opening Jan. 29
Cucina Gloria, a charming new Italian restaurant in Nokomis, has its grand opening set for Jan. 29 starting at 4 p.m.
Former New Yorker Thom Lupari opened what he originally thought would be a small luncheonette.
“It grew into a cozy, full-service restaurant which I named after my mother, Gloria, a fantastic Italian cook and opera singer,” said Lupari, who owned a restaurant in Fort Lauderdale for 15 years.
The owner has used the walls of his new restaurant as a gallery for his own artwork and even sings occasionally as part of his entertainment series Thursday through Sunday evenings.
The former Joseph’s Diner has morphed into an intimate, traditional setting with colorful Tiffany-type lighting and Chippendale-style seating and sideboard. There are a few seats outside.
Chef Nick DePaolis, from Caf Panini, makes mozzarella and bread daily and prepares all of his dishes in house. Among entree specialties are lasagna, seafood pasta, pork saltimbocca and gnocchi, and appetizer options include black truffle burrata platters and calamari. Pizzas, salads and other choices round out the menu.
For lunch, the chef’s panini are favored and half-portions of the Italian dishes are offered. The house-made tiramisu and crme brulee are sweet conclusions. Cucina Gloria also offers beer and an array of wines.
Cucina Gloria, at 625 N. Tamiami Trail, is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily and may be reached at 941-480-0095 or at facebook.com/CucinaGloria.
New hours for The Daily Bird
The Daily Bird, a locally owned fast-casual restaurant where chicken is king, is now open only for breakfast and lunch.
Co-owner Mark (Caragiulo’s Italian American, Veronica Fish & Oyster, Owen’s Fish Camp) said dinner hours will resume after construction is completed near their State Street location in downtown Sarasota.
Daily Bird opened last spring, offering diners smartly prepared fried chicken, other poultry dishes, creative sides and more in a fun, casual setting.
Daily Bird is at 1534 State St. For more information, call 941-306-3103 or visit daily-bird.com.
The Sarasota Modern hosting ‘Siesta Key’ watch parties
Fans of the MTV reality series “Siesta Key” might want to stop by The Sarasota Modern, which was a location for the show, when it airs at 8 p.m. Tuesdays.
Each Tuesday night through the season, bar guests at will receive one complimentary, specially-designed cocktail when the hotel is featured on the show. Cocktails are chosen by the bartender on duty and are subject to change.
For every episode, the hotel will be throwing special watch parties and this limited time special will only be available when the hotel is featured.
The Sarasota Modern is at 1290 Boulevard of the Arts in downtown Sarasota. For more information, visit thesarasotamodern.com.
Walking Food and History Tour
Join Taste Dining & Travel every Tuesday and Thursday for a three-hour walking tour of historic downtown Bradenton neighborhoods, combined with visits to some of the area’s top restaurants.
Tour No. 1 at 1 p.m. on Tuesdays: Explore Old Main Street with its 1926 shopping arcade, Carnegie Library and classic buildings that endured over a century of growth by the Manatee River. Sample the chef’s specialties at Sage Biscuit Cafe and desserts at Sugar Cubed Pastry Lab. Meet at the Bishop Museum and finish there with a tour ($19 value). Cost is $50.
Tour No. 2 at 1 p.m. on Thursdays: Explore the Village of the Arts, a charming mix of art galleries and shops in houses built in the 1920s. At “meet & greets” you’ll enjoy cuisine samplings at Bird Rock Taco Shack, Ortygia and Sugar Cubed Pastry Lab. Meet at Motorworks Brewing under the oak tree in the beer garden (includes brewery tour here and a beer). Cost is $45.
Reservations and advance payment are required; call Taste Dining & Travel at 941-366-7950. For more details, visit tasteweb.net.
READ MORE: 15 biggest restaurant, bar openings of 2019 in Sarasota-Bradenton
READ MORE: 10 most scenic waterfront restaurants in Sarasota
READ MORE: 12 great restaurants on Anna Maria Island
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https://www.heraldtribune.com/news/20200116/restaurant-news-for-sarasota-bradenton-venice-jan-16-22 2020-01-16 11:59:00Z
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