Anna Maria Oyster Bar, Nancy’s BBQ, Melange, Jo-To: Restaurant News

SARASOTA-BRADENTON, FL — Here's the latest restaurant and bar news in Sarasota and Manatee counties:

Anna Maria Oyster Bar Opens New Restaurant

Anna Maria Oyster Bar has opened its latest and fifth restaurant in the Benderson Development-owned Square at University Town Center in a space formerly occupied by Newk’s Eatery, according to the Bradenton Herald.

Owner John Horne said that “quite a bit of remodeling” was needed in the space, at the time he announced plans for the restaurant.

A sixth location is planned in North Port in the former Family Table space at 14133 Tamiami Trail, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reported. This is the company’s first restaurant in Sarasota County.

Veg Closes in Gulf Gate

Veg in Sarasota’s Gulf Gate neighborhood closed its doors for good on June 10, the restaurant wrote in a Facebook post. Its closure comes a bit sooner than initially planned.

When Veg’s owner, Mindy Hassett, announced in May that she would be closing and selling the restaurant, she indicated that she would try to keep the vegan-friendly eatery open until July 1.

In that post, she said that she was ready to move on after a decade in business.

“I’ve worked very hard these past years trying to make delicious vegan food for everyone. I’ve raised my children, during that 10 years who are now both young adults. I survived the pandemic by moving my restaurant and doing what I needed to do to keep things going. To keep a roof over mine and my children’s head. I am a single mother and I turned 50 this year. I am ready to try something else,” Hassett wrote.

Nancy’s BBQ Returning to Downtown Sarasota

After closing in 2020, Nancy’s BBQ is reopening in a new location in the Rosemary District, according to the Restaurants in Sarasota blog.

It will open its doors next to the new Food + Beer.

New Owners for Sweet Deli Cafe

New owners Frederique Guette and her husband, Frederic Guette took over Sweet Deli Cafe in downtown Bradenton in March.

The couple has largely kept the restaurant’s original menu, though they’ve added an extensive menu of both sweet and savory crepes, according to the Bradenton Herald.

Jo-To Near Airport Closes After 40 Years

After 40 years in business, Jo-To Japanese Steak House near the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport closed at the end of May, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reported.

"We sincerely thank you for your patronage and support over the past 41 years," the owners said in a statement. "We have thoroughly enjoyed serving you. There are so many good memories of gatherings for birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, baby showers, reunions, Mother's and Father's Days, Christmases, and simple dinners with family and friends. We have special memories of all of you and you will always be part of us. We will miss you! Thank you so much and we wish you all the best."

Savor Sarasota Extended for Some Restaurants

Though Savor Sarasota, an annual two-week dining program organized by Visit Sarasota County, ended Wednesday, many of the participating restaurants have extended their two-course lunches and three-course dinners throughout the summer, according to a news release.

One of the restaurants extending their Savor menu is Miguel’s on Siesta Key, which will continue its three-course dinner menu through the end of July.

Miguel’s co-owner, Dan Garcia said, “This year’s Savor Sarasota has been our most successful yet. We are amazed and very pleased at how many guests have come each night just for our Savor menu, it’s been wonderful!”

Of the 63 Sarasota County restaurants that participated in this year’s 18th annual Savor Sarasota prix-fixe dining program, at least 20 restaurants will continue on throughout the summer, including:

• 481 Gourmet: Through June 17
• 1592 Wood Fired Kitchen & Cocktails: Through June 30
• A Sprig of Thyme: through August 28
• Andrea’s: through end of June
• Amore: throughout the summer
• Bohemia’s Tapas: through June 30
• Bridges at Embassy Suites: lunch and dinner through June 18
• C’est la Vie: through end of June
• Café Evergreen: Through End of July
• Crow’s Nest: Through end of June
• Dolce Italia: Through June 18
• Duval’s: through June 22
• EVOQ at the Westin: dinner only through Une 18
• Fiorello’s Bistro: through end of August
• Flavio’s on Main: through Sept. 1
• Hamlet’s Eatery: Through end of June
• La Norma: Through end of June
• Landy’s on the Water: through to Sunday June 18
• Lazy Lobster: through June 24
• Libby’s Neighborhood Brasserie Sarasota: through June 28
• Libby’s Neighborhood Brasserie Lakewood Ranch: through June 28
• Maestrale: through end of June
• Michael’s on East: Through end of June slight price increase
• Miguel’s: through end of July
• Puccini’s: through August 30
• San Marco’s of Venice: through July 31
• Tripletail Seafood & Spirits: through end of July

Extensions and offers will vary by restaurant.

The Savor Sarasota prix-fixe menus are two-course lunch for $25 per person and three-course dinner for $40 per person. Many restaurants are also offering wine flights, wine pairings and specialty cocktails to elevate their guests’ dining experience.

The dining program will morph into Visit Sarasota County’s year-round “Fun in the 941” promotion, which goes beyond just dining to all special offers available through Visit Sarasota County’s partner members.

New Owner for Melange, Pangea in Sarasota

Downtown Sarasota’s Melange restaurant and Pangea Alchemy Lab have been sold to new owners. St. Petersburg chef, Jeremy Duclut, who competed on and won an episode of the Food Network’s “Chopped” in 2009, is taking over the eatery.

“We knew that Melange and Pangea was the place for us," he told the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. "My wife (Liset) and I have loved coming here for years! Our intention is not to change, our focus and attention will be on food and cocktail creation and execution. At the moment, we are not planning on changing anything other than a little aesthetics around the bar and restaurant. What we want to do first, is to get to know our guests and Sarasota.”