Peach’s, Hob Nob, C’est La Vie, Anna Maria Oyster Bar: Restaurant News

SARASOTA-BRADENTON, FL — Check out the latest bar and restaurant news in Sarasota and Manatee counties:

C’est La Vie Opens Lakewood Ranch Location

Main Street Sarasota French eatery C’est La Vie opened a second location in Lakewood Ranch.

“We are so excited to finally open our own second location in Lakewood Ranch,” Christophe Coutelle told Sarasota magazine. “We have had customers asking for this for years—it is wonderful to see it finally launch.”

The Parisian-style cafe first opened downtown in 2017.

Peach’s Closing 2 Manatee County Restaurants

Peach’s is closing two Manatee County locations in June.

The restaurants in Holmes Beach and Ellenton will close June 16, right after Father’s Day, the Bradenton Herald said.

“We are a proud small business with dedicated teams and loyal guests. This decision was not ours to make, and it does not reflect the incredible dedication of our team at these locations,” Alison Thomas, president of Peach’s Restaurants, said in a news release.

The employees will likely be relocated to the local chain’s other six locations in Bradenton, Sarasota and Venice.

Anna Maria Oyster Bar Opens in South Sarasota County

Anna Maria Oyster Bar has expanded once again, this time into southern Sarasota County.

The new restaurant, the local chain’s sixth location and its first in Sarasota County, has opened in North Port, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reported.

Middle Eastern Fusion Restaurant Opening in UTC

Florence and the Spice Boys, which serves Middle Eastern fusion street food, will open a 2,500-square-foot restaurant at University Town Center this fall.

This will be the second location for the brand, the Bradenton Herald reported.

“It’s hard for us to believe that we are making this announcement; it feels like yesterday we were still in the food truck, dreaming of one restaurant, let alone two,” Florence Schmitt said in a news release. “We are incredibly excited to get started, truly humbled by the opportunity and more than ready to see our Lakewood Ranch friends more often!”

Hob Nob Drive-In Closes

One of Sarasota’s oldest restaurants, Hob Nob Drive-In, closed its doors for good on May 15.

The eatery opened 67 years ago in the 1950s, according to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

"Ever since COVID, the restaurant business has changed," owner Cary Spicuzza said. "The challenges you face are a little more insurmountable."

Owners said they might open a Hob Nob food truck by this fall or winter.

Smashburger Restaurant Opens

Mouthole Smashburgers and BBQ recently opened its doors in Sarasota.

The eatery is located at 2637 Mall Drive in the Gulf Gate neighborhood.

The owners are excited about their new home.

"We love our neighbors — they've been regulars of ours for a very long time, a lot of the businesses here and a lot of the people that live in the surrounding area, they've supported us for the past 10 years," Raymond Mabalot told the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. "Now we're pretty much in walking distance of a lot of these people, so they get to see us a whole hell of a lot more."