Pee Wee’s, Food + Beer, Brown Bag Cafe, First Watch: Restaurant News

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

Former Manatee Official Opens Food Truck

Lee Washington, former acting Manatee County administrator, has opened a new food truck in downtown Bradenton, the Bradenton Herald reported.

Pee Wee’s Canteen serves soul food, barbecue, seafood and other lunch items.

The food truck stems from his mother’s nickname. She worked as a short-order cook in Punta Gorda restaurants for years.

Downtown Sarasota Restaurant Sold For $2.47 Million

Restaurateur Michael Evanoff bought the former Yume Sushi space in downtown Sarasota for $2.47 million, the Observer Media Group reported.

The Japanese restaurant, which was located at 1532 Main Street, closed in November after 18 years.

Evanoff said he plans to lease the 4,500-square-foot space to a Miami restaurant group.

Food + Beer Opening New Restaurant In Bradenton

Local chain Food + Beer is opening a new Bradenton location.

Its newest restaurant will open at 4286 53rd Ave. E. in the Lockwood Commons shopping center, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reported. The space was formerly home to a Beef ‘O’ Brady’s.

"It's a cool area of town with a lot of great neighborhoods nearby and we’re the neighborhood spot," co-owner Mike Whalen said. "We’re in downtown here in Sarasota in the Rosemary District, which is fun and we're doing good there, but we really do well in neighborhoods. We get to be the cooler neighborhood hangout, using fresh ingredients, and we're open late and have good people."

Sarasota Cafe Reopens In New Location

Michelle’s Brown Bag Cafe, which opened at the Sarasota City Center in 2010, has reopened in a new downtown location.

The cafe, which serves breakfast and lunch, held its soft opening Wednesday in the Burns Court District at 630 S. Orange Ave., according to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

"It's appealing because something similar was there prior to us and they did solid business," Michelle Connor Ettinger said. "And I thought that area would be convenient for locals in the neighborhood there, and we still won't lose our catering because it's not that far from our original location."

Whiskey-Centric Fine-Dining Restaurant Opening Downtown

A new whiskey-centric fine-dining restaurant is coming to downtown Sarasota, the Business Observer reported.

Damn Good Hospitality, a Fort Lauderdale company known for high-end bars and restaurants, will open the new restaurant, Warren, in an 11,500-square-foot space on the second floor of two connected buildings in Five Points at 1400 and 1410 Main Street. It will open above Fit2Run and Sunburn.

"Our extensive whiskey library, the largest in South Florida, will find a fitting home in this landmark location," Damn Good Hospitality CEO Jeff John said in a statement. “Our decision to open in the heart of downtown Sarasota aligns perfectly with our vision of blending local culture with our distinctive offering. The area's small-town Midwest feel, combined with its vibrant downtown district, offers the ideal setting for our next chapter.”

First Watch To Open In Parrish

The Bradenton-based daytime restaurant chain First Watch plans to open a new location in Parrish, the Bradenton Herald reported.

The company filed paperwork with Manatee County Development Services to open the new restaurant at 8740 U.S. 301 N.

This will be the sixth in Manatee County and the first one in the county north of the Manatee River.