PigFish, Little Jo-To, Allswell, Arts & Central: Restaurant, Bar News

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

Arts & Central Opens in Rosemary District

A new 6,200-square-foot restaurant, Arts & Central, opened Feb. 19 in the Rosemary District.

It’s the anchor eatery for a new development called Parkside, according to Sarasota magazine.

The father-and-son business partners have always dreamed of opening a restaurant.

“It’s always been our hot tub conversation over chardonnay,” Dan Henson Jr. said. “No matter what we’re talking about, it always leads back to opening a restaurant.”

Gastropub Opening in Waterside Place

A new gastropub, Allswell, will open in Lakewood Ranch’s Waterside Place.

Co-owner Tory Delany told the Sarasota Herald-Tribune that the restaurant is expected to open by September.

She moved to Lakewood Ranch in 2022 and after seeing the growth, realized there was a market for “high-energy” restaurants with “excellent service (and) top-quality food” that might normally be found in places like New York City.

"Not to say that we didn’t experience that down here, but that we saw with such a rapidly growing community that there was room for many other restaurants and bars to open here to accommodate all of the new residents of Lakewood Ranch and the surrounding areas,” Delany said.

PigFish Co-Founder Leaves Restaurant

Renowned chef and PigFish co-founder Steve Phelps has left the new restaurant, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reported.

The counter-service eatery opened in November in Calusa Brewing.

"After much heartbreak and decision making, I'm sad to announce that I am no longer affiliated with PigFish at Calusa Brewing," Phelps, who is also the owner and chef of downtown Sarasota’s Indigenous wrote in a Feb. 20 social media post. "I will continue to educate our community and the world about the importance of seafood sustainability, and I look forward to sharing more with everyone very soon."

Little Jo-To Opening in Bradenton

Months after the closing of Jo-To Japanese Steakhouse near the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport, the restaurant’s former chef has a new project.

Van Tran and his wife, Krits Tran, began welcoming guests to Little Jo-To, 5911 53rd Ave. E., on Feb. 13, the Bradenton Herald reported.

The restaurant serves traditional Japanese dishes.