Restaurant News: Sarasota’s 1st Dog Bar, Rosemary Reopens
SARASOTA-BRADENTON, FL — Here's the latest restaurant and bar news in Sarasota and Manatee counties:
Dog Bar To Open In Sarasota’s Rosemary District
Sarasota’s first dog bar is planned for the city’s Rosemary District.
This summer, Boo’s Ice House & Dog Bar, a dog-centric social club with a bar and restaurant, will open in the historic Ice House building on 10th Street at the edge of the district.
It will offer beer, wine, spirits and comfort food. There’s also a separate “puppy chow” menu of scratch-made dog meals, including dog-safe ice creams, according to a news release.
The concept is the brainchild of co-founder Mindy Kaufman, who saw a need in the Sarasota area for a place designed specifically for dogs and people to spend time together.
“Even just going to the dog park with my dogs is a great outing for me, but we think adding a bar and some food for dog owners can really transform the outing and compound the joy,” she said.
Boo’s offers 3,500 square feet of interior dog space, as well as 2,500 square feet of exterior dog space.
It will be open to non-members looking for a day or night out and non-dog owners, as well.
“We encourage everyone to come even if you don’t have a dog,” she said. “You can pet other people’s dogs, make new friends, and just feed off the joyful energy that dogs bless us with.”
Bradenton Restaurant Hires Robot Server
Anna Maria Island Oyster Bar Landside, located at 6906 14th Street W. in Bradenton, has recently brought in a robot server named Pearl.
It’s the only Anna Maria Island Oyster Bar location to use a robot to deliver food to diners, the Bradenton Herald reported.
Pearl senses objects in its path as it travels throughout the restaurant serving meals. At a few feet high, it has three shelves for carrying entrees. Owner John Horne said they don’t allow the robot to deliver drinks or soup — anything that might spill easily.
Euphemia Haye on Longboat Key Gets New Owner
A longtime Longboat Key restaurant has changed hands. Euphemia Haye’s new owner, Amy Whitt, served as an administrative assistant and later bookkeeper for the barrier island restaurant for nearly 10 years, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reported.
"Now, I'm the owner," said Whitt, 39, of Bradenton. "Recently, I learned the kitchen while working there in the evenings and signed on to be a busser upstairs as well as helping out downstairs; really, just doing a little bit of everything."
The current owners, Chef Ray and wife D’Arcy Arpke, have operated the restaurant since 1980 and say they’re ready to retire.
"We’re both right about 70 and have been doing this 41 years, and quite frankly, I’m tired," Ray said.
The Rosemary Reopens After COVID-19 Closure
Two years after closing its doors because of the COVID-19 pandemic, The Rosemary, located at 411 N. Orange Ave., has reopened in the Rosemary District, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reported.
The restaurant is currently only open for brunch and lunch. Owner George Armstrong said he plans to open The Rosemary for dinner soon.
Armstrong reopened The Rosemary’s sister restaurant, Rosemary & Thyme, earlier in the pandemic. Rosemary & Thyme is currently open for dinner.
Have some bar or restaurant news to share from Sarasota or Manatee counties? Email Tiffany.Razzano@Patch.com.
This article originally appeared on the Bradenton Patch
