Ticket Editor: One of Sarasota’s best restaurants opening new Lakewood Ranch location soon
One of the best restaurants in downtown Sarasota is set to open its highly anticipated Lakewood Ranch location soon.
Owen's Fish Camp, known for its fresh seafood, funky Old Florida setting, and twangy live music, has been wildly popular since it first opened in 2010. The restaurant is owned by the local Caragiulo family, who also own the downtown Sarasota Italian restaurant Caragiulos and Veronica Fish and Oyster in Southside Village. In February 2020, they announced plans to open a second Owen's Fish Camp in Lakewood Ranch, at the Casto's Center Point development.
Then the pandemic forced Florida restaurants to close, and the opening was delayed.
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Owen's Fish Camp has new opening date for Lakewood Ranch location
In January, co-owner Paul Caragiulo explained that construction issues also played a factor in the postponed opening and told my colleague, Jimmy Geurts, that they planned to open the Owen's Fish Camp Lakewood Ranch location in March.
On April 3, Owen's Fish Camp posted to social media that they were "still hiring for (their) Lakewood Ranch location." This week, I contacted Caragiulo about when folks, myself included, could expect to see the doors open at his new restaurant at 6516 University Parkway.
“We are hoping for the last week in May,” Caragiulo said via text on April 26.
Fingers crossed it opens soon. I'm looking forward to checking out the new digs and dining on some of their expertly blackned fresh catches, paired with deviled eggs with "redneck caviar" (mustard seeds), the fried green tomato salad, or perhaps a sizable bowl of the spicy collard greens.
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Anna Maria Oyster Bar offering 62 cent margaritas
These days, it's rare to find a lowly draft beer for a buck let alone a mixed drink. But on Wednesday, May 3, the locally owned Anna Maria Oyster Bar group of restaurants will be serving margaritas for a mere 62 cents. It's beloved owner John Horne's annual, "penny-a-year" birthday tradition.
You'll find Anna Maria Oyster Bars at the base of the historic Bridge Street Pier in Bradenton Beach on Anna Maria Island, on U.S. 41 just north of SRQ Airport, in Ellenton and on Cortez Road West. Anna Maria Oyster Bar is also in the process of opening its first Sarasota County locations, at 14132 Tamiami Trail in North Port; with another new location in the works at University Town Center in the former space of Newk's Eatery.
I'm a big fan of AMOB, especially the one on Anna Maria Island, where I had the pleasure of running into John and his lovely wife and business partner Amanda during a recent visit there with my wife, Kristin.
Happy birthday, John!
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RIP Jerry Springer. Thanks for a fun night at Van Wezel!
Just as I was preparing to write this column I learned that famed TV personality and longtime Sarasota resident Jerry Springer died.
I saw him around town quite a bit over the years and he was very kind to me and Kristin and we formally met him in 2013 backstage at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. He was getting ready to host “The Price is Right Live!” We stayed for the show and everyone in the place seemed to have a great time largely due to the charm and wit of Springer.
Here's the obit I wrote for the Herald-Tribune and other USA TODAY Network publications across Florida. He will be missed.
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Wade Tatangelo is Ticket Editor for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, and Florida-Georgia Regional Dining and Entertainment Editor for the USA TODAY Network. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. He can be reached by email at wade.tatangelo@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: One of Sarasota’s best restaurants is opening Lakewood Ranch location
