Sarasota Blaze Pizza to give away free pizza all day Friday

A new pizzeria will be tossing up free pies all day Friday.

Blaze Pizza opens Thursday at 215 N. Cattlemen Road, University Park, beside Jos. A Bank, but on Friday from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., the restaurant will give away free pizzas all day long. 

At the company's last opening, it gave away 1,300 pizzas, according to a spokeswoman.

Don't think you're walking out with an extra large Pizza Hut pizza. Blaze Pizza makes pizza pies that are 11 inches and thanks to their oven, bakes in 180 seconds. Customers make their way through an assembly line, kind of like Chipotle. All pizzas are $8 and under.

Sounds similar? Blaze Pizza is a lot like Rise Pies that opened inside the Mall at University Town Center across the street in October.

The University Park store is its first in Tampa Bay and Southwest Florida. A Gainesville location opened earlier this month and the first in Florida opened last year in Fort Lauderdale. The company's first restaurant opened Aug. 6, 2012, in Irvine, Calif.

The company was founded by Elise and Rick Wetzel (co-founder of Wetzel’s Pretzels).

Read more about Blaze Pizza in Thursday's Bradenton Herald.

Chicken Kitchen targets Nov. 15 soft opening

Manatee County's first Chicken Kitchen expects to have a soft opening Nov. 15.

The restaurant shared the news on its Facebook page late Tuesday night:

Post by Chicken Kitchen - Tampa Bay.

Chicken Kitchen will be located beside Tijuana Flats in the Kohl's anchored shopping center at 5215 University Parkway. Brothers-in-law Gris Bettle and Justin Mattina of Bradenton are the franchise owners overseeing the fast-casual spot.

Chicken Kitchen, based in Miami, is known for its hour-long grilling process and aims to give a more personable experience than the cafeteria-line fast food restaurants. The signature items include Chop-Chop, a diced chicken that has a distinct chopping sound customers hear while in line. It also offers Wrapitos, which are grilled tortilla wraps.

Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2014/04/02/5080430/manatee-natives-opening-chicken.html#storylink=cpy

Sean Murphy sells Eat Here in Sarasota to World of Beer

Sean Murphy. File Photo

Accomplished chef Sean Murphy, owner of the Beach Bistro and Eat Here in Holmes Beach, has sold his downtown Sarasota Eat Here location to World of Beer.

Eat Here, which also has a location on Siesta Key, offers affordable cuisine and drinks compared to Beach Bistro's fine dining. The Sarasota location at 1800 Main Street recently upgraded its rooftop bar to include a spiral staircase outdoors.

Murphy announced the deal on Eat Here's Facebook page Monday morning:

A big thank you to all our patrons at our Sarasota downtown location over the past few years. We're pleased to announce that World of Beer made us a compelling offer, and will be the new operators at this site on Main St. They will be an exciting new addition to downtown Sarasota. Our other Eat Here locations on Anna Maria Island and Siesta Key will continue serving great chef-crafted cookery.

Murphy later sent out a news release explaining the changes:

"World of Beer contacted us with an unsolicited but very compelling offer to buy out our lease. The offer was attractive enough we could not refuse it. They are significantly extending the term of the lease and will be an excellent fit for the location.” 

"The Eat Here family's smaller restaurants on Anna Maria Island and Siesta Key will continue offering chef-focused, chef-crafted, coastal cookery at their island locations." 

"The World of Beer will do very well at the fountain and urban park location at Links and Main. There is a momentous excitement brewing in the neighborhood now with the opening of McCurdy's comedy store. The World of Beer will be a great addition to a refreshed entertainment district." 

Sean Murphy explained the change to World of Beer as a perfect fit for the location. 

"Eat Here is about great food, first and foremost. Our personal service style and chef-crafted menu creations are better suited to a smaller space. Most of the senior Eat Here staff will be offered positions at our other restaurants. Their presence will strengthen our performance on the two islands. We have been offered promising smaller premises in St Pete and Tampa.” 

"I am pleased that we have a great tenant for the Kauffman family. Dr Kauffman is a true gentlemen. He has always treated us graciously and generously. I will miss him. He loves our blue tomato soup. I have promised him that every month I will bring him a quart."

Dean Lambert, one of the managing partners of the World of Beer on University Parkway is excited about the new location. 

“ It will be an excellent showcase for our extensive offerings of craft beer and our new food menu. World of Beer will be opening on Main in the early fall.”

The World of Beer location will be operated by managing partner Dean Lambert, who oversees both the University Park World of Beer location and a new one at 497 Cortez Road in Bradenton that is expected to open during the third quarter. Restaurants in Sarasota Facebook page was the first to report that the Eat Here would be sold to World of Beer, back on June 9, citing anonymous industry sources. Lambert teased about the Sarasota Main Street location with a banner during the Lucky Dog Craft Beer Expo at McKechnie Field in May.

The release goes on to say that World of Beer will also co-sponsor Beach Bistro's Culinary Winter Carnival in January 2015, adding beer craftsmen to the mix of winemakers, chef bartenders and best chefs of the south.

World of Beer got its start in Tampa's Westchase neighborhood. Scott Zepp and Matt LaFon started the concept in 2007, and the company's first franchise opened at 8217 Tourist Center Drive in University Park. The 50th location opened in Brandon last year. The company will see about 20 locations open this year throughout the country.

The bar carries more than 500 craft beers, has its own smartphone app and offers a loyalty program. It started serving food at select locations. The Bradenton one will be among those that feature "tavern fare."

During a media tour I participated in for Eat Here and Beach Bistro in 2012, Murphy said then that he wasn't sure what he was going to do with the upstairs area, but it was included with the deal, when he took over the space and he was intent on marking it work.

Merchants on the eastern end of Main Street in Sarasota have been trying to get more foot traffic there to help businesses. Across the street, Ker's WingHouse Bar & Grill opened earlier this month after Half Shell Oyster House moved last year to University Park and rebranded as Half Shell Seafood House, in part because of the low foot traffic.

Several up-and-coming restaurants targeting Florida for growth

LAS VEGAS--Several retail and restaurant chains are looking to expand into Florida this year, as long as they can find the right deal.

A summer Retail & Restaurant Expansion Guide published by Cassidy Turley shows both what mainstay companies are looking to do and up-and-coming restaurants and stores that are ready to grow.

As much as there are mom-and-pop restaurants, Florida is a breeding ground for chain restaurants. You have companies like Hooter’s, Outback, Bonefish Grill, Red Lobster, First Watch, PDQ and others all get their start here before going national.

Here is a run-down of who’s looking to come to Florida or grow beyond what they already have here. Which ones would you like to see in the Bradenton area?

• Burger 21. Founded by Melting Post owners, it’s a new burger concept that has 12 locations open plus 18 franchise locations with several in Florida. Sarasota Melting Pot franchise owners Barry Berkowitz and Brian Marshall signed on to develop a Sarasota location but so far no movement.
• Chuck’s Steakhouse. The Ft. Lauderdale steakhouse has been around since 1959 and opened one new location last year bringing its total up to 13 and would like to grow nationally.
• Chuy’s Tex-Mex. The chain has 50 locations with three more planned for this year and wants “strong growth” in Florida as it also eyes California, Indiana and Virginia.
• The Counter Burger. Based in Culver City, Calif., this family restaurant known for custom built burgers serves about 100 and has 15 locations planned this year and wants to continue in Florida.  It has locations in Aventura, Miami International Airport and Naples.
• Elevation Burger. The Arlington, Va., company do fast casual burgers in shopping center locations and has 46 restaurants so far with 15 planned this year, including in Florida. Its only Sunshine State location is Miami Lakes.
• F20.  Short for Fresh To Order, this new restaurant has 11 locations in Georgia and Tennessee and has two planned in the coming year, setting its sights on Florida and North Carolina. Its first Florida location is now open in Waterford Lakes—east of Orlando.
• Firebirds Wood Fired Grill. Based in Charlotte, N.C., this restaurant has 36 locations so far since starting in 2000. The company recently expanded into Florida and are looking for more locations and have 10 planned for this year. They seat around 200 and the average per person check ranges $10 to $30.
• Flame Broiler. Its recently opened Orlando restaurant is the chains’ third Florida locations, with about 150 restaurants around the country and plans for three new locations this year. Two other Florida locations are in Jacksonville.
• Garbanzo Mediterranean Grill. Based in Centennial, Col., this Mediterranean restaurant has 30 locations with 20 planned this year. Its first Florida location opened November 2013 in Boca Raton and has plans for Miami-Dade and Broward counties so far.
• Girraffas. Making the jump from Brazil, the grilled burgers and steak restaurant is going global and opened its first U.S. locations in Ft. Lauderdale a few years ago and added a second location there along with another now open in Coral Springs. Girraffas wants to continue growing in the southeast.
• Grimaldi’s Pizzeria. The brick-oven pizza joint already has three locations in Tampa Bay and the Scottsdale, Ariz., company wants to grow with five locations in the coming year, beyond its 31 established locations.
• Hot Head Burritos. The Kettering, Ohio, burrito joint wants to dominate Florida after having 58 locations open, with 10 planned in the coming year. Its only Florida location is in Mary Esther.
• Leoni’s Pizzeria. They’re small, but the Fort Myers company has big ambitions to grow. They have also have a location in Naples and recently entered North Carolina. They’ve been around since 1956. What took so long?
• Lime Fresh Mexican Grill. Based in Maryville, Tenn., the chain already has several Florida locations including St. Petersburg and Tampa though they only have 28 locations in the U.S.
• Mooyah Burger & Fries. This brand-new company wants to start off with 60 locations in the next 12 months, including Florida, North Carolina and Washington, D.C. It wants to open 450 restaurants in 10 years.
• Nature’s Table Café. Based in Orlando, the fast casual chain has been in business since 1978 and recently moved into our nation’s capital. Two new locations are planned this year and look for more in Florida as well as other states.
• Pizza Patron. The cheeky Dallas-based company makes headlines in addition to pies. The company’s Spanish language ad was banned from radio networks in the Dallas market because well, they weren’t in English. Pizza Patron has 105 locations with plans for 25 more this year.
• RedBrick Pizza. The brick oven pizza company says they can cook your pizza in three minutes. Based in California, RedBrick already plopped down in Naples, Destin and Panama City Beach.
• Shula Burger. With five restaurants so far, legendary Dolphins coach Don Shula wants to grow beyond Florida and into major metro areas. The Shula restaurants are based in Ft. Lauderdale and its only Gulf Coast location is inside Tampa International Airport.
• The Tin Fish. The fast casual seafood restaurant known for localizing its menus  only has 12 locations and has two planned this year and wants to grow in Florida, California, Indiana and Minnesota. They have locations in Okeechobee, two in Port St. Lucie and another in West Palm Beach.
• YaYa’s Flame Broiled Chicken. Has 14 locations and plans for two new restaurants in coming years and looks to grow in Florida and Michigan. YaYa’s is in Clearwater and St. Petersburg so far in the Sunshine State.
• Zinburger Wine & Burger Bar. The Arizona-based burger restaurant has three locations planned for this year, including one at the Mall at University Town Center, and wants to expand in South Florida. Zinburger has 45 restaurants nationwide.

Bradenton's first LongHorn Steakhouse opens Monday

Photo provided

Bradenton’s first LongHorn Steakhouse is expected to open this morning.

The Darden Restaurant-owned chain will cut the ribbon at 10 a.m. before opening to the public at 4502 14th St. W. Crews demolished the former Los Cabos Mexican Restaurant to construct the LongHorn.

Rob Pere, a nine-year employee of LongHorn, will be the managing partner.

The 6,450-square-foot restaurant seats 240 people and serves steaks, seafood, chicken and has a full bar in its American West theme.

This is Bradenton’s first LongHorn and the two closest to here are in Sarasota on Fruitville Road and on the corner of Gulf Gate Drive and U.S. 41.

Regular hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and close at 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

If you haven’t been to a LongHorn in awhile, here are some specials they’re running:


• Winter Peak Season menu – The winter Peak Season menu changes four times a year and features fresh flavors of the season. Guests can enjoy new items, like Garlic Mussels, Winter Brie Salad, Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto and Praline Pecan Butterscotch Pudding.

• Chef’s Showcase menu – The Chef’s Showcase menu allows for some Executive Chefs’ culinary inspiration and creativity. The new menu currently features the Blue Crab & Meyer Lemon Filet – Flo’s Filet grilled and served on a bed of grilled asparagus, topped with lump blue crab and finished with Meyer lemon & smoky paprika hollandaise sauce. The second dish, Blackened Salmon & Cheddar Grits, features a hand-cut Atlantic salmon blackened and seared, served on a bed of creamy cheddar grits and finished with a citrus butter sauce.

• Steakhouse Dinner for Two – For $29.99, diners have a choice of an appetizer or dessert to share; two hand-chopped salads and two entrees of your choice. Seven entrees to choose from, including the new Garlic Portabella Sirloin, Bacon Wrapped Sirloin, LongHorn Salmon and Grilled Chicken Stuffed Portabella, among others.