BrickTop’s, Sugar Champagne Bar, Balos, Just Salad: Restaurant Openings, Closings

SARASOTA-BRADENTON, FL — Here's the latest restaurant and bar news from the Sarasota and Bradenton areas:

Popular NYC Salad Chain Opens UTC-Area Location

Subscribe

A New York City-based salad chain has opened in the University Town Center area.

Just Salad is located at 5231 University Pkwy., Unit 113, in Bradenton, in The Market at UTC Sarasota.

The location will celebrate its grand opening Sept. 9-12, the company's website said.

Nashville-Based Upscale Restaurant Chain Coming To UTC Area

An upscale restaurant chain based in Nashville is moving into the greater Tampa Bay area with a new location opening at Sarasota's University Town Center, multiple reports said.

The new BrickTop's restaurant is expected to open at 55 N. Cattlemen Road in the spring, according to the chain's website.

However, the 7,500-square-foot American bistro is more likely to open in mid-to-late summer 2027, BrickTop's project manager Leigh Anne Balsman told the Business Observer.

Upscale D.C. Mediterranean Concept Opening Sarasota Restaurant

An upscale Mediterranean dining concept in Washington, D.C., is expanding into Florida, opening its first location in the state in Sarasota.

Balos, known for a contemporary approach to Mediterranean cuisine, is opening an approximately 7,200-square-foot restaurant at The Edge Sarasota, a luxury condominium development at 290 Cocoanut Ave. in downtown Sarasota, Michael Saunders & Company said in a news release.

The Michelin-selected Balos was created by longtime friends and hospitality entrepreneurs Stefanos Vouvoudakis, Tom Tsiplakos and Joe Ragonese.

UTC-Area Sushi Restaurant Closing After A Decade

A University Town Center-area restaurant, JPan Sushi & Grill, is closing the doors to its current location on Sept. 13, after more than a decade in business, the owners said in a video posted on social media.

The owners promised "it's not a goodbye," as they plan to reopen elsewhere.

"We are working very closely with Benderson [Development,]" to find a new location, they said, adding, "We're not leaving."

Champagne Bar Drops $150 Minimum Tab

The Sugar Champagne Bar, an upscale lounge that opened in downtown Sarasota in March 2025 has dropped its $150 minimum tab per person for reserved seating after just over a year in business.

"From the beginning, we wanted Sugar to be a place where people could enjoy incredible food and Champagne, listen to world-class live music and feel immersed in something different," owner Ronnie Shugar told the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. "Now we're bringing that experience to an even broader Gulf Coast audience."

Bakery Expands Into Lakewood Ranch

A popular Sarasota bakery has expanded into Lakewood Ranch, the Observer reported.

Bread Bandits, known for its sourdough-based baked goods, opened at 8130 Lakewood Main Street on Aug. 1.

The bakery uses a sourdough with an over 120-year history, the report said.

"The starter (a fermented mix of flour and water) has been in the family for over a century," co-owner Jules Thuet said. "My grandmother Jeanne got it from her mother growing up in Alsace, France where our family has had a history of cooking and baking for centuries."

Barbecue Chain Returns To Bradenton

BubbaQue's barbecue chain has returned to Bradenton, opening this summer at 6310 53rd Ave. E., in a space previously home to Taco Bell and Long John Silver's.

"We identified that this was the place that we were going to be and set our roots and be a great servant to the community," owner Tarek Kazbour told the Bradenton Herald. "And give great barbecue and hospitality."