Bradenton Beach could be saying “arrivederci” to the typical pier restaurant.
City commissioners are considering proposals from five potential concessionaires for the next restaurant on the Historic Bridge Street Pier. Four ideas for replacing Roland Pena’s evicted Cast-n-Cage Restaurant focus on the menu: Italian, seafood and sushi. One simply promises “great food at a great price.”
The Italian offering comes from Richard Foresta of Colorado, who owns several Apeizza restaurants. Foresta, who has been vacationing in the Sarasota/Bradenton area for about 30 years, was in Bradenton Beach in June and saw that the pier restaurant was closed, his manager/partner Branka Prodanovic said in a July 15 phone interview.
As he started thinking about renting the facility, before flying back home Foresta went to city hall and met with Mayor Jack Clarke.
Foresta was represented at a July 14 commission workshop by business partner Mike Hartnett of Clearwater. Bradenton Beach would be the third company-owned Apeizza restaurant. There also is one franchisee.
Meanwhile, John Horne proposed expanding Anna Maria Oyster Bar, his popular Bradenton restaurant concept, back to the island, where he began. Horne operated at the Anna Maria City Pier and also worked many years ago for Fast Eddie’s Place.
Bradenton Beach Marina owner Michael Bazzy proposes to follow his “Shrimp Louie’s” menu from the restaurant he operated at the marina in the 1990s.
Kam Sourivongs, owner of Island Sushi & Grill of Tampa, also made a proposal.
Paradise Boat Tours also made a proposal, but the goal for owner Sherman Baldwin was to get commissioners’ attention about the company’s desire for the pier retail space. The RFP for that structure may come later if it is not awarded to a restaurateur. Baldwin acknowledged Foresta and Horne’s prominence as restaurateurs and did not include a menu in his proposal.
Commissioners will meet to begin the decision process for the next concessionaire at their regular meeting at noon Thursday, July 23, at city hall, 107 N. Gulf Drive, Bradenton Beach.
Hartnett said patrons of an Apeizza restaurant would come to expect “beautiful, New York-style pizza” if commissioners say “Salute!” and choose his company for the pier.
The restaurant’s menu lists salads, antipasto, pizza, pasta, sandwiches and desserts.
“It’s a little tough in Florida to find a good slice,” Hartnett said after the meeting. “You gotta have your pasta in there. You’ve got to have your kid-friendly meal. You’ve got to take care of the kids. It’s a family restaurant and, of course, we want to have our wines in there, also.”
While the interior of the main pier structure is small — approximately 1,900 square feet — for a restaurant, there are outdoor dining tables.
Expanding Apeizza to the pier would mean downsizing and finding other revenue streams. “We’re definitely going to have delivery,” Hartnett said. “Delivery and takeout is going to be big.”
“Everyone loves to eat on the water,” Hartnett said. “You can’t get around that. Parking is a challenge.” But, he added, the island trolley, taxis and other forms of nontraditional transportation would help alleviate parking problems.
Hartnett also pledged to address the commissioners’ priorities for a city-owned facility adjacent to the Pines Trailer Park.
“It’s all about the community,” Hartnett said. “The community wants to have breakfast. We’re going to have breakfast. We make our own pastries and go all day.”