Ticket Editor: Sarasota, Bradenton's most exciting new restaurant is now open
Here's what you need to know about Sarasota-Manatee's most highly anticipated restaurant opening of 2023.
Wade Tatangelo
The wait is finally over for one of the best restaurants in downtown Sarasota to open its highly anticipated second location.
Owen's Fish Camp, which has flourished since debuting in the Burns Court district in 2010, began quietly welcoming guests to its Lakewood Ranch location about a week ago, following a private family and friends event held May 23.
The Southern seafood restaurant is owned by the local Caragiulo family, who are also proprietors of the downtown Sarasota Italian restaurant Caragiulos and Veronica Fish and Oyster in Southside Village. Their new Owen's Fish Camp can be found at Casto's Center Point development in Lakewood Ranch at 6516 University Parkway.
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"We’re very excited to be in Lakewood Ranch," said co-owner Paul Caragiulo during a phone interview Tuesday, May 30. "We're happy and flattered and humbled by the enthusiasm that people seem to have for the place and us being here. It makes the wait worth it."
The Caragiulos announced plans to open their new Owen's Fish Camp in 2020. However, due to the pandemic and construction issues, the opening date had to be pushed back. Now, Caragiulo said, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with "wow" and "oh my gosh" among the most popular responses. "There's nothing like it anywhere," Caragiulo said.
The Lakewood Ranch Owen's Fish Camp is considerably larger than the downtown Sarasota restaurant, housed in a historic cottage, with the new location offering about 5,500 square feet of interior space and an around-2,200-square-foot deck. The restaurant can seat over 150 people, with most of the seating located outside, providing a view of an oak tree and a large pond that evokes the Old Florida charm that's a hallmark of the original.
"Yeah, it's really about the cultural heritage of Old Florida, the down-home Old Florida feel," Caragiulo said. “We want you to be incredibly comfortable in the space."
Caragiulo further mentioned the Lakewood Ranch location is only about 80 percent complete and that its backyard area is "still a couple weeks out” from opening.
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What kind of food does Owen's Fish Camp serve at its new Lakewood Ranch location?
Both Owen's restaurants offer similar menus with a focus on locally sourced seafood. The menu features daily fresh catches of "naked fish," such as grouper or red snapper, prepared through wood grilling, searing, blackening, or butter baking. Additionally, both locations serve signature dishes like the low country boil, which includes snow crab legs, shrimp, mussels, clams, andouille sausage, potatoes, and corn. Southern comfort food is another staple found on both menus, featuring delectable dishes like shrimp and grits, deviled eggs with "redneck caviar" (mustard seeds), and a fried green tomato salad expertly complemented by country ham crisps.
The Lakewood Ranch location of Owen's Fish Camp makes smart use of its additional space, offering enticing menu items that are exclusive to this location. One such selection is the "root beer ribs" with "Georgia peach barbecue sauce," which I am eagerly looking forward to trying during my first visit. Another tempting option is the roast chicken and dumplings served with peas, carrots, mushrooms, and a savory velouté sauce. If you're seeking a superior surf and turf experience, the Lakewood Ranch restaurant appears to have you covered. You can indulge in a wood-grilled hanger steak with onion rings and broccolini, and pair it with a lobster tail. You could also just order the roasted half lobster served with spicy spaghetti, which also sounds like a wise choice.
Yes, even for us longtime fans of Owen's in downtown Sarasota, there are plenty of reasons to venture east and experience the setting in Lakewood Ranch.
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When is Owen's Fish Camp Lakewood Ranch open, do they take reservations and is there live music?
The Owen's Fish Camp in Lakewood Ranch opens at 4 p.m. from Monday to Saturday. They also have plans to welcome guests on Sundays for lunch in the future. Similar to its sister location in downtown Sarasota, the new Owen's does not accept reservations. Although the backyard area is not yet open, the Lakewood Ranch spot is already booking many of the same outstanding folk, country, and blues-based rock acts that contribute to the special experience at the backyard of the Sarasota location. In fact, Frankie Lombardi, a longtime member of Dickey Betts' bands and one of the region's best musicians, has multiple dates booked at both Owen's locations this month.
The Owen's Fish Camp in downtown Sarasota is the only restaurant I recall visiting where I've actually enjoyed waiting 90 minutes or more for a table thanks to the engaging live music, libations (both locations are full-liquor) and delectable snacks for sale — shrimp skewers, grilled oysters and fish dip during my most recent visit — in the backyard area. Caragiulo chose not to discuss specific details about the upcoming opening of the Lakewood Ranch location's backyard area. However, I anticipate that it will undoubtedly offer guests a fun Old Florida experience. Because, truly, that's what has made Owen's Fish Camp a cherished favorite of mine and countless others for over a decade. While many places serve good food, there is simply nothing quite like Owen's.
For more information on the Owen's Fish Camp at 6516 University Parkway in Lakewood Ranch, call 941-951-5052 or visit facebook.com/OwensFishCamp.
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Wade Tatangelo is Ticket Editor for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, and Florida 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.