New restaurant opens in downtown Sarasota on Main St. specializing in pizza, cocktails

A lively new spot specializing in pizza and cocktails has joined the impressive roster of restaurants in downtown Sarasota.

On Thursday (Jan. 4), Pie on Main began welcoming guests to its prime location at 1507 Main St. I visited on Saturday evening and found a fun, vibrant setting. Similar to the address' previous occupant, Pizza N' Brew, the new restaurant features a long bar and high ceilings, tables and booths, and an open kitchen with a display case showcasing pizzas with various toppings for customers craving a slice.

Keeping the door and front window open to attract passersby on Main Street provides a welcoming touch. Sports fans will discover plenty of large-screen TVs adorning the walls, and I'm told that guests can anticipate live music in the near future.

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Pie on Main opens on Main Street in downtown Sarasota

Pie on Main is the latest opening by Watershed Hospitality Concepts, the locally-owned restaurant group known for its popular dining and drinking establishments in downtown Sarasota, the Rosemary District, and Siesta Key Village. Pie on Main's menu closely resembles Watershed's Siesta Key Village restaurants 3.14 Pi Pizza and Blase Cafe.

In addition to slices, Pie on Main serves small, large, and gluten-free thin-crust pizza pies starting at $15. These can be augmented by the usual array of toppings — pepperoni, anchovies, etc. — as well as chicken, shrimp, and vegan cheese. The restaurant also offers signature pies, such as the Beach Bum (Italian sausage, pepperoni, bacon, and ham) and Hawaiian Hottie (ham, bacon, pineapple, jalapenos, barbecue sauce).

A calzone and stromboli are also available, along with appetizers including the 3.14 Pi Pizza/Blase Cafe favorite Brussels sprouts made with dried cranberries, feta, bacon, honey, and balsamic glaze. There are salads and subs as well, along with another popular item from their Siesta Key restaurants: the baked chicken wings, which can be tossed in hot sauce, garlic Parmesan, teriyaki, barbecue, or the combination known as the "trifecta."

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Pie on Main's cocktail menu draws inspiration from sister restaurant Blase Cafe on Siesta Key

Pie on Main's cocktail menu draws inspiration from Blase Cafe. Signature drinks include The Gold Rush, containing Four Roses bourbon, honey simple syrup, and lemon ($10); and the Sarasota Sunset Mai Tai, made with Bumbu Rum, spiced pear liqueur, orgeat syrup, lemon juice, and Peychaud's Bitters ($12). Beer, including local craft selections, and wine are also available.

“It's going to be a nice gathering place that's sports-forward, with some live music thrown in as well,” Mike Quillen told me in November. "The opportunity came up to take over the old Pizza N' Brew and we loved the location. We don't want to think of it as just a pizza place, though, but as a bar with great pizza and good pub, comfort food with basically the (3.14 Pi Pizza) menu."

Quillen is co-owner of Watershed Hospitality Concepts along with Chip White, David Sessions, and John LaCivita. They now own Pie on Main, Cask & Ale, which is also on Main Street, 3.14 Pi Pizza, Blase Cafe, and Mandeville Beer Garden, which is in the Rosemary District. Quillen said they still plan to transform Mandeville into an oyster bar, but he doesn't have a timeframe for that transition.

In addition to Watershed Hospitality Concepts, Quillen is the co-founder of Gecko's Hospitality Group, which owns the local Gecko's Grill & Pubs, as well as Dry Dock Waterfront Grill on Longboat Key, Dockside Waterfront Grill in Venice, and Tripletail Seafood & Spirits in Sarasota.

It's undeniably a remarkable lineup of local restaurants, with Pie on Main seamlessly fitting into the portfolio as a downtown destination for those who want to savor pizza and wings with cocktails or beer. The energetic setting is ideal for watching sports or simply decompressing after a stressful day of work.

Pie on Main is at 1507 Main St., Sarasota. For more information, call 941-217-6370 or visit pieonmain.com.

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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 [email protected]. Support local journalism by subscribing.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: New restaurant Pie on Main opens in downtown Sarasota