The latest dish on Space Coast restaurants: Comings, goings, awards
The dish on local eateries
Ah, how the tales of restaurants opening, closing, moving and staying, go on.
Take Umami Restaurant and Sushi Bar, one of the stars of higher-end Japanese-style restaurants here, for years located in the Metro West Shopping Center near the intersection of West New Haven Avenue and Wickham Road. The family-run eatery is no stranger to lines snaking out the door and around the corner.
Though its windows may be covered, it isn’t taking an over-long vacation. It isn’t moving. It isn’t closing.
“We are just opening a second location on Eau Gallie (Boulevard) and A1A, where Thai Thai Bistro previously was,” Umami owner-chef Chris Chern said. “It’s going to be fully remodeled. It was an opportunity for us to expand so I took it, and hopefully we can be more convenient for our clientele over the bridge.”
More: Does Mr. 01 Extraordinary Pizza live up to name? It's trying to, and it's charming | Review
Thai Thai Bistro & Sushi was located at 971 E. Eau Gallie Blvd., Indian Harbour Beach.
So that is the story with Umami. The story with that downtown Melbourne stalwart for years, The Dove III, remains less defined.
According to co-owner and chef John Mattiello, a bid to purchase the restaurant was supposed to have been finalized by June 28, but on June 30, his son, co-owner Carlo Mattiello, said the deal has yet to be sealed because of “a little hold-up with the liquor license.”
The story will be followed, as will reports of other restaurants moving, closing, expanding, etc.
Slainte all around
Cheers to Urban Prime, which is a recipient of Wine Spectator magazine’s Award of Excellence 2024. The restaurant has more than 6,000 bottles of wine from vineyards around the world.
And the same to Florida Institute of Technology’s campus dining program, which recently brought back a silver medal in the American Culinary Competition at the University of Massachusetts Chef Culinary Conference.
The university’s Panther grocery also earned the silver medal for Retail Marketplace of the Year in the National Association of College and University Food Services’ Loyal E. Horton Dining Awards.
What's up for sale on Space Coast?
According to www.bizbuysell.com, Brevard restaurants currently on the block include:
“An authentic Italian deli and restaurant” in West Melbourne;
“A turn-key Italian market and bakery” in Melbourne;
“A very profitable Italian restaurant” complete with photo of Lello’s in Rockledge;
Trattoria Bella, in Palm Bay;
“A very modern pizza restaurant” in Titusville;
“The most unique/iconic venue in Brevard County,” which identifies Balibar, in Merritt Island;
“An eclectic jazz and wine bar” located just across from the beach in Indian Harbour Beach;
“An extensive brewing facility with popular restaurant ... brewery and craft beer brand that offers annual production capacity of nearly 11,000 barrels.” No word on precisely where it is located except, “along a major north-south highway.”
Lyn Dowling is a freelance food and lifestyles writer based in Melbourne.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Dig into latest dish on Space Coast restaurants, from sales to awards
