Is one of Sarasota's oldest restaurants closing? Here’s what we know after visiting today
This story has been updated:
Sarasota restaurant permanently closed: Owner says ‘time to stop and smell the roses’
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Rumors are swirling that one of Sarasota's oldest restaurants is permanently closing.
A social media post went viral late on Monday (May 13), announcing that the beloved burger and beer joint, Hob Nob Drive-In, located at 1701 N. Washington Blvd., about a mile north of downtown Sarasota, "will be closing after 67 years" and "their last day is this Wednesday (May 15)."
I've happily visited The Hob Nob about once a year for the past two decades. The restaurant typically opens on weekdays around 7 a.m., but when I called several times on Tuesday morning, there was no answer.
As I approached The Hob Nob by car around 10 a.m., the first thing I noticed was that the establishment's iconic sign, easily visible from the highway, was gone.
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Is Hob Nob in Sarasota's permanently closing? Here’s what we know
For as long as I've been visiting Hob Nob, which dates back to shortly after I relocated to Sarasota more than two decades ago, the red and white "Hob Nob Drive In" sign faced south and towered over the single-story, open-air restaurant. Its absence was concerning. On a positive note, there were cars in the parking lot, and I soon noticed customers at the tables and the bar counter, where I grabbed a seat.
I immediately introduced myself as the dining editor of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune to the woman working behind the counter and asked if she or someone else from Hob Nob could speak with me about the closure rumors circulating online. She identified herself as a general manager but declined to comment or provide her name. I inquired if I could speak with one of the three owners: Cary and Debora Spicuzza, or Annette Gargett.
"The owners are here, but we're not discussing it at the moment," she replied. "People will find out tomorrow."
Upon further inquiry about obtaining the story, she mentioned it involved a personal matter. I clarified that I was not interested in reporting on personal matters, only the status of a restaurant that so many people, myself included, adore. With no response, I left my business card with my cell phone number scribbled on it and departed.
Hob Nob is a Sarasota dining icon that opened in 1957
Billed as “Sarasota’s oldest outdoor dining experience,” Hob Nob Drive-In serves one of the city’s most beloved burgers. In recent years, I recall the classic diner-style patty arriving thin and salty, well-done yet juicy, under a blanket of American cheese topped with mayo, mustard, iceberg lettuce, a thick tomato slice, raw white onions, and pickles.
The fluffy white bun, reminiscent of those from childhood backyard cookouts, proved ideal for soaking up the flavors. I have fond memories of the cheeseburger basket arriving with a small side of coleslaw and a pile of comforting crinkle fries. For a slight upcharge, you could replace the fries with onion rings.
People have been eating those cheeseburgers, which have been making our best-of lists for years now, since March 12, 1957. To mark Hob Nob’s 40th anniversary, the Herald-Tribune ran an article noting “in the period of time after World War II, when Sarasota’s Hob-Nob Drive-In restaurant opened, the appeal of drive-in restaurants was growing.”
“As the speeds of cars increased, the design of drive-in restaurants had to become more eye-catching,” Lorrie Muldowney wrote in 1997. “This had the result of buildings so distinctive that they served as their own advertising, often in combination with large neon signs, which could not be avoided. The much-coveted corner lot location added still more to their curbside visibility. Sarasota’s Hob-Nob Drive-In restaurant still has its original neon sign and rectangular building design, allowing parking on all sides.”
The Spicuzza family has owned Hob Nob since 1991, adding chicken, fish, vegetables and salads to the menu, which also includes staples such as hot dogs and handmade shakes. A cold beer is also a popular beverage choice. In 2013, the Spicuzzas renovated the restaurant with a new roof, new awnings, tables and countertops, plus a wall separating the open-air dining area from the traffic on Washington Boulevard. In 2017, a white cargo van slammed into the concrete barrier.
“Thank God we built that new wall about four or five years ago,” restaurant manager (and now co-owner) Annette Gargett told the Herald-Tribune. “That’s why we put that wall there, in case a car did come through here. I’m glad nobody got hurt; the building can be replaced.”
The restaurant, serving burgers since the Eisenhower Administration, reopened for dinner on the same day. On Tuesday morning, when I inquired about the missing sign, the general manager informed me that it was only removed for repairs. Here's hoping Hob Nob will continue serving its famous burgers and beer for a long time to come.
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: Is Hob Nob in Sarasota's permanently closing? Here’s what we know
