Midwest scratch-kitchen restaurant brand to make Florida debut at UTC

A restaurant popular in Ohio is coming to University Town Center, the rapidly expanding retail, dining and entertainment center outside Lakewood Ranch in Sarasota. Kitchen Social has five locations in the Buckeye State serving brunch, lunch and dinner through its scratch-kitchen concept. It plans to open at UTC by the first day of 2026, according to Kitchen Social founder Brian O’Malley.

Kitchen Social will occupy a 4,270-square-foot space in the West District at UTC, next to Rocco’s Tacos, according to Julie Fanning, a spokesperson for UTC owner Benderson Development. The restaurant will go where Rusty Bucket used to be.