Noted Manatee waterfront restaurant unveils $1M in renovations

An Anna Maria Island restaurant that has been around for more than 70 years has undergone extensive renovations after changes in ownership and the fall hurricanes. 

Sandbar Seafood + Spirits also has an updated menu and two new ways to dine there, with the addition of an ice cream shop and a beachside ordering window on the site.

Sandbar, at 100 Spring Avenue on the northern end of the island, was established in the late 1940s. It changed hands several times before restaurateur Ed Chiles, son of former Gov. Lawton Chiles and founder of Chiles Group, purchased Sandbar in 1979 with partners. He spearheaded renovations at the restaurant from 2010 to 2012.

In August 2024, Beachside Hospitality acquired Sandbar in addition to two other waterfront restaurants, Mar Vista on Longboat Key and Beach House in Bradenton Beach, which were also owned by Chiles Group. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. (Beachside paid $31 million for the real estate, Manatee County records show.)

Renovations at Sandbar were also already in progress at the time of the acquisition, and the new owners had “some long-term goals as far as additions we wanted,” Beachside Hospitality Director of Marketing Julia Cassino says. “Obviously, the hurricane opened up those opportunities to become more short-term goals,” Cassino says at a May 14 media event unveiling the updates.

After Hurricane Milton, she says, sand was shin-height inside Sandbar. The restaurant closed following the Oct. 9 hurricane until November, the Business Observer reported previously.

In the months since, the interior has been updated with new flooring, furniture and lighting in the main dining areas as well as all new bar and kitchen equipment, which has been reengineered for higher efficiency. Natural wood in addition to nautical colors and design details reflect the eatery's coastal surroundings.

Photo by Codey Phillips Photography

The Sandbar menu has gotten some updates too, with the addition of Beachside Hospitality Group’s signature Bairdi crab, royal red shrimp and red grouper.

New privacy fencing and updated lighting were installed outside around the beachfront event venue, which can seat up to 180 people, and the restaurant’s entrance was repaved and refreshed with new signage, paint and guest seating. The retail space was also expanded with resort wear, gifts and Sandbar-branded merchandise.

The renovations cost “well over $1 million,” Beachside Hospitality Group CEO Greg Powers tells the Business Observer.

“It was important to us that we rebuild with a purpose and prioritize the guest experience in the process,” Powers says in a statement. "We wanted a fresh, vibrant look, but without losing the charm that’s made this beachfront favorite so beloved for decades.”

Among the new offerings are a walk-up window for beachgoers open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. called Beachside Bites offering breakfast and light fare items as well as smoothies.

“We realized there just weren’t many healthy, quick breakfast options on the island — and since the market concept was already in development, it felt like the perfect opportunity to fill that gap," Powers says in a statement. "The response has already been great. As demand picks up, we plan to expand both our hours and the menu."

Photo by Codey Phillips Photography

Inside Sandbar, there is a new section near the entrance called Sweet Willy’s Ice Cream Shoppe, open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., serving small-batch ice cream, handmade waffle cones, sundaes and milkshakes. It is named for Powers’ daughter, Sylvia, whose nickname was Silly Willy. This marks the first location on the Gulf Coast for Beachside Hospitality Group’s Sweet Willy’s, which has three locations on Florida’s East Coast.

Powers says his company spent “in the millions” of dollars renovating Mar Vista, Beach House and Sandbar after the hurricanes.

Through the updates, all the waterfront restaurants have retained their unique characters, according to Beachside Hospitality Group.

“Our goal is not to come in and completely change the legacy that [Chiles] built,” Cassino says. “Our goal is to build upon and to continue that legacy. … We just want to continue growing in the communities that we serve.”

Beachside Hospitality Group operates 15 restaurants, mostly on the water, around Florida. The company, which is based in St. Petersburg, employs nearly 1,200 staff. It had $70.2 million in revenue in 2023, Powers previously told the Business Observer.