Upscale restaurant targets 2027 opening at University Town Center

A new upscale restaurant is targeting a 2027 opening at University Town Center, the shopping and dining district off University Parkway in Sarasota and Manatee counties. BrickTop’s has listed 55 N. Cattlemen Road in Sarasota among its locations on its website, and a sign along University Parkway says the eatery is “coming soon.”

Serving up what it describes as “new American” cuisine, BrickTop’s features sushi, seafood, steaks and sandwiches. It also features appetizers like deviled eggs with sugar bacon, grilled artichokes and tuna tartare, as well as brunch and dessert menus.

The eatery in Sarasota will span 7,500 square feet and is aiming for a mid- to late-summer opening in 2027, Leigh Anne Balsman, project manager for BrickTop's, tells the Business Observer.

BrickTop’s has four restaurants in operation around Florida; one in Naples, another in Miramar Beach and two in the Palm Beach area. A location in Delray Beach is set to open in fall 2026, according to the BrickTop’s website. 

The company is headquartered in Nashville. It was founded in 2006 by restaurateurs Joe Ledbetter and Tom Brunnberg, opening its first location in Naples that June, followed by a second eatery in Nashville in July, the Nashville Business Journal reported in a recent article celebrating the 20th anniversary of BrickTop’s.

Photo by Elizabeth King

At UTC, BrickTop’s will be located near Target by the intersection of University Parkway and North Cattlemen Road. The business is among several new restaurants and retailers under development in the area. Tampa-based restaurants Olivia and On Swann are being built from the ground up along Cattlemen Road near Florida Blue. Both plan to open in 2027, according to Julie Fanning, spokesperson for Benderson Development, which owns the property around UTC. Also coming soon nearby are furniture retailers West Elm and Ikea.

Photo by Elizabeth King

Recent restaurant openings in the area include Blu Kouzina, a Greek restaurant at 295 N. Cattlemen Road, which welcomed diners starting in March; and Yugen, a Japanese “hidden chef’s counter” concept at 190 N. Cattlemen Road, which opened in February.

The property owner of 55 N. Cattlemen Road, where BrickTop’s is opening, is an LLC tied to Benderson Development, which owns and has developed UTC. The district includes more than 200 retailers and over 80 dining options.

This article was updated with the projected square footage and timeframe for opening of BrickTop's and a rendering of the Sarasota restaurant.