Sold! 3 of best waterfront restaurants in Sarasota, Bradenton bought by hospitality group

Three of the best waterfront restaurants in the Sarasota and Bradenton area have been sold .

Longtime Manatee County resident Ed Chiles and his Chiles Hospitality company have announced the sale of Sandbar Seafood & Spirits and Beach House Waterfront Restaurant, their two beachfront dining destinations on Anna Maria Island, as well as Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant & Pub, located on Longboat Key overlooking Sarasota Bay. The sale also includes Anna Maria Bake House and Chiles' events department.

Led by founder and owner Ed Chiles, who has been in the restaurant business for 45 years, Chiles Hospitality will continue to operate Gamble Creek Farms, its 26-acre organic certified farm in Parrish.

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Sandbar, Beach House, and Mar Vista on Anna Maria Island, Longboat Key sold to St. Pete restaurant group

Chiles Hospitality announced the sale late Wednesday (July 17) to Beachside Hospitality, a restaurant group based in Pinellas County. Chiles Hospitality’s 350 restaurant employees have been asked to continue in their current roles, as Beachside Hospitality intends to keep the businesses open and operating as usual, according to a press release.

“This has been a difficult decision, but I know it’s time for me to move on," Chiles said in a statement. "I am passing the torch to new owners who understand the value of our employees and who will carry on the legacy that our team has built together. I leave knowing that the work our team has done together is one of the greatest experiences of my life and we have made a measurable and positive impact in our community.”

Beachside Hospitality Group is based in St. Petersburg and bills itself as “Florida’s Leading Restaurant Management Company.” Their website shows 10 Crabby's locations across the state, including one on Treasure Island and three in Clearwater. They also own Salty’s Island Bar & Grille and The Salty Crab North Beach in Clearwater, with another Salty Crab location in Ft. Myers Beach.

"With over 20 years of experience in the restaurant industry, the team at Beachside Hospitality Group has extensive knowledge in running a successful business," Beachside notes on its website. "Boasting one of the highest employment retention rates around, our management team works to build community and knowledge with every employee.

"Overseeing 13 different restaurants in eight cities throughout the state of Florida, the management group at Beachside Hospitality ensures that every restaurant is staffed with a knowledgeable team, from store level management to servers, bartenders to chefs, and everything in between."

Chiles is looking forward to the next chapter

After 45 years of running three of the most successful restaurants in Manatee County, Chiles said he is looking forward to the next chapter that allows him to spend more time with "his family and new grandson while continuing to be involved in promoting the sustainable projects at Gamble Creek Farms and the environmental causes he is passionate about."

Chiles, the son of former Gov. Lawton Chiles, added, “I have had the pleasure of watching our businesses grow and getting to know the generations of families we have served. I took a beat-up restaurant in a great location and built it into a world-class hospitality company, one that I believe has and will continue to truly make a difference.”

The sale transaction is scheduled to close on July 29, according to the press release. Colliers International is representing Chiles Hospitality in the sale.

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 wade.tatangelo@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing .

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sold! 3 of best waterfront restaurants in Sarasota, Bradenton bought by hospitality group