Downtown Sarasota restaurant with 17 years of history opens new location

After nearly two decades at the same downtown Sarasota space , a restaurant has expanded farther locally.

Utamaro recently opened in Punta Gorda at 615 Cross St., Unit 1114 in the Benderson Development-owned Cross Trails Center. It is the second location for the restaurant specializing in sushi and other Asian cuisine, with its downtown Sarasota location opening 17 years ago at 1900 Main St., Unit 107. (Before that, it was located on St. Armands Circle.)

Brian Young, co-owner of both Utamaro locations — taking over the downtown Sarasota restaurant in 2018 — said he had been looking to open a second location farther south.

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"Originally, I wanted to go down to Venice or North Port," Young said. "But the further we went, we saw this Punta Gorda area. It’s a very good location, and there’s opportunity for us."

Utamaro specializes in sushi, sashimi and other seafood, with dishes such as the Hamachi Crazy, made with yellowtail; Hotategai jumbo scallops; and Unagi Don, grilled eel on top of a bed of rice. However, it offers numerous non-seafood dishes as well, including vegetarian sushi rolls, orange chicken, and kung pao and teriyaki stir fry.

The restaurant does not have a liquor license, but does serve beer and wine, including sake. It currently seats about 60 inside, Young said, with plans of adding around 20 more seats outdoors once the restaurant is open longer and season comes closer.

The new, 2,100-square-foot Utamaro location joins other restaurants in Cross Trails Center such as Elena's, Beef 'O' Brady's and Jersey Mike's Subs, as well as other businesses including Bealls Outlet and Anthony's Ladies Apparel.

Utamaro's Punta Gorda location is open 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 1-8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For more information, call 941-347-8107 or visit utamarosushibar.com . Its downtown Sarasota location is open 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5-9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5-9:30 p.m. Friday, 1-9:30 p.m. Saturday and 1-9 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call 941-366-0095 or visit utamarosushibar.com .

Email entertainment reporter Jimmy Geurts at jimmy.geurts@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing .

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Downtown Sarasota restaurant with 17 years of history opens new location