New Restaurants and Business Changes in Siesta Key Village

Walk Ocean Boulevard today and you can count at least three signs that weren't there a year ago. A tiki bar with a walk-up window, added this spring. A poke shop with a mural of Siesta Beach painted across the back wall, open since last summer. A doner and deli counter tucked into the Siesta Center, open around the same time. New restaurants come and go here every season, and the churn usually feels routine.

But look at who actually signed each lease, and the story splits into two very different threads. One belongs to a couple who moved here from Europe with a five-day marinade recipe and no restaurant group behind them. The other belongs to the same two names that already own three of the Village's best-known addresses. The openings reflect different ownership arrangements in the Village.

An Independent Opening: Duo Doner & Deli

According to Siesta Sand, chef Jakub Skoczylas and his wife Maja Rakowiecka opened The Duo Doner & Deli last August at 5049 Ocean Boulevard, across from Davidson Plaza, with no prior restaurant footprint on the Key. Skoczylas trained in Sweden under a Michelin chef, worked in Croatia and the U.K., and most recently served as executive sous chef at the exclusive Founders Club before they opened a fast, honest place to grab breakfast, lunch, or a late snack on the way back from the beach.

The doner itself is built from a recipe Skoczylas picked up from Turkish friends in the U.K., adapted with what he calls a touch of every country he's cooked in. As reported by Siesta Sand, Skoczylas said, "It takes five days to double marinate," describing a process he guards closely. The menu also runs a full deli side, coffee, paninis, waffles, smash burgers, and hot dogs, aimed squarely at beachgoers who want something quick without sitting down. That same August, Sarasota Magazine named it one of the city's best new restaurants.

Duo Doner is an independent opening, run by the two people named above.

The Fourth Name: Siesta Poke

Three blocks away at 5204 Ocean Boulevard, next door to Made in Rome Organic Gelato, Siesta Poke opened that same August with a similar pitch: fresh, fast, build-your-own bowls for people who want something healthy after a day in the sun. Reviews in the year since have been strong, and the concept fits the Village's appetite for quick counter service.

Siesta Poke is owned by Chris Brown and Mike Granthon, whose company, Above the Bar Hospitality Group, already owns and manages Summer House Steak & Seafood, The Cottage, and The Hub in Siesta Key Village. Siesta Poke is the group's fourth concept in the Village, with a different cuisine and meal occasion.

The group has a notable presence in the Village. Here are the addresses:

• Summer House Steak & Seafood, 149 Avenida Messina
• The Cottage, 153 Avenida Messina
• The Hub, 5148 Ocean Boulevard
• Siesta Poke, 5204 Ocean Boulevard

Four addresses, two owners. Duo Doner sits outside that list entirely.

Big Tiki Lounge at Siesta Key Beach Resort and Suites

Not every new sign fits the group-versus-independent frame. According to Siesta Sand, Big Tiki Lounge opened on May 23, 2026, in front of Siesta Key Beach Resort and Suites at 5311 Ocean Boulevard. It's a walk-up window operation with outdoor seating for about 70 people, several large TVs, and live music on a regular schedule. Hours run 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, and the drink list covers craft and domestic beer, wine, and specialty cocktails.

This one belongs to the resort itself, not to a restaurant group and not to an independent chef. It gives resort guests and nearby residents an on-site option along Ocean Boulevard, without fitting either side of the ownership question.

The Plaza Tells the Same Story in Retail

The pattern isn't limited to restaurants. According to Siesta Sand, a Tommy Bahama store moved into Siesta Village Plaza's corner space, bringing a national apparel brand into a stretch of Village retail that has historically leaned local and independent. Meanwhile, Comfort Shoes Birkenstocks & More, a family-owned business that has served Sarasota for more than 30 years, relocated within the same plaza into the former Edward Jones space next to Rochelle's on Siesta. The two changes place a national apparel brand and a long-standing local retailer in the same plaza as leases turn over.

What Doesn't Change: The Calendar and the Bridge

Two things happening this fall have nothing to do with who owns what.

The Siesta Key Crystal Classic, the Village's annual sand sculpting festival, returns November 13 through 16, 2026, according to the Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce. It's one of the few traditions on the Key that isn't tied to any single business or ownership group. It belongs to the whole community, and it draws both longtime residents and visitors to the same stretch of beach every year regardless of who's running the restaurant next door.

On the practical side, repairs began on Siesta Key's North Bridge in March 2026, with the Florida Department of Transportation outlining its protocol for the work. If you cross that bridge regularly, whether on your way to the Village for dinner or just heading off the Key, it's worth checking current conditions before you plan a trip during peak hours.

Recent Business Changes in Siesta Key Village

The Village's recent changes include an independent deli and doner shop, another concept from a restaurant group, and a resort bar. These are different kinds of businesses and ownership arrangements within the Village.

For residents and visitors, those differences add up to a changing mix of places to eat, shop, and spend time.

Let's Talk

If you're already living the Siesta Key rhythm and just wanted to know what changed since your last walk down Ocean Boulevard, we hope this helped. And if a conversation about the Village, or any corner of Sarasota, ever turns toward buying or selling, the team at First Light Real Estate is always happy to talk it through. Let's Talk.