New Middle Eastern fusion street food restaurant is coming to University Town Center
Florence and the Spice Boys, serving Middle Eastern fusion street food, is set to open a 2,500-square-foot restaurant this fall in the West District of University Town Center.
The planned restaurant at 257 N. Cattlemen Road #90, across the street from Barnes & Noble, would be the second for owners Carl Kolber and husband-and-wife team Florence and Steven Schmitt.
The Spice Boys started as a food truck in 2019 and quickly gained a following for their street food, described as visually beautiful and delicious. The owners decided to park the truck permanently and opened their first brick-and-mortar restaurant in March 2023 at The Landings, 4990 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota.
Similar to the original restaurant, the UTC eatery will feature lush greenery and a mix of bohemian and eclectic décor, “weaving rattan and neon to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere,” according to a news release from Benderson Development.
The restaurant will open onto a large patio with an indoor-outdoor bar, where craft cocktails will be served.
The restaurant menu will feature original classics, like the turmeric fried chicken sandwich, vegan falafel pita taco and chicken shawarma taco, plus other elevated dishes.
Middle Eastern fusion restaurant coming to UTC
“It’s hard for us to believe that we are making this announcement; it feels like yesterday we were still in the food truck, dreaming of one restaurant, let alone two,” Florence Schmitt said in the news release.
“We are incredibly excited to get started, truly humbled by the opportunity and more than ready to see our Lakewood Ranch friends more often!” she said.
Other upcoming additions to UTC include Naked Farmer, a farm-to-fork concept scheduled to open this June, and Pura Vida Miami, a health-conscious all-day café opening late summer.
The Benderson-owned UTC includes over 250 specialty stores, 80-plus restaurants, three hotels and over 250,000 square feet of office space.
For more information on University Town Center, visit www.UTCSarasota.com.
