Fast-casual poke bowl restaurant chain to open new Sarasota County location

Jimmy Geurts, Sarasota Herald-Tribune
·2 min read

Another national restaurant chain based in Florida, this one offering build-your-own poké bowls and more, has further expanded in the Sarasota area.

Island Fin Poké Co. is opening at 997 N. Tamiami Trail in the Nokomis Village shopping plaza, featuring a free bowl day grand opening celebration from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9 before regular business hours start on Monday, Dec. 11. The Orlando-based fast-casual chain already has a location in Sarasota's Centergate Plaza, among other establishments in Florida and several other states.

Marc Van Dam, who has decades of experience in the hospitality industry, will own the Nokomis location along with his wife Kelly. The couple were longtime Naples residents before relocating to the Venice area.

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Island Fin Poké Co., the Orlando-based chain offering signature or build-your-own poké bowls, is opening a new Sarasota County location in Nokomis.
Island Fin Poké Co., the Orlando-based chain offering signature or build-your-own poké bowls, is opening a new Sarasota County location in Nokomis.

“We just absolutely love Venice; it’s kind of like Naples from 25 years ago, but it’s grown so fast," Van Dam said. "We’re healthy people — we like our yoga, we like healthier food options — our area is growing so fast, and there’s just not that many options," Van Dam said.

Like many fast-casual restaurants, Island Fin Poké features both signature and build-your-own options of its main dish, Hawaiian-style poké bowls. Customers can choose a base of white or brown rice or a spring mix; ahi or spicy tuna, regular or Korean barbecue chicken, salmon, shrimp, Spam, octopus or tofu for proteins; and a variety of mix-ins, toppings, and marinating and finishing sauces. It will also offer the Dole Soft Serve dessert.

The restaurant will offer various organic drinks from Tractor Beverage Co., as well as Boombacha Kombucha from Sarasota and coconut water. The location will seat about 32 indoors at barstools and picnic tables, with some additional outdoor seating.

Island Fin Poké Co. is at 997 N. Tamiami Trail in Nokomis.
Island Fin Poké Co. is at 997 N. Tamiami Trail in Nokomis.

Island Fin Poké Co.'s Nokomis location will be open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. daily. For more information, call 941-233-7653 (POKE), or visit islandfinpoke.com or facebook.com/ifpcnokomis.

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

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Restaurant Island Fin Poke Co. to open new Sarasota County location