Popular Sarasota, Bradenton waterfront restaurant now open after being closed for months

One of the best waterfront restaurants in Sarasota and Bradenton has reopened after being closed for the past five months.

Cortez Kitchen, nestled along the north Sarasota Bay in the historic commercial fishing village of Cortez, closed following the retirement of proprietor Joe Oelker. A cherished Old Florida landmark in west Manatee County, Cortez Kitchen has been a destination for fresh seafood, strong cocktails, and live music for over two decades. I've happily frequented the place since 2004.

The Kitchen's closure in August, initially seeming indefinite or, worse, permanent, shocked and saddened many, myself included. Today, however, all is right in this salty corner of the world, with the new and improved — but still funky — Cortez Kitchen welcoming guests now during a soft opening that started Monday, Jan. 8.

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Here's what to expect at newly reopened Cortez Kitchen ahead of grand opening

“We had a perfect day," said General Manager Adam Sears by phone on Tuesday, Jan. 9. "The hardcore regulars all came in yesterday and are all so happy that we did what we did. They love everything."

While Oelker was the proprietor of the Cortez Kitchen business, the waterfront land on which it sits has long been owned by John Banyas. Born and raised in Cortez and on Anna Maria Island, Banyas is a fourth-generation commercial fisherman whose many endeavors include owning and operating the Cortez businesses Swordfish Grill — another one of my favorite waterfront restaurants — Cortez Bait & Seafood fish market, and N.E. Taylor Boatworks full-service boat yard. Banyas' Swordfish Grill staff, led by general managers Lily Banyas (his daughter) and Sears, are overseeing Cortez Kitchen, located next door to Swordfish.

"People can expect an upgraded version of what Cortez Kitchen has always offered: the same Old Florida charm with live music on the weekends and a new flair of flavor on the menu," Sears said.

For as long as I can recall, Cortez Kitchen has been a mostly open-air structure with a covered bar and dining room area, receiving its only air conditioning from electric fans and sea breezes coming off Sarasota Bay. That charming aspect has not been altered.

There have been changes, though. These include everything from a smoking ban and renovated restrooms to ensure a more family-friendly environment to various measures to make the restaurant more efficient, such as the option for guests to order and pay at the table from their mobile device.

The Kitchen's two-decade-old bar, which was rotting, has been replaced by another wood bar with a new refrigerator behind it. There's a new sound system for the live music acts, and sports fans will be able to watch the NFL playoffs and every single Tampa Bay Lightning hockey game this season, as well as Tampa Bay Rays baseball games starting in the spring. Sears is most excited about Cortez Kitchen's actual kitchen, though, which now boasts a bunch of brand-new, first-rate equipment, including a smoker.

"Now we can serve smoked wings, smoked mullet, smoked anything you want," Sears said.

Cortez Kitchen's menu now features familiar favorites alongside enticing new appetizers and entrees

Yes, the menu now features several new items, including smoked wings ($16) and sesame Brussels sprouts ($14) among the appetizers, as well as entrees like jumbo scallops with lemon Parmesan risotto ($28) or braised short rib with truffle mashed potatoes and veggies ($26). At its core, though, Cortez Kitchen's menu remains the same, centered around fresh seafood dishes such as the restaurant's beloved Buffalo grouper bites, blackened mahi-mahi sandwich, and a steamer pot filled with local delicacies like crab, clam, and shrimp

"There's something for everyone, including the fishermen on lunch break from the boatyards," Sears said. "The burger is very good, the honey-butter chicken sandwich is excellent, and we brought back the fried okra and royal red peel-n-eat shrimp. There will be specials like gator, fresh daily catches such as snapper and pompano — the sky’s the limit with our new smoker and steamer."

Cortez Kitchen welcomes back its favorite music acts

Cortez Kitchen's live music calendar is already filling up with longtime favorites, including the Bradenton-based, nationally acclaimed blues band Doug Deming & The Jewel Tones. When I saw Deming performing at the Kitchen in early August, the mood was bittersweet at best.

Now, Deming and The Jewel Tones will return to Cortez Kitchen for the restaurant's grand opening on Jan. 14, where they will perform from 4 to 7 p.m. It should be a joyous experience marked by singing, dancing, drinking, and dining along the working docks of Cortez, one of the last viable commercial fishing villages left in Florida.

Cortez Kitchen is at 4528 119th St. W., Cortez. For more information, call 941-900-1506 or visit cortezkitchenfl.com.

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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: Waterfront restaurant Cortez Kitchen now open after being closed