This Bradenton bistro vanished a few years ago. Now it’s back, and customers respond

Diners really missed EnRich Bistro the past four years.

So much so that when chef and owner Rich Knowles opened the reborn, reimagined restaurant at 5239 Manatee Ave. W., on Friday, May 10, he had a full house.

Then on Sunday, he served more than 400 guests for Mother’s Day.

Although it was the culmination of a two-year building project in a new location, “it was a mad dash to the finish,” Knowles said.

Fortunately, even with so many diners on Sunday, everything went smoothly, he said.

Knowles closed an earlier, smaller incarnation of EnRich Bistro in July 2020 after a six-year run with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic and difficulty in coming to terms during lease negotiations.

“There is just too much uncertainty. It is time for a reset and to look for the next door to open,” he said in 2020.

In the interim, he focused on his catering business, Innovative Dining, and a food truck. But he also was planning the look, feel and design of the new restaurant space that he would own.

With Knowles’ track record of dishes — tuna poke appetizer, calamari salad with wasabi dressing, buttermilk chicken with honey truffle butter — fans eagerly anticipated the return of EnRich Bistro.

What awaits guests is a relaxed space with seating for about 140 inside and 40 outside, about 40% larger than the previous restaurant. Knowles bought two units in the Fairway Center shopping center and demolished them to create the new restaurant space.

The dining rooms are bright, cheerful and versatile, meaning spaces can be sectioned off for groups or special events.

An interesting feature of a special events room is a barrel ceiling inlaid with brick. Knowles got the idea after seeing one on a trip to Budapest, Hungary.

The restaurant has banquet space for up to 60 guests. In the special events room, check out the framed and matted collection of historic black-and-white photos in the special events room, one of which shows Knowles’ great-grandfather, Gabby Knowles, then mayor of Bradenton, with Henry Ford and Thomas Edison.

A separate bar area

The brick ceiling theme in the special events room continues in a separate bar area, with lots of seating and a subdued, comfortable atmosphere.

Notable in the bar is a series of six large, whimsical watercolors by Linda Chapman. Look for the owl in judicial robes, the deer (or maybe it’s an elk) in military uniform and a bear in what looks like something Henry VIII could have worn.

For the first time, EnRich Bistro has 12 taps of craft beer.

“We never had draft beer before,” Beverage Director Ray Jay Fernandez said.

A bar bites menu is served until 1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Fernandez’s parents — Linda Chapman and Jake Fernandez — have works in EnRich Bistro.

Jake Fernandez’s “Imaginary Shoreline,” a very large seascape on wood, graces a wall in the dining room.

The bottom line at EnRich Bistro

What keeps Knowles’ fan base growing? The menu and the service.

“We serve modern American cuisine, which, like the culture of America, is a melting pot of flavors from all over the world,” Knowles said.

EnRich has an expanded steak section called “The Butchers Corner.”

Also bringing his culinary skills to EnRich Bistro is executive chef Larry Lane.

“I love it; you couldn’t ask for anything more,” Lane said from the large, well-organized kitchen. “We make everything from scratch. We make our pasta as well.”

Lane, who most recently worked in Carmel, California, and has been in the business for a quarter century, looks to bring more elevated dining choices to diners.

“Chef Larry has been bringing a bunch of his ideas. We’ve had a really fun time collaborating on the menu,” Knowles said.

One of Lane’s intriguing dishes is Rabbit Ragu with pappardelle dough, he said.

Noteworthy in the return of EnRich Bistro is the role played by Dick Knowles, Rich’s father.

Dick Knowles made all of the tables in the restaurant and also cooked several hundred cinnamon rolls for the opening.

For the next few weeks, EnRich Bistro will be serving dinner only, but lunch hours are coming.

“I am so overjoyed that the doors are finally open,” Knowles said. “I appreciate the patience of our customer base in northwest Bradenton.”

What to know

▪ Name: EnRich Bistro

▪ Address: 5239 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton

▪ Hours and days: 11 a.m.- 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m.-1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Closed Sunday.

▪ Online: https://www.enrichbistro.com/

▪ Phone: 941-289-1299

Reservations: recommended