New downtown oyster restaurant opens next month

The Half Shell Oyster House of Sarasota opens officially at 1991 Main Street on Jan. 10.

The restaurant will feature fresh, hand-shucked oysters prepared in many varieties, seafood, steaks, po-boys, pastas and more.

The restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner seven days per week, and for Sunday brunch. They also offer a private dining room and catering for your next event.

Half Shell Oyster House will have a classic French Quarter decor, with period architecture and light fixtures to go along with an oyster-grilling bar and a full cocktail bar.

The restaurant will also hold a charity event for The Mark Wandall Foundation 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 6. The event costs $25 at the door and includes cocktails and menu samplings.

A soft opening for dinner will also be held at the restaurant on Monday, Jan. 9.

Half Shell Oyster House is a joint venture between Dino Mirando and Gulf Coast Restaurant Group Inc. (GCRG). Mirando, who lives in Bradenton, previously was a joint venture partner for Outback Steakhouses, running 13 of the restaurants in West/Central Florida. GCRG owns and operates several food service operations in Mississippi, including two locations of Half Shell Oyster House in Gulfport and Biloxi. The president of GCRG and founder of Half Shell Oyster House is Bob Taylor.

Mirando expects to hire 70 to 80 local people for this Main Street location.

Visit halfshelloysterhouse.com for full menu and more information.

Contact Kurt Schultheis at [email protected].