Mar Vista upstairs dining grounded until next year

Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant & Pub won’t reach new heights until next season.

The restaurant will take a two-phase approach to renovations, putting off the second phase of construction that will include adding a second-floor, outdoor dining area and elevators, according to Mark Anderson, project manager of development/construction for the Chiles Restaurant Group, which owns Mar Vista, along with the BeachHouse Restaurant on Bradenton Beach and The Sandbar Restaurant on Anna Maria.

The first phase, which will include the replacement of existing restrooms, kitchen renovations and adding an outdoor freezer/cooler, will most likely begin in the next two weeks and continue for 90 days, with the restaurant remaining open during all construction.

Anderson said that the two-phase approach was developed over the summer when it became clear that major construction wouldn’t be completed in time for season.

The second phase of construction will span between 90 to 120 days, Anderson said. Ideally, major renovations would begin in July or August, allowing for completion before the height of season.

The Longboat Key Town Commission approved in January a Mar Vista site-plan amendment and a special-exception request allowing for a second story. The decision came two months after Ed Chiles, owner of the Chiles Restaurant Group, confirmed plans to add a second story to the restaurant, which was originally built in 1912. It survived a 1921 hurricane that destroyed a significant portion of the island’s development at the time and is listed with the state as a historic Longboat Key structure. Chiles has said that he developed the plan because of the striking view of Sarasota Bay from the restaurant’s rooftop.

Catching up: fish to fry as usual
There’s nothing fishy about this fact: Longboaters are hooked on the tradition of the Longboat Key Historical Society’s annual fish fry, which since 2005 has taken place on the third Friday of each October at Mar Vista. The two-phase construction plan for Mar Vista means that the Fish Fry will go on as usual.
This year, the restaurant will deliver another fresh catch. This year’s event will be a “Grouper vs. Mullet Fry Off.” The two fishes will face off against each other amid the usual mix of food, drinks, live entertainment by Blues Pig, dancing and more. The event begins at 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21. May the best fish win.