Fleming's Prime Steakhouse opens at UTC

University Town Center has gained another fine dining option. 

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar at 8306 Tourist Center Drive in Bradenton opened to the public Monday just in time for Valentine’s Day. 

Fleming’s has 64 locations in 25 states, with the second-most in Florida (10), including one in Sarasota that opened in 2004. 

Rebecca Gaines, director of operations for the southeast region of Fleming’s, said the success of the Sarasota location and the growth of UTC were key factors in adding a new location just 12 miles away from the one on Siesta Drive.

"Our Sarasota Fleming's on Siesta Drive has been a favorite among both locals and visitors, and we’ve seen how much the community has flourished over the last five years,” Gaines said. “We knew that expanding our elevated steakhouse experience to Sarasota-Bradenton was the natural next step, allowing us to bring our signature hospitality, prime steaks, and innovative menu offerings to an even broader audience in this thriving area."

There was a full parking lot on Monday with people eager to try UTC’s newest offering. 

Lakewood Ranch resident Deborah Croce was most impressed with the service and said she would be coming back for another meal the following day. 

“I always like trying a new place and usually the first day is a good indication to see how the staff engages with the client,” said Croce, who added that she’s in tune with service after working for the Ritz-Carlton. “I’ve been watching it come up from the ground and I was excited to try it. 

“It’s great. The staff is great, the food quality is great. I would highly recommend it.”

Service at Fleming's UTC includes valet parking and greeters at the door.

Alyssa Hoskinson, operating partner of Fleming’s at UTC, said some of the can’t-miss dishes at Fleming’s include prime bone-in ribeye, A5 Japanese Wagyu, a 14oz Australian Wagyu strip, mizo-glazed chilean sea bass, signature Fleming’s potatoes and chocolate lava cake.

Some menu items exclusive to the location include Gulf black grouper and signature cocktails such as the Cloud 9 martini. 

The restaurant will offer an under-$30 daily lunch menu and a social hour from 3-6 p.m. 

The dining room features an open floor plan concept that Hoskinson said draws inspiration from the Florida and California coastlines with three private rooms — the Ranch Room, the Lakewood Room and the Mangrove room — and a full bar flanking either side. The bar houses a glass wine vault that includes 2,500 bottles from around the world.

The kitchen is led by chef Matt Nabor, who started as a line cook at Fleming’s in Naples in 2014. He then moved on to become a sous chef in 2016 and then the chef partner for the Sarasota location in 2018. 

“Matt’s culinary roots run deep,” Hoskinson said. “He got his start at just 15-years-old, working in family-run restaurants in Fort Myers. From there, he went on to refine his craft at Disney’s Grand Floridian, gaining invaluable experience in high-end dining, and was later selected as the first kitchen hire at The Clubhouse at Golden Oak, an exclusive dining destination.

Now, with years of fine dining expertise and a dedication to excellence, Matt is proud to lead the kitchen at Fleming’s UTC, where he brings creativity and a deep passion for hospitality to every plate."

The addition of a fine-dining restaurant like Fleming’s is something that Taylor Bouldery, who visited the restaurant on opening night, said was needed in the area.

“It’s something different in this area,” she said. “I don’t think anything in this area, at least UTC, has anything to offer like this. I thought it was actually kind of cool to have something right in the middle of everything that is going to have a nice steakhouse vibe that’s higher-end. 

“I think the money is here. Ruth’s Chris Steak House does killer out there (in Lakewood Ranch), and as soon as they opened and I saw they were doing killer, I thought this was something that (UTC) needs for sure.”

The Bloomin’ Brands-owned steakhouse hosted a soft opening event Saturday during which it invited members of the community to sample some of its menu and announced a $10,000 donation to the V Foundation for Cancer Research. 

For more information, visit FlemingsSteakhouse.com.