Serving upscale New American cuisine, The Banyan House is planned for the lakeside of downtown Wellen. Formerly known as the West Villages and recently ranked as the 4th best-selling planned community in the United States for two consecutive years, Wellen opened its town center in August of last year and is rapidly gaining momentum. with new tenants.
Nestled along the 80-acre Grand Lake, the local restaurant and bar will offer orangewood grilled seafood, steaks and eclectic dishes across casual lunch selections, fusion-inspired New American cuisine for dinner and a formal brunch with carving stations and a champagne bar.
Created by long-time restaurateurs, brothers David and Dennis Valentino and their partner Mark Costanzo, The Banyan House will be the only lakeside restaurant in the downtown planned community. It will seat up to 320 people and will include 2,000 square feet of al fresco dining with water and sunset views.
The restaurant’s open, light-filled interiors, designed by Tampa-based ArchitecturePlus International, are centered around a large wood-fired grill and will pay homage to the restaurant’s namesake with lifelike banyan tree sculptures 20 feet tall. high.
The bar and lounge areas will have plenty of space with comfortable seating dedicated to guests having a cocktail, appetizers and small plates. “They can go out on a Tuesday and not want a full dinner. We offer more options to our customers,” says Valentino.
The Banyan House concept and menu is a new venture for the Valentinos and Costanzo, who for 25 years operated Prime Serious Steak, Donato’s Italian Restaurant and Bocca Lupo Coal Fired Pizza in Venice and Port Charlotte. Their Bocca Lupo at Wellen Park’s Marketplace opened 18 months ago.
Valentino plans to open the restaurant in November with the completion of the first phase of Downtown Wellen in the fourth quarter of 2022.
The Banyan House will also be the exclusive caterer for special events at nearby Solis Hall.
Along with their Claw and Co. lobster roll concept, the team also plans to be part of The Yard, a collection of permanent food trucks of repurposed shipping containers that mark downtown Wellen’s hub for meals. relaxed outdoors. Additional tenants for The Yard will be announced soon.
The Banyan House joins a growing list of retail, restaurants and services planned for Wellen town center including Mirabella’s Italian Coastal Cuisine, Oak & Stone, Villani & Co., Bright Ice, Capstan Financial Consulting Group, Kind Vibes Outfitters for biking, kayaking and paddleboarding. rentals and more to be announced soon. Discover the restaurants already installed here.
Still under construction, downtown Wellen features an 80-acre lake, shops, waterfront restaurants, pedestrian streets, and public community spaces. It will also have a children’s play area and a grove of hammocks with a seating area. A 2.8 mile trail circles the lake for biking, walking, and running.
Wellen Park has a population of approximately 9,000 and, at full construction, will have over 50,000 residents and 22,500 homes in its three south Sarasota districts: West Villages, Downtown Wellen and Playmore.
For more information on Wellen Park, click here or call 941-960-7805.