As 2026 kicked into gear, nine restaurants spanning Escambia and Santa Rosa counties opened their doors for the first time, welcoming guests in for spam musubi, specialty steaks and Spanish sangria. However, another five said goodbye and permanently closed their doors. Let’s look back.
Nine restaurants open in Escambia, Santa Rosa counties
Prime & Beyond Wagyu Steakhouse
650 E. Nine Mile Road
Pensacola’s East Nine Mile area now offers a taste of the finer things at Prime & Beyond Wagyu Steakhouse, which opened to the public this month. The restaurant is led by owner and chef Wayan Sumadi, who recently sold his popular Pensacola Japanese restaurant Sake Café. Sumadi is hopeful that Prime & Beyond will offer a more modern, upscale dining option in the fast-growing East Nine Mile area, centered on marbled, incredibly tender wagyu beef, while keeping prices attainable for the Pensacola area, even though wagyu beef is often considered a luxury.
Bar-Celona Tapas Bar and Restaurant
5642 Woodbine Road
A hot new Mediterranean-style tapas bar has opened its doors to the Pace community in the former Beardless Brewhaus Pace location, and owners are hopeful it will become part of the heart of the Pace community. Amanda Fikri and her husband, Amine Fikri, joined forces with Leah Bennett and Gary Clayton, all as part-owners, to create a lively dining experience through the inception of Bar-Celona. The four owners curated the menu around the best flavors they’ve experienced from their travels around the Mediterranean, from the Fikris’ time living in Morocco, to Lisa’s special sangria recipe.
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