A new restaurant is opening in a prime location at Sarasota’s University Town Center, replacing the Rusty Bucket, which had been in business for eight years before closing on Aug. 18. The space overlooks the roundabout and giant Christmas tree, offering a front-row view of the nightly holiday light shows currently taking place.
In fact, during a visit to UTC on Nov. 9, the Herald-Tribune spotted a large “Coming Soon: Kitchen Social” banner stretched across the construction fencing, framed by a string of holiday lights. Behind it, the building is wrapped in scaffolding decorated with bright, colorful displays — glowing fish and coral nodding to the newly opened Mote Marine nearby, and a towering Christmas tree rising above the roofline.
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When will Kitchen Social open at Sarasota’s University Town Center?
Kitchen Social will take over the former Rusty Bucket spot in UTC’s West District at 257 N. Cattlemen Drive in “early 2026,” according to the restaurant’s website…