Manatee County real estate prices have soared into the Sarasota and Pinellas realm in recent years. Anna Maria Island is no longer flying beneath the radar of national destinations like Siesta Key and Clearwater Beach. However, one metric that has lagged behind our neighbors to the north and south has been downtown Bradenton’s lack of true fine-dining experiences that are on par with the best of downtown SRQ and St. Pete. Until now, that is…

When I first began hearing rumors that celebrity chef Fabio Viviani would bring a high-end restaurant concept to downtown Bradenton, I’ll admit I was skeptical. Best known for his appearances on Bravo’s Top Chef seasons 5 and 8, Viviani went from a young rock star chef and restaurant/night club operator in Florence to a U.S.-based culinary entrepreneur. He amassed a hospitality empire in Los Angeles and Chicago that soon had tentacles reaching major markets from coast to coast, with particular success in the gaming space.