If Sarasota is considered a foodie town,  then the Caragiulos are among its founding families. Since 1989, the family has opened several successful eateries. This includes the eponymous Caragiulo’s Italian American restaurant and the modern oyster bar, Veronica’s Fish and Oyster, both located in downtown Sarasota. In 2010, the Caragiulos opened another local favorite, Owen’s Fish Camp, in Sarasota’s Burns Court neighborhood. Now, Owen’s Fish Camp has found new life in Lakewood Ranch with the opening of its second location.

“I would describe the original Owen’s Fish Camp as just that–original,” says Co-owner Paul Caragiulo. “It tells a story of Sarasota from an earlier time.” A lot of the charm of the original Owen’s Fish Camp came from the property itself. The intimate eatery is located in a historic cottage built in 1923 under the shade of an old banyan tree. Reproducing the charming, retro vibe of the flagship location was no easy feat.

“It took us about five years to find an appropriate location for a second Owen’s Fish Camp,” Caragiulo says. “We were fortunate enough to make contact with a developer who knew and understood our concept and saw that replication was not the goal.”

Instead, the mission was to capture the culture of the original Owen’s Fish Camp in its new environment. While the building itself is new, the thoughtfully chosen decor infuses the space with plenty of character and personality. A crystal chandelier is adorned with antique fishing lures and preserved blowfish, creating a whimsical effect that strikes the perfect balance between rustic and upscale. The cozy back porch is decorated with fishing poles and buoys, giving it the feel of a lake house retreat, while the upside-down canoes suspended from the ceiling of the main dining room continue the theme.

Owen’s Fish Camp is best-known for the classic Southern staples on its menu. For a starter, try the Fried Green Tomato Salad with Country Ham crisps. Goat cheese and buttermilk dressing enhance the natural tanginess of the lightly breaded tomatoes. For an entree, you can’t go wrong with Shrimp and Grits. Spicy smoked sausage adds a little kick to the creamy grits. Owen’s Warm Succotash is probably their most iconic side dish. The flavorful blend of fresh corn, garbanzo beans and dried cranberries packs a powerful punch. The Lakewood Ranch location is substantially larger than the downtown venue. At 190 seats, it can accommodate twice as many diners as the Burns Court location. The kitchen is also bigger, providing an opportunity for the Owen’s team to expand their menu even further.

“The Lakewood Ranch space is larger and has greater capabilities, so we do offer a few different items that we do not offer downtown,” Caragiulo teases. “However at this stage, what we’re offering is always evolving.” The menu isn’t the only thing that’s evolving. While the restaurant is open for business, there is one more area that has yet to be unveiled. In September, they’ll be opening the long-anticipated backyard area where people can listen to live music and nosh on snacks while they wait for a table to open up.