Soup's On

Hugh Miller is going back in time to recreate a fresh brand presence for the high-end downtown Bradenton restaurant his family has owned for 35 years.

In the process Miller will jettison the reputable local name — Mattison — that sat atop the restaurant for five years. The new name, Pier 22, incorporates the past: The restaurant, on Manatee River channel marker 22, opened as The Pier in 1976 and stayed that way until 1996, when it became Twin Dolphin Marina Grill. The site was also one of the first fishing piers in Bradenton in the late 1800s.

Miller believes a separation from the Mattison name will free up the restaurant for more unique marketing opportunities. Paul Mattison, a well known Sarasota-based chef and entrepreneur, has never owned the Bradenton restaurant, formerly called Mattison's Riverside. Miller licensed the Mattison name, and the two entities teamed up on some menu and marketing decisions.

“It has become very obvious over time that our path and growth was different than theirs was,” Miller says. “We wanted a name that was a little more descriptive.”

For instance, Miller and Greg Campbell, the executive chef and general manager, want to highlight Pier 22's sushi bar and innovative fish procurement process. The latter revolves around a buy-direct-from-the-fishermen system, where fish, sometimes up to 200 pounds of tuna a week, remain refrigerated right up until preparation.

Miller and Campbell would also like to promote Pier 22's variety of meeting room and banquet spaces. Says Campbell: “We are very event-driven.”

Mattison, meanwhile, will focus on his three Sarasota restaurants. Those include Mattison's City Grille downtown and Mattison's Forty-One on Tamiami Trail. Mattison's was also recently named the official in-theater caterer for the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.

And more changes are on the horizon at Pier 22, past the name change. A new website, for example, is scheduled to debut in the next few weeks.

The site will be heavy on pictures and images of food and menu items. Conversely, it will be light on text. “We want to stay away from content,” says Campbell. “People eat with their eyes.”

Another significant change is the expanded patio and riverside terrace. Renovations to the patio, terrace and inside cost significantly more than $100,000, Miller says, although he declines to elaborate on the specific cost.

The Miller family has altered the name and decor of the restaurant before, but the moves behind Pier 22 are some of its boldest steps yet. The restaurant has become a downtown Bradenton staple over the years, outlasting many competitors. “We believe we are an anchor to downtown,” says Miller.

Pier 22 has about 100 employees. Campbell says the high employee count is necessary to stay on top of the dinner rush in high season, which can be up to 700 meals on a weekend night. “Quality,” says Campbell, “is how you bring people back.”

Correction: The article above has been corrected from its print version. Through its fish procurement process, Pier 22 keeps its fish refrigerated up until preparation.