Popular Sarasota Greek restaurant expands to UTC area

Blu Kouzina, a Greek restaurant in St. Armands Circle, will be opening a second location in Sarasota later this year. 

The restaurant is set to open in the West District at University Town Center, a mixed-use Benderson Development project just off Interstate 75 and University Parkway. The brand, which has been in the area since 2015, was originally founded in Singapore by Greek couple Effie and Dennis Tsakiris, according to a statement. 

“Blu Kouzina was founded from our family’s love of sharing our native Greek and Mediterranean cuisine with family and friends,” Dennis Tsakiris says in the press release. “We want our guests to feel like they are in Greece, but most importantly, we want them to feel like they are entering an extension of our family home.”

The newest addition will be in a 3,500-square-foot space accompanied with an outdoor patio. The menu will include dishes like spanakopita, moussaka, kalamaki souvlaki and kotopoulo fourno. 

The restaurant is one of several new dining options opening at UTC, Benderson officials say. Rocco’s Tacos and Tequila Bar opened March 1 with other concepts like Yard House, Foxtail Coffee Co., Anna Maria Oyster Bar, Fat Point Brewing and The Breakfast Co. all soon to follow. UTC features over 4 million square feet of retail space, restaurants, hotels and office space.