2 restaurants coming to Sarasota's UTC in 2026

Two restaurants that have popular Tampa locations are coming to University Town Center, according to Benderson Development, owner of the shopping destination.

Olivia and On Swann will be located in back-to-back spaces in a ground-up development along North Cattlemen Road. They will be opposite from Ford’s Garage.

Olivia will span 6,500 square feet, operated by James Beard-nominated chef Chris Ponte with his wife, Michelle, and sons JT and Andy Mahoney. Chris Ponte opened the first Olivia, named after his daughter, in South Tampa in 2019. A second location recently opened in St. Petersburg, making UTC the third restaurant for the brand. Like the others, Olivia at UTC will be designed as an Italian trattoria with a wine vault, expansive bar and a large-windowed room showcasing the creation of pizza dough and pastas.

On Swann will be approximately 5,000 square feet. The UTC location will be the second for the contemporary American restaurant, which also has an eatery that opened in Tampa’s Hyde Park Village in 2016. On the menu are chef-inspired dishes like hot chicken tenders with paprika honey butter and lamb meatballs over grits with minted ricotta cheese. Food is prepared in an open kitchen. 

For On Swann, Chris Ponte will join forces with Chris Arreola, also a partner in the Tampa location.

Olivia and On Swann are the latest additions to UTC, which features more than 80 restaurants throughout the more than 4 million square feet of property near the intersection of Interstate 75 and University Parkway, on the border of Sarasota and Manatee counties. Other recent additions include Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse, which opened on Tourist Center Drive on Feb. 10, and Sprinkles Cupcakes, coming to Cooper Creek Boulevard on Feb. 19.

Construction is expected to begin on the building that will house Olivia and On Swann in the next month or so, a Benderson spokesperson says. Both restaurants are expected to open on North Cattlemen Road in 2026.