Spanish River Grill, the popular and cutting-edge restaurant that stood as a staple of the beach town’s culinary scene for 17 years before it shut down under new management in 2016, will soon be making a return to coastal Central Florida, according to a recent filing with the State of Florida. The restaurant, formerly located at 737 E 3rd Ave in New Smyrna Beach, will now be located at 1518 South Dixie Freeway.
“It is kind of a comeback story,” Chef and Co-Owner Henry Salgado tells What Now Orlando. “Any time anyone ever saw me they would ask me ‘When are you going to open again?’”
When asked about why he thought the original Spanish River Grill had amassed such enthusiasm and popularity, Mr. Salgado responds — “I think that in New Smyrna Beach, our small beach town, we were pioneers for the upscale casual concept. We made sure that we were doing our best and cooking up cutting edge food. We were cooking up with a lot of local seafood and local produce—we were definitely ahead of the curve.”
And what can readers and partners expect from the restaurant’s menu?
“The menu will be slightly different than the old restaurant. We will have tapas, more focused on small plates. There will be an OG section of the menu made up of old plates that people will want to have. We will also feature old Spanish wines and paellas.”
Mr. Salgado adds that the space will also be notable.
“We will have outdoor seating—one of the perks for us is that we own the building. The location is a very well known location, known for years and years as a place called Franco’s which was very popular in the 80s and 90s.”
While no exact opening date was provided, readers and partners can anticipate Salgado and his team to make triumphant return to the helm of a popular restaurant, looking to be a mainstay of the coastal Florida food scene for years to come.
