When people talk about good restaurants, says Jason Griffin of The Mill, they mention Seminole Heights, St. Petersburg and South Tampa. But he and chef Ted Dorsey see the demographics of Brandon, whether you agree or not, fit for The Mill's second location.
"We think that Brandon and their rapidly expanding population deserve the very best, and we plan on bringing our passion for food and craft cocktails there," Griffin said. "We love what we built here in St. Petersburg and are excited to bring our unique dining experience to Brandon."
The popular downtown St. Pete-born restaurant, opened on Central Avenue in 2015, is going in at 109 W. Bloomingdale Ave., which most recently housed Sluggers Neighborhood Bar & Grill. With an expected debut of late summer (Griffin was mum about specifics, but says they're "very close"), the new outpost weighs in at 4,000 square feet, and 180 seats — 150 inside, 30 outside — are planned.
For those who've never been, the chef-driven brainchild of managing partners Griffin and Dorsey features a rustic Americana setting with a wall of large gears, chairs covered in old blue jeans, and hanging lights that peek through burlap sacks. As he did in St. Pete, Istvan Torok of Torok Studios is leading the design of the Brandon restaurant, which will reflect the flagship's signature style.
Seasonal menu items and inventive plates (you know about the lamb shank pot pie, right?) are offered on the food side, as is house-made charcuterie and a full brunch lineup. There's also a solid selection of specialty cocktails to wash it all down with.
According to Dorsey, the connection between food and people keeps the team motivated to do what they do.
"People instantly bond over food, and when they go out to a restaurant, they want all their senses to come alive. I love when I step out of the kitchen and see the smiles and good times from all our patrons in the dining room," the chef said.
In addition to Brandon, The Mill's expansion plan includes three restaurants outside Tampa Bay: Jacksonville, Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton.
"We love the Bay area. It's obviously home base and the people are great, but we wanna take our passion for food and service and take it to other places in Florida," Griffin told CL. "They all have a thriving foodie community, so we just couldn't ask for a better scenario."
