Specialty Restaurants will open Sweetwaters, a 292-seat waterfront restaurant at the corner of Las Olas Boulevard and Andrews Avenue in Fort Lauderdale, on October 12 — the family-owned group's first Florida expansion beyond Key Biscayne in decades.

The nearly 10,000-square-foot indoor-outdoor concept sits inside the redeveloped Huizenga Park and anchors a $15 million transformation of one of the city's most prominent public spaces. Mayor Dean Trantalis and city officials will attend an official ribbon-cutting on October 13.

"For our family, hospitality has always been about creating spaces that become part of the communities they serve," said John Tallichet, president and CEO of Specialty Restaurants, the group behind Miami's Rusty Pelican. "With Sweetwaters, we saw an opportunity to bring that same spirit to Fort Lauderdale, welcoming guests to a restaurant that genuinely feels at home along the New River."

How is the 292 seats allocated?

Designed by JVB Architect, with interiors by ICRAVE and construction by RCC Associates, the restaurant breaks down across several revenue zones:

• 121 seats in the interior dining room, anchored by a 12-seat bar
• 90 seats on the riverfront patio
• 44 seats on a second terrace facing Huizenga Park
• 4-seat raw bar alongside an open kitchen

The private-events capacity adds a second revenue stream: 120 seated guests or up to 220 standing inside, with the terraces available for cocktail parties and corporate gatherings.

What does the menu pricing signal?

Executive Chef Nicco V. Salanitro, who brings 13 years in South Florida kitchens, developed the menu with Culinary Director Matthieu Godard, whose nearly three-decade career includes eight years alongside Daniel Boulud. The pricing tiers point to a premium, shareable-format model engineered for group spend:

• Yellowfin Tuna Crudo, $18
• Castaway Roll (hand-rolled sushi), $19
• Tableside Caesar for three to four, $30
• Whole Crispy Local Snapper, $46
• Lobster Spaghetti with a whole Maine lobster, $59
• Grand Seafood Tower for two to three, $98
• Chef's Sushi Tower, $125
• Steak Progressive sharing platter, $130

High-low theatrical items — Nuggets & Caviar topped with Osetra caviar at $19 — and desserts like the 11-layer Miss Trunchbull chocolate cake ($16) round out a menu built for both weeknight bar traffic and celebration dining.

Who runs the operation?

General Manager Ashley Ermus, a Miami native with 19 years in South Florida hospitality, oversees guest experience; she previously served as director of special event operations at the Rusty Pelican. David Arbital, director of operations for the Southeast, brings 16 years spanning senior roles at Tribeca Hospitality Group, Bagatelle Group and Riviera Dining Group, with a background in openings and multi-unit operations.

The bar program, priced $15–$17, leans on premium spirits with interactive garnishes — Tiffany ($17) finishes with limoncello sorbet, Cloud Nine ($15) with lychee caviar — plus zero-proof cocktails, a full wine list and local craft beer. Weekday happy hour runs Monday through Friday, 4–6:30 p.m. at the bar, a play for the downtown office crowd steps from the central business district and the Brightline station.

What's next for the group?

Dinner service runs Sunday through Thursday, 4–10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 4–11 p.m., with valet plus public garage parking. Reservations opened for pre-booking on OpenTable.

The opening gives Specialty Restaurants — which operates 17 restaurants nationwide — a second flagship-scale Florida destination alongside the Rusty Pelican, and positions the group's destination-dining model inside one of Fort Lauderdale's fastest-growing residential and commercial corridors.