More Than a Meal: Pesto Expands with New Bar
By McKenzie Roberts
For years, customers have come to Pesto Bistro & Wine Bar for its food. Now, they have another reason to stay a little longer.
Restaurant owners Joe and Lianne recently opened a full-service bar connected to a separate room inside the restaurant. With the new addition, they hope to give guests a fresh experience while preserving the atmosphere that has made Pesto a local favorite.
Already known for its extensive wine selection, Pesto offers more than 20 red wines alone, each with detailed descriptions of its aromas and characteristics. Adding a full bar will give guests even more opportunities to find a drink that interests them. Whether customers are trying a new glass of wine or enjoying a favorite martini, Pesto hopes to create an experience that feels both familiar and exciting.
As a Bradenton native, Joe looks forward to “taking a building that has been here for 75 to 80 years and creating something new out of what’s already there.”
Although the renovation introduced a new space, Pesto maintains its open-concept layout. Tables surrounding the bar remain connected to the main dining room, creating a seamless flow throughout the restaurant. Along with the indoor dining areas, Pesto’s existing patio seating gives guests another way to experience the restaurant’s atmosphere. The combination of indoor and outdoor spaces allows customers to enjoy the new bar addition while still having the same familiar environment they have come to love.
While construction has been underway for about a year, the vision for the project has existed much longer.
“We knew we were going to make this build, but we had to move the previous equipment first,” Joe said.
The new space features more than just a full-service bar. Joe hopes the cocktail program will become one of the restaurant’s biggest attractions. As a Guinness World Record holder for ice carving, he plans to incorporate handcrafted specialty ice into signature cocktails while continuing to offer a carefully selected wine list.
In addition to the drinks, Pesto introduced a new menu designed specifically for the bar area. Planned offerings include grouper dip and a charcuterie board. Guests can also enjoy happy hour from 4 to 6:30 p.m., giving them a new way to experience Pesto beyond the traditional dining room.
The new bar complements the restaurant’s existing menu, which features classic Italian dishes such as caprese salad, fettuccine alfredo, Marsala dishes, and pasta. Pesto also offers gluten-free pasta upon request, ensuring guests have options that accommodate different dietary needs.
On the restaurant’s website, Joe explains that he allows the ingredients of each dish to guide him. When asked about choosing a favorite menu item, he said he loves them all because if he didn’t, they wouldn’t be offered.
Since its opening, Joe said the restaurant has received tremendous support from the local community. Many regular customers visit Pesto three or four times each week.
“People really wanted us to make it. The support of the local community got us through,” Joe said.
When he first purchased the business, he considered opening a French restaurant. However, because the previous owners had operated it as an Italian restaurant, he decided to honor that history rather than completely change its identity. Instead, he built on the original concept while adding his own creative touch.
Joe’s commitment to supporting others extends beyond his customers. When his ice business closed during the pandemic, he retained many of his employees by bringing them to work at the restaurant, ensuring they continued to have an income. The same support he has received from the community is reflected in the way he cares for his staff.
Pesto has also become a popular place for live entertainment, hosting performances multiple times a month. Guests can find upcoming events and previous performances through the restaurant’s website.
Behind the scenes, Joe credits his wife, Lianne, for helping to make the business successful. She oversees the restaurant’s administrative work and design, including many aspects of the new renovation.
Building a full-service bar is no small undertaking, but after months of planning and construction, Joe is excited for customers to experience what he describes as an “unfound gem” that could become their new favorite gathering place.
The renovated space includes new tables, high tops, and additional seating while still feeling connected to the main dining room. Joe hopes guests will feel as though they are experiencing something new without feeling like they have stepped into an entirely different restaurant.
Looking beyond the renovation, Joe isn’t focused on another major expansion.
“I don’t want a next. After the next big move, I want it to be what it’s meant to be,” he said.
Rather than planning another large project, Joe hopes Pesto will continue to grow naturally, improve each year, and remain a place that excites customers. Above all, he wants to build a restaurant that makes his family proud, especially his sons.
Food has a way of bringing people together and creating lifelong memories. Whether it’s a date night or catching up with a lifelong friend, Pesto hopes to offer guests more than just a meal. With a full-service bar, a carefully selected wine list, and a menu built around quality ingredients, the restaurant is creating another reason for the community to gather.
With the opening of Pesto’s new bar, the owners are looking toward the future while staying true to the values that built the restaurant’s reputation. By blending a fresh experience with the same warm atmosphere and quality service guests have come to expect, Pesto is beginning a new chapter without losing the character that has made it a local favorite.