Oak & Stone readies for opening at The Cove at 47th
Cape Coral is set to be the newest home for a Southwest Florida-based dining experience which features an interactive tap wall.
Oak & Stone, the popular casual dining concept that debuted in Sarasota in 2016, is slated to open in the South Cape this November at 4720 S.E. 9th Place, Suite 400 — part of The Cove at 47th.
In addition to featuring the brand’s classic gourmet tavern fare, made-from-scratch dishes, and inventive artisan pizzas, Oak & Stone’s soon-to-open Cape Coral location will be the first to introduce the brand’s newly re-imagined tap wall, which will be an updated version of its popular self-pour craft beer wall, now expanded to include local craft beer, wine and cocktails
Brand President of Oak & Stone, Sam Aguilar, said Oak & Stone is excited to bring its offerings to the revitalized South Cape.
“Wow, has it grown,” Aguilar said of Cape Coral. “When we first got the opportunity to look at Cape Coral and see how the area is growing…it’s just a great fit for our brand. The location that we’ve got, when we saw that opportunity, just what (the city) is doing to build out that area and build it up, is something we wanted to be a part of. With the residential, and retail, and with all of the great bars and restaurants in what is a tight-knit community –it’s kind of our bread and butter. We thought it would be a great spot for us to be in the community.”
Much like its other restaurants, Oak & Stone Cape Coral will inspire gatherings and good times set against the backdrop and energy of the local downtown scene. With seating for more than 200, the newest Oak & Stone location will also offer a private dining room; a bar with indoor and outdoor seating; a front patio; and a rear social courtyard with ample space for fun and games.
Slated to open in the first half of November, Aguilar said community partners and members of will be welcomed to experience Oak & Stone. He said the restaurant’s identity is a twist on elevated tavern flare, with a focus on customer experience.
“We wanted to create a great, comfortable place where you can bring the family,” Aguilar said. “You can go and enjoy a craft beer, get a great pizza, and enjoy the game — but also bring your family without necessarily being at a spots bar. We’ve really focused on hospitality — treating our guests as friends. We’re hosting a party every day for the people that come through our doors. For us to be able to spread some joy in the community, make people feel good, give them that restoration that the word restaurant comes from, and just make them feel comfortable.”
Serving brunch, lunch and dinner, fans of Oak & Stone delight in its laid-back tavern atmosphere, great food, drinks and heartfelt hospitality. Oak & Stone’s diverse menu includes Philly Cheesesteak Egg Rolls, Smoky Gouda Mac ‘n Cheese, Slow-Roasted Wings, Voodoo Chicken Sandwich, and 12 classic and complex takes on the artisan pizza – from its “Pepperoni to the All the Way,” “Sweet Heat,” and “The Farmer & The Pig.”
Oak & Stone makes its dough and sauces from scratch, and prepares toppings in-house every day.
“We do a slow, cold ferment on the dough,” Aguilar said. “As we are proofing our pizza dough, it’s 36 hours and we do it at a lower temperature and yields for us that crispy thin crust pizza. There’s a lot of time and effort that goes into that for us. As far as the oven goes…we’ve got a Wood Stone oven where it’s a high-speed oven that can produce pizzas for us in under three minutes.”
Aguilar said Oak & Stone is also known for its wings, which are brined for 24 hours and mixed with a secret recipe of spices and herbs. They are flash-fried at service with various in-house-made sauces. The Philly Cheesesteak Egg Rolls are made in-house as well by cooking down shaved ribeye and onions, and folding in cheese before being hand-rolled.
“They’re a huge crowd favorite for us,” Aguilar said.
The Voodoo Chicken Sandwich is a twist on a buffalo chicken sandwich, where hand-breaded chicken with panko crust are combined with Zapp’s VooDoo chips and ranch, topped with cheese, lettuce and tomato.
Brunch is served from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, as well as on Monday holidays.
Brunch items include avocado toast on house-baked everything bagel seasoned biscuits, a breakfast pizza with sausage gravy as the base, a breakfast burrito, and a brunch burger with waffles as the buns.
While the menu certainly catches your eye, Aguilar said Oak & Stone’s approach to hospitality and service is what really sets them apart.
“We want to make emotional connections with our guests, and stop and spend time and make friends,” he said. “We’re going to treat you like you were friends that knocked on our front door and were having a gathering at our house tonight.
“As far as our food goes, we’re taking the approach of trying to look at what are the things that people love, and how we can elevate it or do it a little different. We take pride in that we’re investing the effort, and the time, and the love of making these things in-house.”
Oak & Stone also offers an interactive experience for guests via its tap wall with nearly 50 choices. Patrons who wish to drink will receive an RFID card linked to them, and will be taken up to the wall where they can pour as much or as little as they want of a particular beverage, as the wall pours by the ounce. You only pay for what you pour.
There is also a guide at the wall to answer any questions and to help with selections.
“As a guest, you get to participate, and sample and try your way through the offerings that we’ve got,” Aguilar said. “In Cape Coral, we will not just have craft beer, we will have wines, we will have cocktails, and we will even have spirits on the wall. We’ve got a great bourbon list. There’s something for everyone up there. It creates a fun, interactive experience.”
Taps at Oak & Stone will be revolving, so that you’ll never know what offerings will be up to taste next.
“If you’re a craft beer lover, we’re the spot for you,” Aguilar said. “We’ve go the stuff on the wall that you’re not necessarily going to find everywhere. Our taps are always rotating on the beers. You can come in and sample and try new things, and come back and try and explore new things.”
Oak & Stone Cape Coral will be the first-its-kind with a private dining room. The new venue will also offer an indoor and outdoor bar, as well as cafe seating on the street, and a “beer garden” style seating area in the back with fire pits, tables, corn hole, and more.
“If you are a beverage lover, Oak & Stone is the place to come out and sample and try different selections,” Aguilar said. “To come and get some scratch-made food and to be entertained by our enthusiastic, hospitable team.”
Owned and operated by Winter Park-based Artistry Restaurants, Oak & Stone has become a signature brand within the company’s portfolio, with locations along Florida’s Gulf Coast. Artistry Restaurants currently operates seven Oak & Stone locations in Bradenton, Estero, Naples, Sarasota (two locations), St. Petersburg, and Venice. Cape Coral marks the first of multiple new Oak & Stone openings planned for the next 18 months.
For more information, visit www.oakandstone.com/location/cape-coral/.