An upscale omakase restaurant is nearing its opening in downtown Gainesville. Anaba Sushi, at 610 Grove Street, is expected to open this fall.
According to WhatNow, the roughly 1,200-square-foot space will include a sushi bar, two bars total, and an outdoor element for guests. Anaba Sushi is described as an omakase sushi concept, according to the Gainesville Times. That outlet reported back in May on the concept's Michelin Star ambitions.
A Downtown Gainesville Restaurant Project
City of Gainesville commercial building inspection records show a renovation permit was opened on July 27, 2026, for the Grove Street project, listing a $75,000 estimated valuation to alter 900 square feet of existing restaurant space. The building also has a longer backstory.
Anaba Sushi's arrival also lands squarely inside Gainesville's expanding restaurant scene. Tourism officials noted in March that the blocks surrounding the historic downtown Square have rapidly grown into a dedicated Downtown Dining District featuring upscale steakhouses, craft burger bars, and international concepts, as reported by Lakeside News. The city maintains an official Downtown Dining District around the central Square.
The Chef Behind the Omakase Concept
Vullo brings a decorated regional resume to the project. He was named to the 2024 class of Georgia Grown Executive Chefs by the Georgia Department of Agriculture and the Georgia Restaurant Association while serving as executive chef at Community Brew and Tap in Cornelia, according to Atlanta Magazine — a statewide honor for chefs who systematically incorporate Georgia agricultural products into their menus. Vullo's earlier career is not detailed in the available reporting. More recently, the 2026 Inspired By Kikkoman Chef Competition was also mentioned in the article.
Backer Roland Stanley's Growing North Georgia Portfolio
The article also discusses several regional hospitality businesses associated with Stanley. It also mentions Peyton's Pie Company and the Flowery Branch restaurant Antebellum.
A separate project, Communion Street Market, is also mentioned. The article discusses the project and its planned businesses without further details. Anaba Sushi is expected to open this fall.
