Alma de España opened Nov. 1 at 239 S. Links Ave. in Sarasota’s Towles Court neighborhood, moving its Spanish tapas and wood-fired grill concept into the cottage that previously housed Indigenous. The restaurant closed its former South Osprey Avenue location on Sept. 30 to make the move downtown, and the new spot was expected to open with live flamenco dancing and guitar as part of the grand-opening celebration.
The restaurant planned to open Nov. 1 at its new downtown Sarasota location after taking over the former Indigenous space in Towles Court. Chef and owner Elier Rodriguez, who according to yourobserver.com is the chef and owner of Alma de España, is carrying the restaurant’s Spanish tapas and grill menu into the new address at 239 S Links Ave, Sarasota, FL 34236, according to the restaurant’s own site, almatapasandgrill.com.
A Downtown Cottage With a $1.65 Million Price Tag
The nearly 1,100-square-foot restaurant property sold for $1.65 million on Sept. 28, per the Business Observer. Cathedral Hospitality Holdings LLC was the buyer, and that LLC is registered to Rodriguez, according to the same report from businessobserverfl.com. The timing lines up closely with the South Osprey Avenue closure two days later, as the restaurant pivoted from one Sarasota address to the next.
The move follows an earlier chapter for the business: the Spanish tapas restaurant and wood-fired grill opened in August 2025, according to sarasotamagazine.com, before its owner set his sights on the downtown property now anchoring the Towles Court relocation.
Spanish and Cuban Flavors on the Menu
The new location’s menu is expected to include items from gazpacho to paella to flan that reflect the flavors of Spain and Cuba, per the same Business Observer report. The restaurant’s grill-and-tapas format has previously built its reputation around paella specifically: Alma offers three along with a rotating Chef’s paella of the week, according to srqmagazine.com, with each one cooked to order for parties of two or four.
Rodriguez’s culinary background traces back to Las Vegas, where he spent two years honing his craft at Spanish restaurant Picasso inside the Bellagio, a restaurant the Business Observer’s report notes earned two Michelin stars. That training now anchors the kitchen behind Alma de España’s wood-fired grill as it settles into its new downtown Sarasota home, a relocation also covered by Markets of Tomorrow.
Live Flamenco for the Grand Opening
The planned opening-day event is set to combine food with live entertainment. The event will feature live guitar and percussion music, a flamenco dance performance and authentic Spanish tapas and cocktails, according to the Business Observer’s account of the celebration. Diners heading to Towles Court for the opening can expect the new dining room, paired with the restaurant’s wood-fired approach to Spanish and Cuban dishes, to anchor the night alongside the performances.
