The Gateway to Bradenton
Bradenton, Florida USA
Cuisine Style: Gastropub
Average Price: $$
Overall Rating: 4/5
Dined: October 2019
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
**A full article and index glossary of restaurants, wines, recipes and travel for
Wine Dine and Play are in the pages section above, or by following these links:
Mattison's Riverwalk Grille Zomato rating:
Mattison's Riverwalk Grille Executive Chef:
Paul Mattison
My wife wanted to take me to a Bradenton restaurant that she had been to before as we were in the area. Mattison's Riverwalk Grille is one of four restaurants associated with the “Mattison’s” name; a catering firm, and 2 spots in Sarasota called city grill and forty-one. Each Mattison’s restaurant location is unique to its neighborhood, offering Chef Paul Mattison’s signature menu items, with the higher quality ingredients, while supporting the local community, regional farmers, and culinary suppliers. The restaurant is adjacent to the Bradenton Riverwalk and Skate Park on the banks of the Manatee River. We sat on the front patio which had nearly 40 or more tables excluding however many were inside along with the main bar. We were here for a later lunch after the crowds had left but before the early bird folks arrived for dinner.
Mattison's Riverwalk Grille Menu:
- Starters
- Salads
- Soups
- Sandwiches
- Entrees
- Healthy, Fresh, and Fast
- Desserts
My wife started with a glass of Benzinger Rosé which according to the winemakers’ tasting notes was refreshing and enticing blending 52% Syrah and 48% Grenache. The Appellation Series Rosé bursts with bright citrus zest aromas and complex layers of juicy wild strawberries and watermelon, reminiscent of warm summer days. Enjoy its soft entry followed by a nice creamy textured mid-palate. Crisp and well balanced — this Rosé is an authentic representation of the vineyards in which it grows. I had my go-to local IPA favorite the Jai alai from Cigar City Brewing. From the appetizers, we began with a shrimp Rangoon of Gulf shrimp dredged in tempura and deep fried served over herbed cream cheese, drizzled in Thai chili sauce and a sweet soy drizzle topped with greens for a garnish. The normal presentation for a Rangoon is to be wrapped around or placed into wontons of varying size or shape with the cream cheese, then deep-fried. The shrimp were not unlike any typical fried shrimp you can get anywhere, though the taste was light and crispy, then adding the Thai sauce for sweet tang then back to neutral with the cream cheese. A good overall texture and placement did give it a “wow” level of presentation yet simple at the same time.
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| Mattison's Riverwalk Grille / Shrimp Rangoon |
For entrees my wife had the spinach ravioli dish served with 12-15 pieces of cheese ravioli sautéed with a wild mushroom cream sauce, spinach leaves, and pine nuts, all garnished with a shaved parmesan cheese. The sauce was rich and vibrant bringing out the flavor of the wild mushroom, while also not filling you up from heavy amounts of cream. The seasoning was on the neutral side with hints of salt and pepper, very refreshing to not have a dish loaded with sodium. The presentation was simple with the ravioli formed into a semi-spiral shape loaded a little heavy towards the center with a majority of the sauce on the sides of the plate though still plenty in the center. The pine nuts, cheese, and spinach were sprinkled around the center of the dish as well, giving an appearance of a larger or heavier dish.
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| Mattison's Riverwalk Grille / Spinach ravioli |
For my entree, I had the Niman Ranch Reuben sandwich. Niman has been in business since 1969 as a small family farm north of San Fransisco supporting a large network of over 700 family farmers and ranchers across the USA, and have a certification from Humane Farm Animal Care (HFAC) on all of there meats. Niman Ranch is now owned by Perdue Farms which bought out Natural Food Holdings, the owner of Niman Ranch in 2015. The sandwich had a very nice tasting corned beef, where you could get hints of allspice, mace, and berry brine to a perfect pink color, grilled off then topped with the melted Swiss cheese on rye bread then topped with some sauerkraut, and Thousand Island dressing. The plate came with a choice of sides to which I opted for French fries.
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| Mattison's Riverwalk Grille / Reuben |
Dessert:
We did not have dessert during this visit.
Check out some of these wonderful selections from Wine Dine and Play:
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
Wine regulatory’s for the tastings in this article:
“In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is the strength, in the water there are bacteria.” - David Auerbach
United States:
California:
RRVW: Russian River AVA
Other noteworthy Gastropub cuisine articles and restaurants similar to Mattison's Riverwalk Grille:
A gastropub or gastro-lounge is a bar and restaurant that serves high-end beer and food. The term was coined in the 1990s by David Eyre and Mike Belben, but similar brewpubs existed during the 1980s.
Edison Food + Drink Lab Eclectic and innovative gastropub using molecular gastronomy in Tampa, Florida
Holeman and Finch Public House Modern gastropub and whole animal cookery in Atlanta, Georgia
Souzou (Renamed Saké 23) An Asian-Fusion Gastro Pub with a twist on Izakaya style dining in St Petersburg, Florida
Table Six Kitchen + Bar Casual American gastropub and elevated comfort foods in Canton, Ohio
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary”
A few Florida restaurant favorites:
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Traditional pub with true Irish menu, not Americanized-Irish food
Holmes Beach, Florida, USA
|
Italian-inspired seafood at the Opal Sands Resort
Clearwater Beach, Florida USA
|
Laid-back pizza bar featuring
stone-baked artisan pizzas
Indian Rocks Beach, Florida, USA
|
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary by country”
Final notes, review basics, observations, and more pictures:
Most reviews are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsible, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience to the best of the writer's knowledge, even if it includes metaphors the restaurant may not like to read about. My ratings are by the stars I award (from 0 to 5). The rating is calculated on a point accumulation of six separate factors based on individual experience. They include wine and other beverage selections, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambience, food quality, and wow factor.
To see more details of this rating list, read this article:
Overall from this experience and the score factors outlined in the ‘about page’ section, based on my individual experience and rating, I give Mattison's Riverwalk Grille a 4 out of 5 stars, meaning that they not only exceeded my expectations and were far above the average dining experience of most restaurants, but they just outstanding.
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings for Mattison’s Riverwalk Grille
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Max Points Possible:
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Total Points Awarded:
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Total Points deducted:
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Ambience
|
11
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11
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0
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Food quality
|
11
|
10
|
1
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Plate presentation
|
10
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10
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1
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Customer service
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11
|
8
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2
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Alcohol and other beverages
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9
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8
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1
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Total regular points awarded
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52
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47
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5
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Total percentage — less the Bonus
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0.903846153846154
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“Wow” factor BONUS
|
5
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1
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0
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Total bonus percentage
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0.0192307692307692
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Total percentage and bonus for a final star rating
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0.923076923076923
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Stars Awarded (see chart below)
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0 - 5
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4
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**A full break down and explanation of the observations and point disbursement is available in the linked article above. To receive a detailed copy of your score, feel free to contact me at any time and I will provide it to you.**
***
Overall Star Rating:
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4 of 5 Stars:
92% Rating with a 1 point “wow” bonus
An Outstanding Dining Experience
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Wine List:
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Mattison's Riverwalk Grille Wine rating:
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6 of 10
Old World selections:
France, Germany, Italy, Sicily
New World selections:
Argentina, California, New Zealand, Oregon, Washington State
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Corkage fees:
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Mattison's Riverwalk Grille does not list any corkage fee’s however, most American restaurants charge $25.00 per bottle
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Restaurant-style:
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Casual dining
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Cuisine Style at Mattison's Riverwalk Grille:
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American, Gastropub
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Farm to Fork, Gluten-free choices, Local, Low Carb Choices, Pescatarian, Sustainable, Vegetarian Options
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Reservations:
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Not Required
Walk-Ins:
Accepted, but not guaranteed
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Dress code:
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Casual attire
It’s Florida, everybody wears flip-flops!
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Child policy:
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The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a kids menu or cater to them; however, for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended that kids not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette.
If not then:
Hire a Babysitter!
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Mattison's Riverwalk Grille Experiences:
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Place for foodies, Modern, Trendy, Great outdoor dining, Good for special occasions, Tourist grabber, and a Neighborhood Gem.
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Payments:
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Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
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Parking:
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Mattison's Riverwalk Grille has a private lot
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Wifi
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The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
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Noise level:
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Low
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Smoking:
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Mattison's Riverwalk Grille is a non-smoking restaurant
WARNING: has a smoking patio
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Patio or terrace:
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Yes
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Food Prices
(excludes, alcohol, taxes & 20% gratuity’s)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricey)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major travelers, restaurant, or wine connoisseur’s**
Currency:
|
Price
|
United States Dollar (USD)
|
$$
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Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
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££
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Canadian Dollar (CAN)
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$$
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Chinese Yuan (CNY)
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¥¥¥¥
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European Union (EUR)
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€€
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Alcohol prices:
$24.00 USD
Mattison's Riverwalk Grille:
101 Riverfront Blvd
Bradenton, FL 34205
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
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Maître d or host:
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+1 941-896-9660
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Website Contact:
Email Us:
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Serving hours:
Eastern Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC - 5:00)
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Daily: Sun - Thur
11:00 am - 10:00 pm
Fri - Sat
11:00 am - 11:00 pm
Happy Hour: Mon - Fri
4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
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Social Media
And
Accolades for Mattison's Riverwalk Grille:
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****
The world’s best restaurants is a subjective list of who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine Dine and Play best experiences are based on my highest rated stared restaurants, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, mom + pops, hole in the walls, to fine dining including a few Michelin spots. Visit the Top 100 page to see the entire list.
A few to tease you with…
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French-American Fine Dining
Yountville, California, USA
|
Elegant Modern Australian with Molecular Gastronomic
Melbourne, Australia
|
Acclaimed high-concept inspired Farm to Table tavern
Charleston, South Carolina, USA
|
Other Mattison's Riverwalk Grille Pictures:
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| Mattison's Riverwalk Grille / Patio |
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
