This week the pub at Sawgrass Grove is dark. Sawgrass Tavern closed Sunday evening, and its owner, FMK Hospitality, is using the week to rebrand it. It reopens at 11 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 19, under a new name, Grove House.
Once Grove House reopens, one operator will be behind both the pub and every food concept listed in The Market at Sawgrass Grove. FMK has had the pub since early 2025. It filled the Market's counters between July and September 2026. That means a single kitchen group now runs most of the full meals on offer at Sawgrass Grove, and a handful of independent coffee, sweets, and grocery spots fill in the rest.
Three Names on the Same Door
The building has changed names more often than most restaurants in The Villages. Villages-News traces it this way:
- 2022: The Villages opens it as McGrady's Pub.
- Early 2025: FMK Hospitality takes over and renames it Sawgrass Tavern. According to Villages-News, very little changed at the time, and the decor and furniture stayed much as they had been.
- Oct. 19, 2026: It reopens as Grove House.
In January 2025, Villages-News reported that the takeover came with a new menu and a planned Jan. 22 reopening. Even so, the room felt like the old pub. The Tavern's own website described Celtic-inspired decor with warm wood, and its menu stayed with pub classics: shepherd's pie, corned beef and cabbage, Scotch eggs, Reubens, and fish and chips.
So this is FMK's second rebrand of the space in under two years. This time the changes reach the parts the first one left alone.
What Changes on Oct. 19
The local dining site Villager Eats lists Grove House as closed Oct. 12 through Oct. 18 for renovations and staff training. Its listing describes a new menu, a new dining room, and American cuisine. Put that next to the Tavern's menu and the direction is plain. The Celtic theme is going away, and the room that stayed the same through the 2025 change is getting redone.
Some details aren't out yet. As of Oct. 12, nobody had published a full Grove House menu, a description of the new decor, or daily hours beyond the 11 a.m. opening on the 19th. If the shepherd's pie is your usual order, you'll find out on reopening day whether it made the cut.
The Market Filled In Over One Summer
Grove House is the last step of a summer-long buildout. Villages-News noted that earlier this year FMK also took over the restaurants at The Market at Sawgrass Grove. Here's how the takeover unfolded:
- July 6: Villages-News reported three walk-up concepts on the way: Sizzle 'N Smash for smash burgers and milkshakes, Southern Tender for chicken tenders and fries, and Papa Joe's Pizza and More for slices and whole pies.
- Late July: FMK announced that Southern Tender and Sizzle 'N Smash were open.
- Late August: Papa Joe's opened daily from 11 a.m. FMK billed it as the group's 18th restaurant.
- Late September: The Butcher & Purveyor opened inside the Market. FMK called it the company's 20th location.
That's two new locations in about a month, both at Sawgrass Grove. The Butcher & Purveyor is a step outside the walk-up counter format. FMK's announcement says it sells fresh-cut steaks, deli meats and cheeses, produce, and ready-made meals, and that fresh-made sandwiches are coming soon. No date has been given for the sandwiches.
Philip Benjamin, FMK's VP of Concept Development & Marketing, said in the company's announcement that the butcher "complements the other FMK concepts perfectly" and that the group is "proud to continue growing at Sawgrass Grove."
LUMA Mediterranean Kitchen is part of the lineup too. FMK lists LUMA among its Sawgrass Market concepts, and The Villages' Sept. 26 announcement names it beside Papa Joe's, Sizzle 'N Smash, and Southern Tender. When LUMA opened at Lake Sumter Landing with a Sept. 2 ribbon-cutting, Villages-News called that spot its second location in The Villages.
Who Runs What at Sawgrass Grove
| Spot | What it serves | Operator | Status as of Oct. 12 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grove House, formerly Sawgrass Tavern | American, with a new menu | FMK Hospitality | Closed; reopens Oct. 19 at 11 a.m. |
| Sizzle 'N Smash | Smash burgers, milkshakes | FMK Hospitality | Open |
| Southern Tender | Chicken tenders, fries | FMK Hospitality | Open |
| Papa Joe's Pizza and More | Slices, whole pizzas | FMK Hospitality | Open |
| LUMA Mediterranean Kitchen | Bowls, pitas | FMK Hospitality | Open |
| The Butcher & Purveyor | Meats, deli, prepared meals | FMK Hospitality | Open; sandwiches coming |
One Operator, One Clock
With one company running the Market's kitchens, they all keep the same hours. The Villages' Sept. 26 update says every dining location in The Market at Sawgrass Grove, 766 Marilee Pl, is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. If you're planning a group dinner, that makes things easy. One person can get a burger, another a Mediterranean bowl, and a third a pizza slice, all from counters that open and close together.
The square's music schedule runs on separate hours that are about to change. Villages-News reported that starting Oct. 1, nightly entertainment at Sawgrass Grove runs 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 6 to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. On Nov. 1, every town square goes back to 5 to 9 p.m. nightly. The music is free on the Boxcar Stage. After Nov. 1, the music on a Saturday will end an hour before the Market kitchens close at 10.
Some spots outside FMK's lineup are still on the square. The Villages' Sawgrass Grove page lists Darlin's Sweet Shoppe, Take 5 Coffee & Crepes, Provisions Grocery & Essentials, Golden Hills Coffee Roasters, and Sawgrass Bar. That same page still lists older names, including McGrady's Pub, so it's behind on some updates. Check a business directly before you go.
The Same Kitchen Group Behind Other Squares
If FMK sounds new, you've likely eaten at its restaurants already. FMK says Bonifay Country Club, which it launched in 2011, was its first restaurant. The group's roster also lists Bella Vita, Belle Glade, Bluefin, Chop House, Evans Prairie, Orange Blossom Hills, Scooples, Tap House Social, Victory Sports Grill, Prime + Ember, Coastal Del Mar, and Harvest. Villages-News has tied several of those to specific squares: Bluefin and Scooples in Brownwood, Chop House at Lake Sumter Landing, and Bella Vita at Spanish Springs, plus the country club restaurants at Belle Glade, Bonifay, Evans Prairie, and Orange Blossom Hills.
At the older squares, FMK runs one or two restaurants among many. At Sawgrass Grove, it runs the pub, the butcher, and every food concept listed in the Market.
Dates for the Calendar
- Through Oct. 18: Grove House is closed for renovations and staff training. The Market counters stay open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Monday, Oct. 19, 11 a.m.: Grove House opens with its new menu and dining room.
- Nov. 1: Town square entertainment, Sawgrass Grove included, moves to 5 to 9 p.m. every night.
- Date not set: Fresh-made sandwiches arrive at The Butcher & Purveyor.
When the dining at a town square changes hands this fast, homeowners nearby start asking what it means for their part of The Villages. If you live near Sawgrass Grove and want to know how changes like these show up in local sales, Amanda Fincher can walk you through what nearby homes are selling for. Get Your Free Home Valuation, and then go get the first plate at Grove House on the 19th.
