Mean Dean's Local Kitchen
One of the main questions customers ask at Mean Deans Local Kitchen in Bradenton is whether Chef Dean Donnelly is actually mean.
We can tell you that neither Donnelly nor his wife, Michele Angell, is mean. They seem like lovely people.
We like to think that the “mean” in their restaurant name indicates that Dean makes a mean Bourbon Maple Short Rib Over Thai Style Peanut Pasta and a mean Bayou Shrimp & Grits, and so much more.
You see, Mean Deans, which opened in 2020 during the COVID pandemic, is located in a nondescript strip mall in South Bradenton—close to happening spots like downtown Sarasota and yet so far in other ways.
To distinguish themselves, Donnelly and Angell focus on great customer service and knock-your-socks-off food in a cozy atmosphere, all of which will keep you coming back for more.
Angell and Donnelly have long-time backgrounds in the restaurant business: While just a teen, Donnelly started out as a dishwasher at a five-star restaurant in Daytona Beach. He made his way through every position in the back and front of the house at both corporate and independent restaurants, including places like Anna Maria Oyster Bar and Leverock’s. Before opening Mean Deans, he was wine director at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and was co-owner of Cedar Reef Fish Camp.
“We wanted to create whatever cuisine we felt fit, and that’s been an evolution as we go.”
Angell also worked her share of front-of-the-house restaurant positions. She met Donnelly, and eventually they owned Cedar Reef together. In her “spare” time while co-owning the restaurant, she got her pilot, flight instructor, and airline transport pilot certificates.
Yet like for many of us, the pandemic made Angell and Donnelly question their priorities, and they decided to start Mean Deans to be closer to friends and family. Working with Angell’s father-in-law, they transformed a long-vacant pizza place into the rustic, cozy space that is now Mean Deans.
It’s hard to place Mean Deans cuisine into one category. “We wanted to create whatever cuisine we felt fit, and that’s been an evolution as we go,” Donnelly says. “We wanted to have the ability not to just be seafood or Italian or anything else. We can do whatever we want.”
What does that translate into when it comes to a typical menu? Well, you may find yourself ordering Buffalo Gator Bites (fried gator tail in spicy Buffalo sauce) or Chef Deans Award-Winning Spinach Dip for an appetizer. Then for your dinner, maybe you’ll get the Smothered Clucker (seared chicken breast, spinach, red pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes, onions, goat cheese, and smashed garlic) or Tofu Coconut Curry, just as a few examples. You’ve also got your choice of meats, seafood, sandwiches, and tacos.
Dessert may be Key Lime Crème Brûleé (notice it’s not traditional key lime pie) or Crunchy Peanut Butter Pie.
There’s also a whole host of signature alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails and a curated, diverse wine and beer list.
Mean Deans also has special events, from regular live music and trivia to menu specials like Flavors of Fall.
Word-of-mouth has helped the restaurant grow a lot, enabling it to expand into an adjacent location about a year ago. Some customers visit literally every day, Angell and Donnelly say.
And it helps that their name is so memorable, even if Dean really isn’t mean.
