"What you are going to experience at the market is genuine hospitality," Fred Karimipour said in July, when FMK Hospitality Group announced three new food counters for The Market at Sawgrass Grove. Those counters opened at a ribbon cutting on September 26, 2026, together with a new butcher shop.
You could read that as four more places to eat. Look at who is behind them and it adds up to more than that. Over roughly 20 months, FMK has gone from no presence at Sawgrass Grove to running the tavern on the square, LUMA, all three new counters, and the butcher. Inside the food hall at 766 Marilee Place, the FMK side now runs on one schedule and serves one daily rhythm, with a take-home counter included.
How the hall has changed since 2022
The Market had its soft opening on July 15, 2022. A local food blog covered it that day and listed the opening lineup as Frenchy's Wood-Fired, Willy's Original, Darlin's Sweet Shop, Golden Hills Coffee Roasters, Sawgrass Bar and The Villages Grown. The Local Butcher & Market and Little Fin Seafood Kitchen were described then as coming soon. The Villages' own announcement called it a multi-business food hall with seating.
FMK arrived in steps, starting in January 2025:
| When | What FMK did at Sawgrass Grove |
|---|---|
| January 2025 | Took over McGrady's Pub and reopened it Jan. 22 as Sawgrass Tavern with a new menu |
| January 2026 | Opened LUMA Mediterranean Kitchen in the former Villages Show Kitchen space, with a Jan. 5 grand opening |
| July 2026 | Announced Sizzle 'n Smash, Southern Tender and Papa Joe's Pizza & More |
| September 2026 | Opened all three counters plus The Butcher & Purveyor at the Sept. 26 ribbon cutting |
FMK calls The Butcher & Purveyor its 20th location. Villages-News describes the company as the No. 1 restaurant operator in Florida's Friendliest Hometown, with a portfolio that includes restaurants and country clubs. On September 2, LUMA also opened a second Villages location at Lake Sumter Landing.
The original independent names are still part of the square. The official Sawgrass Grove directory lists Frenchy's Wood Fired Original, Little Fin Seafood, Willy's Original, Darlin's Sweet Shoppe, Golden Hills Coffee Roasters, Take 5 Coffee & Crepes, The Villages Grown and Provisions Grocery & Essentials, along with Sawgrass Tavern and the outdoor Sawgrass Bar. That directory still shows a few older names, McGrady's Pub among them, so check before you count on any one listing.
The counters were built to work together
FMK says the three new walk-up counters were designed as convenient, approachable quick-service options for people visiting the Market. Each one sticks to a short menu:
- Papa Joe's Pizza & More sells pizza by the slice, plus small and large pies.
- Sizzle 'n Smash makes smash burgers and milkshakes.
- Southern Tender serves chicken tenders and french fries, with a choice of dipping sauces.
- LUMA Mediterranean Kitchen covers the lighter, Mediterranean end of the menu.
The menus barely overlap. If your group can't agree on dinner, one person can get a slice, another a burger, a third a LUMA order, and you can all sit together in the Market's seating. All Market dining locations keep the same hours, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. So there's no wondering which counter has already closed.
The butcher handles tomorrow night's dinner
The fifth FMK piece inside the Market is the one that reaches past the food hall. The Butcher & Purveyor is in Suite 105 at 766 Marilee Place. FMK says it carries fresh-cut steaks, deli meats and cheeses, fresh produce, and ready-made meals for lunch, dinner, or later at home. The Villages' announcement pitches it for top-quality ingredients when you're cooking and for something quick and pre-made when you're not.
Philip Benjamin, FMK's VP of concept development and marketing, said the shop "complements the other FMK concepts perfectly." That fits the pattern. The counters cover eating at the Market, and the butcher covers the next meal at home.
Sandwiches are on their way. FMK's September 28 announcement said fresh-made sandwiches would be "joining the lineup soon." The shop's own menu page already lists seven: the B&P Club, Chicken Salad, Mediterranean Veggie, Ultimate, Smoked Turkey & Swiss, Meatball Sub and Italian, served from 11 a.m. to close. They may still be rolling out during opening week, so if you're going specifically for a sandwich, ask at the counter first. No source we found lists separate shop hours or specific steak cuts.
Using the square in October
Because the FMK counters keep the same hours, it's easy to plan dinner around the music at Sawgrass Grove. The October calendar runs evening sets at Center Stage. Starting Thursday, Oct. 1, evening entertainment at Sawgrass Grove runs 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 6 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. On Nov. 1 it moves to 5 to 9 p.m. every night.
The weekly rhythm
- Mondays: Boozy Bingo, 5 to 9 p.m.
- Tuesdays: Trivia Tuesday, noon to 2 p.m., then an evening band
- Thursdays: Alan Ross Karaoke, noon to 2 p.m., then an evening band
- Saturdays: A lunchtime set from noon to 3 p.m., an evening band from 6 to 10 p.m., and Shop & Dine Saturday all day around Sawgrass on Oct. 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31
The weekday lunch slots line up with the counters' 11 a.m. opening. Trivia at noon on a Tuesday leaves time to pick up a Papa Joe's slice or a LUMA order first.
Dates to circle
- Oct. 1: Karaoke at lunch, then Anita Drink Band from 5 to 9 p.m. on the first night of the new hours
- Oct. 3: The first Shop & Dine Saturday, plus a Resident Lifestyle Volunteer Group halftime performance
- Oct. 11: National Sausage Pizza Day at Papa Joe's Pizza & More, with the Valerie Gillespie Ensemble playing 5 to 9 p.m.
- Oct. 21: National Apple Day, with a Harvest Punch at Southern Tender
- Oct. 30: Andrew Luv and the Franchise Players Band, 6 to 10 p.m., with the Thrillagers at 6:45 p.m.
- Oct. 31: The Fahrenheits, listed as new, from noon to 3 p.m., then The Voodoo Gypsies from 6 to 10 p.m.
Two of those promotions come from the new counters. Both are tied to a single day, and both fall on nights with a full evening of music.
Halloween takes a little planning
The official Halloween celebrations on Oct. 31 are at Spanish Springs, Lake Sumter Landing, Eastport and Brownwood. Each square has its own theme, costume contest and live entertainment. Sawgrass Grove isn't on that list. Its Oct. 31 calendar has the usual Saturday lineup instead: The Fahrenheits at lunch, The Voodoo Gypsies at night, and Shop & Dine Saturday. If you want costume contests, head to one of the other four squares. If you'd like a regular Saturday night with a band and dinner, Sawgrass has that.
Look for the acorn
October and November are The Villages' Fall Season of Celebration, with pumpkin-decorated storefronts, live music and seasonal specials. Participating spots mark seasonal menu items and drinks with an Acorn icon. The Southern Tender Harvest Punch on Oct. 21 is the kind of themed item the campaign promotes.
The calendar notes that all activities and times can change without notice, and it includes a QR code for the latest schedule. If a specific band or promotion is the reason you're going, check that QR code or thevillages.com that afternoon.
If you live near Sawgrass Grove, you've watched The Market change since its 2022 opening, and you know a food hall like this is a real part of daily life. If you're curious what's close to Sawgrass Grove, or what's happening in the southern villages as the square changes, I'm happy to share what I know. Reach out to Nathan Piotrowski anytime. Let's Connect.
