The restaurants coming to Port St. Lucie's riverfront are further away than the city's own project page says. That page still shows The Grove's first phase running from September 2025 to February 2027 and expects an opening in "early 2027." At the Community Redevelopment Agency meeting on September 28, 2026, city staff gave a later date. Construction started in early September and is expected to finish in late 2027, and the operators will need a ramp-up period after that before they open to the public.
That means the whole River Nights season, from this November through April 2027, will happen on a riverfront that is still entirely park. If you live on the east side, the Port District this winter means a 1.5-mile stretch of boardwalk, lawn, playground and new preserve along the North Fork of the St. Lucie River at 2454 SE Westmoreland Blvd. Any food comes from the trucks that roll in once a month.
How "Early 2027" Became "Late 2027, Then a Ramp-Up"
The Grove has been in the works longer than most people realize. City Council approved a long-term lease for the riverfront restaurant concept in January 2023. The developer, SūDā, later announced a partnership with Atlas Restaurant Group, which runs more than 50 dining concepts across Maryland, Delaware, Texas, Pennsylvania and Florida and will operate the venues. Phase 1 is planned as five venues:
- Salt River, a St. Lucie River Gastronomy, a coastal-inspired restaurant with rooftop dining over the river
- Italian Disco, a pizzeria, bar and restaurant
- Kannon, serving sushi, bento boxes and Japanese cuisine
- The Grove Bar, focused on local craft beer and signature cocktails
- "Tequi" Bar, a tiki bar built around tequila drinks
A second phase would add two more casual dining venues, but construction on those only starts once Phase 1 is running.
The schedule has moved several times since the plans were first shown:
| When | Where it was said | What the timeline looked like |
|---|---|---|
| July 2025 | City announcement of the dining plans | Opening estimated for February 2027 |
| October 23, 2025 | City groundbreaking ceremony | Billed as the start of construction |
| April 13, 2026 | City Council meeting | Construction handover in May 2027, then three to four months of pre-opening work, with fall 2027 a reasonable opening target |
| September 28, 2026 | CRA meeting | Construction began in early September, completion expected late 2027, then an operations ramp-up |
At the April council meeting, the developer put the elapsed time down to permitting, financing and budget increases. TCPalm reported two days later that the five Phase 1 restaurants "may open by fall 2027." The September update in the CRA meeting recording said the project was "on track" for late-2027 construction completion, but it gave no public opening date. When staff mentioned the restaurants would open to the public, someone in the room added, "At last."
So the dates in your calendar for the next six months are the ones the city has already posted for the park.
The Second Thursday Is the Port District's Night Out
River Nights is a free concert on The Event Lawn on the second Thursday of every month from October through April, with food trucks handling food and drinks. This season started badly. Rain canceled the October 8 show, which had the Reaxtion Band booked with Bision Eatery, Churros and Cream, Uptown Deli and Bonner Mobile Bar as vendors. That leaves six dates, all from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.:
- November 12, 2026: Shaw Davis & The Black Ties, rock
- December 10, 2026: Tom Jackson, country
- January 14, 2027: Shaelyn Band, rock and blues
- February 11, 2027: Vam Band, party
- March 11, 2027: Paul Anthony and Reggae Souljahs, reggae
- April 8, 2027: Subliminal Doubt, a No Doubt tribute
The city notes the schedule is subject to change.
December has a second evening event. Noche Buena runs Friday, December 18, from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Port District, with the Jamboree Latin Band, dancing and Latin food trucks. Admission is free. The event listing also invites guests to see PSLinLights. The city's PSLinLights at The Port page still shows last year's calendar, though, so check there for this season's dates before you plan a holiday-lights evening.
Park North and Walk In Along the River
The parking advice for these nights makes the case for the boardwalk better than anything else. The city sends River Nights crowds to three free lots:
- Veterans Park at Rivergate, 2100 SE Veterans Memorial Parkway
- Tom Hooper Park, 2300 SE Rivergate Parkway
- The USPS office, 2255 SE Veterans Memorial Parkway
From there, you walk the boardwalk to The Event Lawn. The city says plainly that there is no event parking at any of the surrounding business plazas. It gives the same parking directions for Noche Buena.
The walk works any day of the week. The Boardwalk runs 4,300 feet along the river between Tom Hooper Park and Veterans Park at Rivergate, with mangrove paths and an observation deck. Fishing is allowed, and the city lists it as open 24/7. Watch for the six anchors along the Port District, too. They carry artwork by local artists, as staff noted at the September CRA meeting.
What You Reach Along the Way
The district has opened in stages. The riverfront itself opened in June 2024. The city counts the Botanical Gardens, The Event Lawn and riverfront stage, the History Museum and Education Center, Pioneer Park, the Boardwalk, The Grove site and The Preserve as parts of the district.
Pioneer Park covers 9.75 acres and has a children's playground, interactive water play, open event space, the riverfront stage, restrooms, parking and a canoe and kayak launch. Fishing is allowed. The playground is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and the Banyan Basin splash pad runs from 9 a.m. to dusk. On a River Nights evening, the playground stays open past the last song.
The Preserve is the newest piece. Construction began in August 2025, and the 13-acre conservation area had its ribbon cutting on March 4, 2026. St. Lucie Voice reported that it sits south of the Pioneer Park playground and has a trail network of about 3,000 feet. It includes wetland overlooks, and its trail connects to the existing river boardwalk. It is open dawn to dusk. It opened in March, near the end of last season's October-to-April run. This is the first season it is open from the first show to the last, so you can walk a loop through it before the music starts.
The Trail Still Marked "Coming Soon"
One more piece would stretch the riverfront well past the event lawn. The Wilderness Trail at Wilderness Park, 2701 SE Westmoreland Blvd., is planned as a 2.1-mile, 10-foot-wide path for walking and biking. It would link The Saints, The Port and other riverfront spots. Plans include an entrance sign, an information kiosk, wildlife signs and art, benches, and a restroom with a pavilion.
In a January 12, 2026 notice, the city projected completion by fall 2026. Later that month, St. Lucie Voice reported, based on a city email, that the $2.77 million construction work would start in early February instead. The Wilderness Park page still lists this phase as "Coming Soon!" and says completion is expected "by Fall," with no year and no opening date. Until the city announces a ribbon cutting, Wilderness Park itself is open from 8 a.m. to sunset, with fishing, natural areas, open space and trails.
If the trail opens this season, a River Nights evening could start well upriver at Wilderness Park and end at The Event Lawn.
The Port District is one of the east-side projects that Jill McCarthy Thogersen follows closely, because a riverfront that adds restaurants changes how a neighborhood feels day to day. If you own nearby and want to know how projects like The Grove fit into your home's value, request a free home valuation or schedule a market consultation with Jill.
