The Shipyard Grill Grand Opening
Photography By Savannah Dean
The Shipyard Grill on Sun Harbor Marina quickly has become a local favorite. The restaurant overlooks the boat docks and guests enjoy one of the best sunset views from the top deck while dining or sampling the drink menu. The marina changed hands last year and is now owned and operated by local shipbuilder Brian D’Isernia, the founder and owner of Eastern Shipbuilding Group. Renovations to the marina have just started and other improvements to docks and parking lot are still to come. In June, with palpable pride in ownership, Brian D’Isernia and family welcomed guests to a grand opening ceremony and demonstrated how to do things right, from the delicious menu and fresh seafood to the long-lasting drinks, live entertainment, and panoramic views.
The family greeted guests throughout the evening and entire weekend and gave away door prizes. “Chances are you will meet at least one D’Isernia family member, if not several of us, when dining at The Shipyard Grill,” says Daisy D’Isernia, the “producer” of the grand opening ceremony. Daisy recently returned to Panama City after 10 years of studying and working as a speech pathologist in Australia and we hope she will grace our part of the world a little longer.
The delicious food can be attributed to a great team, Daisy D’Isernia explains. “We are happy to be working with Kevin and Andy Faoutas. Andy is the original owner of “Andy’s Flour Power.” Their family has been running restaurants in Bay County since the 1940s. We are serving Andy’s bread and Kevin’s food.”
During the ceremony, the restaurant was christened like one of the many large ships the owners sendoff onto the world’s oceans, with the obligatory breaking of a bottle of champagne. The restaurant indeed has similarities to a ship. The entire structure sits on stilts mere feet above the water, is surrounded by boats and has a distinctly maritime flair.
The restaurant also offers a glimpse into Panama City’s history, with heirlooms on display from Wainwright Shipyard, Sherman Shipyard and Eastern Shipbuilding. Wainwright Shipyard was located where The Shipyard Grill and Sun Harbor Marina are now located.
About the Family and The Schooner Columbia
Of course, Brian D’Isernia is a local legend. The former New York lawyer started building his own commercial fishing boats in Bay County in the late 1970s when he realized that he could build a better boat than anyone else. His company employs approximately 1,500 and has built more than 350 commercial vessels as large as 300 feet.
One of Brian D’Isernia’s private shipbuilding projects and lifelong dreams, The Schooner Columbia, a replica of the famous 1927 original, prompted the purchase of Sun Harbor Marina. The construction of the replica closely followed the original building plans with a hull that draws 16 feet. Sun Harbor Marina offers one of the few deep water docks in Bay County and is now proud home of The Columbia. Enthusiasts will be excited to know that The Columbia is homebound and will return to Panama City after a year of sailing adventures, parading in boat shows, and participating in the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta.
