10 Sarasota restaurants you should eat at right now
SARASOTA — The culinary wonders of Sarasota extend beyond just downtown into the neighborhoods and adjacent areas that make up the sprawling city. From the large concentration of places to eat and drink at the University Town Center mall right on the line of Bradenton and Sarasota, to popular downtown spots, to the Southgate and Siesta Key area, there are lots of ways to find a good meal. Here are 10 of our favorite places to eat right now.
Florence and the Spice Boys
This modern Middle Eastern restaurant started out as a food truck, officially opening as a brick-and-mortar spot in Sarasota’s The Landings shopping plaza at the end of 2022. The interior is colorful and playful, and so is the food, including a chicken shawarma bowl loaded with blue coconut rice, hummus, pickled slaw, beet tahini, egg quarters and grilled halloumi cheese. The falafel pita is a must-try, the crispy chickpea ball nestled in a soft pita and topped with smoked harissa sauce, beet tahini and pickled mango sauce. There’s a lineup of salads, too, and a couple of fun desserts like Pistachio Pie and Date “Snickers.” The dining room is large, with plenty of room for sitting down with your food, or you can easily order online and pick up the food to-go. It’d make for a great beach lunch. You can even order beer, wine and cocktails to-go. Florence and the Spice Boys is open Monday-Saturday at 11 a.m., but they close at 3 p.m. after lunch service and reopen at 5 p.m. for dinner. 4990 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. 941-923-9920.
Mademoiselle Paris
This locally owned charmer has three locations, one in downtown Sarasota, one on Anna Maria Island and one at the bustling University Town Center mall and shopping plaza near Interstate 75. It stands out among the (many, many) chains there, a traditional French bakery and cafe that opened in 2016. The family business serves up breakfast and lunch fare like quiche, crepe, tartine and a long list of hot and cold sandwiches. It’s imperative that you browse the pastry case on your way out. Some locations serve dinner and host events like wine tastings, too. University Town Center: 8527 Cooper Creek Blvd., University Park, 941-355-2323; downtown: 1605 Main St., Sarasota, 941-554-4021; Anna Maria Island: 9906 Gulf Drive, Anna Maria Island, 941-226-0708.
Screaming Goat Taqueria
This inventive, diet-inclusive taco spot offers a wide range of tacos, burritos and bowls, with signature tacos and a build-your-own assembly line, too. Chef and co-owner Malin Parker opened the fast-casual restaurant in south Sarasota, minutes away from Siesta Key, in 2018, and is set to open another location farther south in Osprey. Try the Nashville-Style Spicy Chicken taco, served with citrus crema and jalapeno pickles, or the Korean Beef with gochujang barbeque, cilantro and lime. Proteins like beef barbacoa and pork cochinita pibil are great additions to the hearty bowls or burritos. The vegan chorizo and Buffalo cauliflower are solid plant-based options, too. And there’s a large kids menu for the little ones to peruse. 6566 Gateway Ave., Sarasota. 941-210-3992. screaming-goat.com.
The Old Salty Dog
With three locations in Venice, Siesta Key and City Island just outside of downtown Sarasota, this beachy spot is classic old Florida. We love the City Island location for its waterfront perch right on the Sarasota Bay. Stop here for breakfast or lunch on your way to the beach or the Mote Marine Aquarium across the street. The open-air restaurant has a breezy nautical ambience and simple but tasty food — everything from conch fritters to lobster rolls to signature quarter-pound hot dogs that are battered and fried. The City Island location also has breakfast on the weekends. City Island: 1601 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, 941-388-4311; Siesta Key: 5023 Ocean Blvd., Sarasota, 941-349-0158; Venice Island: 1485 S. Tamiami Trail, Venice, 941-483-1000.
Palm Avenue Deli
Yet another hit from the owners of Kojo, Bar Hana and Speaks Clam Bar, Palm Avenue Deli is a vibrant all-day spot in downtown Sarasota. Mark and Natalia Levey of Hi Hospitality Group opened the elevated Jewish deli in 2023, drawing inspiration from Mark’s Jewish heritage and childhood in New York. The restaurant on Palm Avenue has deli classics like matzo ball soup, latkes and towering pastrami sandwiches, but also Aperol Spritz cocktails and a wide range of breakfast and dinner options. On your way out the door, swoon over the grab-and-go case stocked with bagels, egg salad, smoked fish platters and even black and white cookies. 1297 N. Palm Ave., Sarasota. 941-263-3742. palmavenuedeli.com.
Tzeva
This restaurant inside the boutique Art Ovation Hotel offers a menu highlighting Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes. There’s also a lovely happy hour from 5 to 6 p.m. daily that offers $10 plates and discounted beer and wine. On the regular menu, you’ll find a handful of hummus flavors; a Moroccan Chicken Club that pairs spiced chicken with bacon, smoked tomato chutney, halloumi cheese, roasted red pepper aioli and romaine; and Za’atar Fish Tacos that come with a sweet spicy slaw, harissa sour cream and avocado-cucumber pico de gallo. For dessert, don’t miss the Black Sesame Brulee, made with chantilly cream and topped with honey-macerated fruit. 1255 N. Palm Ave., Sarasota. 941-413-7425. tzevasarasota.com.
More good food in unexpected places
The Ringling Grillroom: Located in the Visitors Pavilion at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, this modern American restaurant is a convenient place to grab lunch while visiting the estate or to have a nice dinner, as it’s open to the public. Snacks to share (or not) include crispy Sicilian calamari, jumbo lump crab cake, and burrata and heirloom tomato. Crusted ahi tuna Nicoise and a Caesar salad are among the salad options, and a lobster roll and veggie wrap are on the handhelds menu. Entree favorites include chicken Milanese with whipped ricotta and oven-dried tomato, and classic pappardelle pasta with summer squash and wild mushrooms. Pair it all with a glass of wine, craft beer on tap or a specialty cocktail, like the Pineapple Rum Express with pineapple rum, spiced pear liqueur, fresh lime, bitters and nutmeg. 5401 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota. 941-360-7393. theringlinggrillroom.com. — Maggie Duffy, Times staff writer
Bistro: This cafe at the Sarasota Art Museum is located in Paul Rudolph’s 1959 Vocational Shops building and is artfully decorated with a mural detailing the history of the bistro chair and an installation of ceramic works made by artist Molly Hatch. It’s operated by John Dangaran and his wife, executive chef Kaytlin of Constellation Culinary Group, who have cafes in museums throughout the country. The fare is inspired by what’s fresh and in season at local fruit stands and farmers markets, sourcing dairy from Myakka, honey from Miami and baked goods from Sarasota bakery C’est La Vie. Bistro is typically open for breakfast, lunch and brunch, but occasionally they have art-inspired dinners to accompany new exhibitions. “Working in a museum as a chef is so fun,” Kaytlin said. “You’re on a campus with people that are there for arts and culture and creativity, so there’s that vibe already.” 1001 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. 941-330-9881. sarasotaartmuseum.org/bistro. — Maggie Duffy, Times staff writer
The Green Orchid: You have to buy tickets to Marie Selby Botanical Gardens’ downtown campus to dine at this new restaurant. Operated by Michael’s on East, it’s a net-positive-energy restaurant that runs entirely on solar power and generates more energy than it uses. It serves fresh produce grown at the rooftop garden, which is maintained by Operation EcoVets, a nonprofit serving military veterans. It features a robust selection of salads and bowls, handhelds, mains and dessert. 1534 Mound St., Sarasota. 941-265-8194. selby.org. — Maggie Duffy, Times staff writer
Cinebistro: Sarasota has one of two Cinebistro movie theaters in the Tampa Bay area (the other being in Tampa’s Hyde Park Village), and it’s a fun way to mix up date night or treat yourself. The spot takes theater snacks to a new level, with a full food menu and bar (and full service) available both in the lobby and at your seat. There’s some surprisingly good (if overpriced) fare here, like the burrata salad, Popcorn Trio appetizer and an Asian-inflected crispy chicken rice bowl. If you’re in need of a meal while you watch the latest blockbuster, you could do a lot worse. Come on Tuesdays for discounted movie tickets. 3501 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. 941-361-2456.
