What local restaurants are open Christmas Day in Sarasota-Manatee?
It's that time of year where many of us are finalizing our holiday plans, often including a Christmas dinner with our loved ones. Yet if you're not feeling up to cooking and would rather leave it to the professionals, fear not, as several Sarasota-Manatee restaurants will be open Christmas Day.
Along with menus ranging from seafood to Spanish and Cuban cuisine, several restaurants will be serving traditional Christmas dinner staples such as ham, turkey and prime rib. Many also have outdoor seating, if you want to take advantage of our beautiful winter weather, and some restaurants will offer takeout options including family-style meals.
Here are some of the Sarasota-Manatee restaurants set to be open Christmas Day. Seats at restaurants go quickly during the holidays, so making reservations as early as possible is recommended. Be sure to tip generously, and happy holidays!
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Anna Maria Island Beach Cafe
4000 Gulf Dr., Holmes Beach; 941-778-0784; amibeachcafe.com
The cafe on Manatee Public Beach will serve a Christmas meal with "ham, turkey, and all the trimmings" noon-5 p.m. Meals can be pre-ordered now and picked up noon-3 p.m. Christmas Day, with dine-in orders to be picked up on the beach side at the order window, and to-go orders to be picked up under the tent on the parking lot side of the building. Meals cost $24.99 through Dec. 19, then the price rises to $28.99, including day-of orders available at the counter. Purchasing a plate in advance does not reserve a table; seating is first-come, first-served. The cafe's regular breakfast menu will also be served 8-11 a.m.
Cafe Gabbiano
5104 Ocean Blvd., Siesta Key; 941-349-1423; cafegabbiano.com
The Italian restaurant in Siesta Key Village will be open 2-8 p.m. on Christmas Day, and 4-8 p.m. Christmas Eve, with a holiday menu including entrees such as Allen Brothers filet mignon, osso buco and lobster pescatora. Reservations are strongly recommended.
Cafe L’Europe
431 St. Armands Circle, Sarasota; 941-388-4415; cafeleurope.net
A St. Armands Circle landmark, founded in 1973 and specializing in Continental cuisine, Cafe L’Europe will be open 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m., offering three-course dinners with choice of oven-roasted turkey ($48.95), slow-roasted USDA prime rib ($58.95) or pecan-encrusted black grouper ($58.95) for the main course. Each also comes with choice of potato leek soup or Caesar salad, and bourbon bread pudding or pecan pie for dessert. A limited a la carte menu will also be available, with reservations highly recommended.
Columbia Restaurant
411 St. Armands Circle, Sarasota; 941-388-3987; columbiarestaurant.com
Another St. Armands staple that has been serving Spanish and Cuban cuisine since 1959 (its original Ybor City location dates back to 1905), Columbia will be open 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Christmas Day. In addition to its regular menu, it will also offer a $28 Lechon Asado special – slow-roasted pork marinated with sour orange juice, garlic, oregano and bay leaves, and served with mojo, yuca. Moros y Cristianos and plátanos maduros. It will also offer a curbside family Christmas meal that feeds 8-10 ($175 plus tax) that includes lechon asado, yuca con mojo, Moros y Cristianos, platanos, Columbia's famous 1905 Salad, Cuban bread from La Segunda Central Bakery with butter and key lime pie. The deadline for ordering is 2 p.m. Dec. 19, with pickup at the restaurant 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 24.
Euphemia Haye
5540 Gulf of Mexico Dr., Longboat Key; 941-383-3633; euphemiahaye.com
The Longboat Key dining mainstay will be open 2-9 p.m. Christmas Day and 4-9 p.m. Christmas Eve, with Chef Ray serving his popular Bavarian-style roast goose dinner of sliced roasted goose, giblet gravy, German potato dumpling and sweet & sour red cabbage both evenings, along with its full a la carte menu and nightly specials. To-go orders for Euphemia Haye's popular pies must be pre-paid and placed by 4 p.m. Dec. 17, but only a limited amount of orders can be accepted, so ordering early is recommended.
Grove
10670 Boardwalk Loop, Lakewood Ranch; 941-893-4321; grovelwr.com
The restaurant at the intersection of Lakewood Ranch Boulevard and Main Street will be open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Christmas Day, serving a holiday menu that includes a prime rib dinner with mashed potatoes and asparagus along with other entrees such as filet mignon, stuffed flounder, rack of lamb and zucchini pasta, as well as various appetizers, soups/salads and desserts.
Libby’s Neighborhood Brasserie
1917 S. Osprey Ave., Sarasota, 941-487-7300 and 8445 Lorraine Road, Lakewood Ranch, 941-357-1570; libbysneighborhoodbrasserie.com
The brasserie-style restaurant specializing in classic American comfort foods with creative twists will be open 2-10 p.m. Christmas Day at both its locations, in Sarasota's Southside Village neighborhood and Lakewood Ranch. Libby's will serve its regular menu, as well as holiday specials such as surf & turf with fondue, Cabernet shallot butter New York strip and shrimp scampi, with regular takeout available as well.
Michael's on East
1212 S. East Ave., Sarasota; 941-366-0007; bestfood.com
The Sarasota fine-dining staple founded in 1987 will be open 2-8 p.m. Christmas Day (reservations required.) The dine-in menu will include a traditional turkey dinner with slow-cooked mashed potatoes with pan gravy, candied sweet potatoes, green beans, cranberry and cornbread stuffing and cranberry sauce/relish, and 16-ounce roasted prime rib of beef with horseradish and au jus. Michael's on East will also offer to-go family-style feasts with turkey ($249 serving up to six, $349 up to 10) or prime rib ($269 up to six) and numerous sides, and holiday desserts such as chocolate yule log, Christmas cookies and chocolate peppermint torte ($35-$49.) Takeout options should be ordered by Dec. 19 and picked up 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Christmas Day.
Miguel’s
6631 Midnight Pass Road, Sarasota; 941-349-4024; miguelsrestaurant.net
The Siesta Key restaurant specializing in French and Continental cuisine will open at noon on Christmas Day, featuring its regular menu along with holiday-themed specials such as turkey, ham or prime rib. It will also be open starting 4 p.m. Christmas Eve, with takeout available on both days.
Phillippi Creek Oyster Bar
5353 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; 941-925-4444; creekseafood.com
The waterfront Sarasota seafood restaurant overlooking the creek of the same name is open every day of the year, including Christmas Day and Eve, for dine-in and curbside pickup. Phillippi Creek Oyster Bar also offers platters of Gulf Coast seafood, including shrimp cocktail, crab legs and more; call to place holiday catering orders.
Pier 22
1200 First Ave. W., Bradenton; 941-748-8087; pier22.com
The downtown Bradenton restaurant right on the Manatee River will be open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Christmas Day with a holiday menu featuring many of the same dishes as its sister restaurant Grove. Entree options include prime rib, grouper oscar, wasabi tuna, lobster tails, chicken chevre, pork osso buco, surf & turf, rack of lamb, charbroiled ribeye, roast duckling, filet oscar and Tuscan vegetable pasta, with various appetizers, soups/salads and desserts as well. Regular takeout will also be available.
Rosemary & Thyme
511 N. Orange Ave., Sarasota; 941-955-7600; therosemarysarasota.com
The restaurant in Sarasota's Rosemary District neighborhood will be open 2-9 p.m. Christmas Day and 4:30-9 p.m. Christmas Eve, offering a holiday menu. Entrees will include pork osso bucco, canard à l’orange, pistachio-crusted salmon and beef short ribs, along with appetizers and desserts.
Summer House
149 Avenida Messina, Siesta Key; 941-260-2675; summerhousesiestakey.com
The Siesta Key Village restaurant specializing in steaks and seafood, named the ninth most romantic restaurant in the country by TripAdvisor in 2019, will open at 2 p.m. Christmas Day, offering its full menu as well as chef specials including prime rib. Reservations are strongly recommended. Summer House is part of Above the Bar Hospitality Group, which operates numerous Siesta Village restaurants including The Hub Baja Grill, which will also be open starting at 4 p.m. Christmas Day.
Turtles on Little Sarasota Bay
8875 Midnight Pass Road, Sarasota; 941-346-2207; turtlesrestaurant.com
The waterfront Siesta Key dining destination will be open noon-8 p.m. Christmas Day, with a menu including Black Angus prime rib ($24), honey-glazed ham with pineapple rum sauce ($17) and roast turkey with pecan stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes with gravy and vegetables ($18.) Other entrees include steak and seafood (all served with hot baked rolls and butter), and kids meal-sized portions of ham, turkey or prime rib for ages 12 and under ($10.) For added Christmas spirit, Turtles will also offer eggnog with brandy, cinnamon and nutmeg ($7.50.) Takeout will be available as well.
Email entertainment reporter Jimmy Geurts at jimmy.geurts@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota-Manatee restaurants open Christmas Day for dine-in, to-go
