Best restaurants open Christmas Day in Sarasota, Bradenton for dine-in and takeout
Following my recent story on the best restaurants to impress out-of-town guests, this list focuses on some of the most beloved local spots in Sarasota and Manatee counties that will be serving special meals and offering takeout on Christmas Day.
You will find waterfront favorites, as well as a few of the oldest restaurants in the region, serving everything from traditional holiday meals of ham and turkey to classic Florida seafood such as grouper and stone crab.
In addition to being open on Christmas Day, many of these places will be serving lunch and dinner on Christmas Eve, but call ahead to verify. Presented in alphabetical order, here they are. Merry Christmas! And don't forget to tip your servers extra for working during the holidays.
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Anna Maria Island Beach Cafe
4000 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach; 941-778-0784; amibeachcafe.com
For a special Christmas meal on the powdery white sands of Manatee Public Beach overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, visit Anna Maria Island Beach Cafe. The popular concession stand-style restaurant and beach bar will be serving a dinner of ham, turkey, and traditional trimmings. Dinner pre-orders cost $29.99, with the choice of dine-in or to-go, and must be picked up Christmas Day between noon and 3 p.m. Pre-orders do not guarantee a seat, as all seating is first-come, first-served. The breakfast menu will also be available from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.
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Columbia Restaurant
411 St. Armands Circle, Sarasota; 941-388-3987; columbiarestaurant.com
Also featured among my recently published picks for best restaurants to impress out-of-town guests, Columbia is Sarasota's oldest full-service restaurant and an integral part of the famous shopping and dining district St. Armands Circle. In addition to its regular menu filled with delicious Spanish and Cuban cuisine, there will be Christmas specials, including slow-roasted pork and baked glazed ham entrees, as well as a curbside takeout menu.
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Euphemia Haye
5540 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key; 941-383-3633; euphemiahaye.com
The Longboat Key landmark, now owned by a longtime employee, will be open 2-8 p.m. on Christmas Day. The upscale restaurant with the famed dessert room will be serving its traditional Bavarian-style roast goose dinner, featuring sliced roasted goose, giblet gravy, German potato dumpling, and sweet and sour red cabbage, along with an à la carte menu. To-go orders for Euphemia Haye's popular pies must be prepaid and placed by 4 p.m. on Dec. 16. However, only a limited number of orders can be accepted, and it is recommended that you place your order at least a week in advance to beat the demand.
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Grove
10670 Boardwalk Loop, Lakewood Ranch; 941-893-4321; grovelwr.com
Located at the intersection of Lakewood Ranch Boulevard and Main Street, and the sister restaurant of the locally owned Pier 22 in downtown Bradenton, Grove will be open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Christmas Day. Its holiday menu includes a prime rib dinner, along with many other entrees such as filet mignon, wasabi tuna, and a full rack of lamb, as well as various appetizers, soups, salads, and desserts.
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Phillippi Creek Restaurant & Oyster Bar
5353 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; 941-925-4444; creekseafood.com
Open since 1978 and one of Sarasota's most popular waterfront restaurants, Phillippi Creek will begin welcoming guests at 11 a.m. on Christmas Day for waterside dining and curbside platter pick-up. The holiday special includes roasted prime rib au jus with creamy mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus, along with various seafood options like whole snapper, grouper, and stone crab claws.
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Pier 22
1200 First Ave. W., Bradenton; 941-748-8087; pier22.com
One of the oldest restaurants in Bradenton, downtown icon Pier 22 located right on the Manatee River will be open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Christmas Day and serving many of the same dishes as its sister restaurant, Grove. The holiday menu includes a prime rib dinner, along with many other entrees such as grouper oscar, twin Maine lobster tails, and roast duckling, as well as various appetizers, soups, salads, and desserts.
Turtles on Little Sarasota Bay
8875 Midnight Pass Road, Sarasota; 941-346-2207; turtlesrestaurant.com
This waterfront family restaurant on Siesta Key is open daily, with its Christmas menu including traditional entrees such as honey-glazed ham and roast turkey, which can be washed down with eggnog featuring brandy, cinnamon and nutmeg. Additionally, there are plenty of steak and seafood options on the menu, along with a wine special for December 25th.
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Wade Tatangelo is Ticket Editor for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, and Florida Regional Dining and Entertainment Editor for the USA TODAY Network. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. He can be reached by email at wade.tatangelo@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Best popular restaurants open Christmas Day in Sarasota, Bradenton
