New restaurant, located within one of Sarasota's biggest attractions, now open

Jimmy Geurts, Sarasota Herald-Tribune
·2 min read

One of the most anticipated new local restaurants this year, located within one of Sarasota's biggest attractions, has made its debut.

The Green Orchid is now open at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens' downtown Sarasota campus at 1534 Mound St., according to a press release. Sarasota fine-dining mainstay and Selby Gardens' longtime food provider Michael's on East will operate The Green Orchid, part of the gardens' recently unveiled phase one of its master plan.

The restaurant is fully solar-powered with designs to achieve net positive energy, generating more energy than it consumes. A rooftop garden will provide fresh produce for a seasonally inspired menu, with the garden planned, planted and maintained by Operation Eco Vets, a nonprofit providing personal, educational and professional growth opportunities for military veterans.

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The new restaurant The Green Orchid, located at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens' downtown Sarasota campus and operated by Michael's on East, is now to the public.
The new restaurant The Green Orchid, located at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens' downtown Sarasota campus and operated by Michael's on East, is now to the public.

“We are focused on making the garden-to-table offerings at The Green Orchid both fresh and distinctive,” Michael Klauber, co-proprietor of Michael's on East, said in a statement. “Doing garden-to-table well — especially while using electric and induction cooking techniques — requires a high level of skill and inventiveness. We believe that visitors will be impressed.”

The menu will feature dishes such as The Green Orchid Salad, Cape Malay Street Tacos and a Lavender-Infused Crème Brûlée and will change seasonally, incorporating vegetarian and vegan options among other dietary preferences. James Beard Award winner Jimi Yui designed the kitchen, which will not use gas or flames but rather electric and induction cooking facilities, using electromagnetic fields to heat pots and pans directly.

The Drs. Andrew and Judith Economos Rooftop Edible Garden, pictured here, will provide produce for The Green Orchid's menu.
The Drs. Andrew and Judith Economos Rooftop Edible Garden, pictured here, will provide produce for The Green Orchid's menu.

The restaurant seats up to 150 people and offers walk-up indoor and outdoor table service. No reservations are necessary, but admission to Selby Gardens ($26 adults, $11 ages 5-17/member guests, free members/ages 4 and under) is required to visit the restaurant.

The Green Orchid will be open 11 a.m.-3 p.m. daily. For more information on the restaurant, visit bestfood.com/restaurant/the-green-orchid. For more information on Selby Gardens, visit selby.org.

Email entertainment reporter Jimmy Geurts at jimmy.geurts@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalismby subscribing.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: New restaurant The Green Orchid in Sarasota's Selby Gardens now open