Top 10 restaurants I recommend when asked 'Where should I eat in Sarasota and Bradenton?'
While we welcomed an impressive group of new restaurants in 2023, with more exciting places already planned to open in 2024, I still tend to lean towards the classics when asked my favorite question: "Where should I eat in Sarasota and Bradenton?"
So, for this list of the Top 10 restaurants I recommend the most, you will find nine places that have been serving our Sarasota-Manatee community for at least a decade, and often multiple decades, with one spot celebrating its 10th anniversary next year. The list should appeal to locals and visitors alike, catering to those craving everything from an ultra-casual spot for fresh Gulf of Mexico seafood to the best upscale French restaurant in Sarasota.
Presented in alphabetical order, these are the places I love to recommend the most when asked "the question."
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Blue Marlin
121 Bridge St., Bradenton Beach; 941-896-9737; bluemarlinami.com
Florida stone crab season runs from Oct. 15 through May 1, and while there are numerous restaurants in Sarasota and Manatee counties where you can enjoy fresh claw meat, Blue Marlin on Anna Maria Island is the only one that I know of serving a stone crab parfait. This distinctive dish often graces the specials menu, as it did during our most recent visit in late December. The parfait consists of a large stone crab claw that has been picked and presented as a lollipop in a glass brimming with savory feta scallion mashed potatoes that perfectly complement the sweet crab meat.
Other essential dishes at Blue Marlin include a pair of my favorite appetizers: the "Thai nugs" consisting of lightly fried fresh fish nuggets given a spicy kick, and the littleneck clams steamed in white wine and garlic butter. For entrees, consider either the grouper dijonaise or grouper pecan. Blue Marlin, which recently added an awning to its patio seating area where you can enjoy live music on Fridays and Saturdays, also happens to serve one of Sarasota-Manatee's best burgers.
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Columbia Restaurant
411 St. Armands Circle, Sarasota; 941-388-3987; columbiarestaurant.com
Everyone should enjoy a day of shopping and dining on the famed St. Armands Circle, especially with a lunch or dinner break at Spanish-Cuban cuisine destination Columbia. Open since 1959, the family-owned business holds the honor of being Sarasota's oldest full-service restaurant, while its Ybor City location in Tampa is the oldest in all of Florida. Offering indoor open-air seating as well as lots of sidewalk tables, the restaurant's nationally acclaimed Cuban sandwich, as well as their Original "1905" Salad prepared tableside, are among the most essential dishes in Florida.
Their tapas classics include the Ybor City Devil Crab Croquettes as well as the scallops “Casimiro” that finds the tender mollusks baked in a clay casserole with lemon butter and topped with seasoned bread crumbs and white wine. For entrees, my current favorite is probably the red snapper “Adelita” that consists of the grilled fish topped with hearts of palm, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, onions and olive oil. I'm also a fan of their Sangria de Cava prepared tableside, and everyone owes it to themselves to at least once take a caloric plunge on Columbia's white chocolate bread pudding, made with the same Cuban bread featured in their award-winning Cuban sandwiches.
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Demi's Noodle House
1318 10th St. W., Palmetto; 941-301-1212; demisnoodlehouse.com
Located in the up-and-coming city of Palmetto, Demi's Noodle House serves the best Vietnamese cuisine that I have found in all of Sarasota and Manatee counties. Chef Demi Vangen and her husband, general manager Jeff Vangen, opened the restaurant in 2015, and I have been a regular ever since, slurping up pho and the many other dishes Demi learned to cook in her native Vietnam.
Yes, pho is the main attraction, made from a family recipe that involves charring onions and ginger, followed by three hours of cooking the broth with bones, onion, ginger, star anise, clove, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, rock salt, fish sauce, and a touch of sugar. The beef broth is served with delicate rice noodles, scallion, cilantro, bean sprouts, and a lime wedge for squeezing. Freshly sliced jalapenos on the side add extra heat for those willing and able. Alternatively, you can ask your server for a level “two” or “three” on just about any bowl or entree if you prefer it spicier.
Among the other dishes I love at Demi's are the spicy lemongrass soup, the soul-comforting chicken noodle soup, the banh mi sliders, and the chicken fried rice, which stands out as the best-fried rice you'll likely find in the region. I highly recommend trying Demi's "Vietnamese special sautes." Currently, my favorite is the one with a thick and delicious coconut lemongrass sauce poured over tender cuts of chicken, accompanied by pickled carrots and daikon, onion, cucumber, and served with a side of steaming jasmine or brown rice. Really, though, everything can quickly become a favorite at Demi's, where you come for the noodles and then discover additional delights each visit.
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Dry Dock Waterfront Grill
412 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key; 941-383-0102; drydockwaterfrontgrill.com
Tucked behind the Boathouse marina on Longboat Key and overlooking Sarasota Bay, Dry Dock Waterfront Grill offers covered outdoor seating as well as indoor options with window views. Appearing on various national lists, including Yelp's Top 100 Florida Restaurants, Dry Dock remains a go-to spot for us local seafood enthusiasts thanks to cuisine that's as impressive as the classy waterfront setting.
My favorite dishes include the "fish camp" chowder, the bacon-wrapped scallops served with maple syrup, and one of the most essential entrees in Sarasota-Manatee, the breaded and sautéed grouper finished with Dry Dock's sweet and plucky citrus cream sauce that recalls Key lime pie. I'm also a big fan of Dry Dock's sister restaurant, Dockside Waterfront Grill, which is located in Venice and offers a more casual dining experience.
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Fav's Italian Cucina
419 Old Main St., Bradenton; 941-708-3287; favsitaliancucina.com
Siblings Michael Favasuli and Maria Favasuli-Wagner have been crafting fresh bread, pizza dough, sauces, and pasta entrees since 2000 — and I've had the privilege of witnessing their culinary magic for the past two decades. On any given day, you can almost guarantee finding Mike or Maria at the helm of the open kitchen, warmly greeting their army of loyal locals and ensuring the quality of every dish served at their casual counter-service restaurant. Situated in the heart of downtown Bradenton, Fav's offers both indoor and outdoor seating on scenic Old Main Street.
Among the essential dishes is their garlic-laced version of pizza margherita, known as Pizza Favarita. The stromboli, served golden brown and enhanced with a dab of mustard, is a delightful treat. Another standout is the meatball sub, featuring freshly baked bread enveloping tender orbs of beef, Fav's irresistible red sauce, and melted mozzarella cheese. While the homemade lasagna and gnocchi are excellent, my preference usually leans towards one of the daily dinner pasta specials. A recent favorite was the baked tortellini Alfredo with spinach, mozzarella, gorgonzola, and balsamic glaze, accompanied by bread and a side salad — all for a mere $17.
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Indigenous
239 S. Links Ave., Sarasota; 941-706-4740; indigenoussarasota.com
Occupying a cottage in downtown Sarasota's charming Towles Court neighborhood, Indigenous is where owner Steve Phelps, a two-time James Beard Award semi-finalist for Best Chef: South, serves sublimely tasty cuisine with a focus on sustainable seafood. The menu changes regularly, with recent entrees including creative presentations of scallops from Massachusetts, steelhead trout from Idaho, and Cheshire Pork from North Carolina. Indigenous also offers a superior burger featuring two thin, grass-fed patties made with beef from the family-owned Providence Cattle Company in Hillsborough County.
In addition to the upscale Indigenous, Phelps recently opened the counter-service PigFish restaurant inside the new Calusa Brewing taproom at 5377 McIntosh Road, Sarasota. The restaurant's signature sandwich consists of lovely cuts of kanpachi topped by braised pork rendered at once crispy and tender, much like the fish. It is complemented by green tomato relish, bacon tartar sauce, shaved cabbage, and red onion on a fresh, eight-inch hoagie. The Cobia Hot Dawg features thick fillets of cobia that have been wood-grilled and enhanced by pastrami spice, served with sauerkraut, grilled onions, and Bertman Original Ballpark Mustard. These are probably the two best fish sandwiches being served right now anywhere on the planet. Just make sure you save room for PigFish's chocolate chip cookie made with orange, cinnamon, cherries, and spent grains — and be sure to wash everything down with a pint of Calusa's Kolsch-style ale, Bait Shop, which currently ranks as my favorite brew made in Sarasota or Manatee counties.
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Maison Blanche
2605 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key; 941-383-8088; themaisonblanche.com
There are several outstanding French restaurants in Sarasota and Manatee counties, but none are as renowned as Maison Blanche. Chef and owner José Martinez earned a Michelin star for his La Maison Blanche restaurant in Paris before relocating to Sarasota and opening Maison Blanche on Longboat Key. He was named a James Beard Award semi-finalist for Best Chef: South in 2010. Essential entrees at this restaurant, serving modern French cuisine in an equally modern setting, include the beef short ribs that have been braised for hours and the sweetbread (throat) served with caramelized endives and beet puree. Of course, you will want to save room for a dessert such as the roasted pineapple served with banana mousse and coconut ice cream, or perhaps the chocolate soufflé with crème anglaise.
Recently, Martinez announced that he would lead the culinary team behind Le Mans Kitchen, the new restaurant inside the Sarasota Ford dealership near downtown at 707 S. Washington Blvd. That's right; purchase a car or get your vehicle of basically any make or model serviced at Sarasota Ford, and you are welcome to dine at Le Mans. Serving only breakfast and lunch, dishes include Le Mans’ signature pillow pancakes, crème br?lée French toast, house-ground burger, heirloom caprese toast, mocktails, milkshakes with a gelato base, and made-to-order coffee. Additionally, a seasonal menu will be offered. Le Mans does not serve alcohol.
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Michael's on East
1212 S. East Ave., Sarasota; 941-366-0007; bestfood.com
Michael's on East, located in the Midtown Plaza just south of downtown Sarasota, has been one of the city's top fine-dining restaurants since its opening in 1987. The restaurant offers indoor seating with a 1940s supper club atmosphere, as well as outdoor tables in the atrium under a canopy of twinkling lights. Most famous for its aged steaks and international wine list, other favorites at Michael's on East include the porcini-rubbed Colorado rack of lamb entree and the "angel hair" onion rings appetizer accompanied by house-made ketchup.
Recently, Michael's on East co-proprietors Michael Klauber and Phil Mancini announced plans to open The Green Orchid in mid-February. Promoted as the first net-positive restaurant in the world, it is part of Marie Selby Botanical Gardens' recently unveiled first phase of its remodeled downtown Sarasota campus. The globally-inspired menu will focus on local, regional, and sustainably-sourced options for produce, seafood, meats, and poultry. The Green Orchid will be open to Selby Gardens visitors (admission required) and members only.
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Owen's Fish Camp
516 Burns Lane, Sarasota; 941-951-6936, owensfishcamp.com
Nestled away in the Burns Court district, Owen's Fish Camp's original location serves fresh Gulf of Mexico seafood in a funky, Old Florida setting unlike anything else in the surrounding downtown Sarasota. The main dining room and tiny bar occupy an old house, while the backyard area is where you go to wait for your table. There's always a wait, and that's OK because you will spend the wait in the backyard area listening to live country and bluegrass music. You can sip a cold beer or a glass of wine and nosh on grilled oysters, shrimp skewers, or fish spread from the outdoor fire pit and bar.
When seated, order a daily fresh catch, such as the expertly blackened red snapper with lemon caper butter, and be sure to pair it with starters, salad, or a side dish, such as the deviled eggs with "redneck caviar" (mustard seeds), fried green tomato salad, or perhaps a sizable bowl of spicy collard greens. Feeling like a sweet ending? Order a slice of warm bourbon pecan pie with fresh whipped cream and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream for good measure. In June, Owen's Fish Camp opened a second location, which is in the Casto's Center Point development of Lakewood Ranch at 6516 University Parkway.
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Star Fish Company
12306 46th Ave. W., Cortez; 941-794-1243; starfishcompany.com
Located along north Sarasota Bay in the historic commercial fishing village of Cortez, Star Fish Company serves probably the freshest seafood in all of Florida in an ultra-casual setting consisting of cash-only counter service, an open-air dining area, and food that arrives steaming hot in a cardboard container. Karen Bell, the unofficial queen of Cortez, owns Star Fish Company restaurant and the adjacent seafood market, as well as the fishing boats and wholesale seafood dealer A.P. Bell Fish Co. next door. From the grouper to the pompano, the scallops to the mullet, the seafood arrives fresh from the fishermen arriving next door and is deftly cut and prepared just a few feet away from where you place your order. Then you wait, while enjoying the experience of sipping a drink on a working dock visited by pelicans and dolphins.
Bell is also the co-owner of Tide Tables, a nearby waterfront establishment that also excels at seafood, which will soon celebrate its 10th anniversary. Then in March, Bell and her longtime employee, Josh Wilkinson, plan on reviving the local comfort food favorite, The Boiler Room. The new Boiler Room will specialize in the kind of cheesesteak sandwiches that once made the restaurant famous before its closure a few years ago. Situated at 5600 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton, approximately seven miles from Star Fish Company, The Boiler Room will also offer burgers (Star Fish serves an excellent one), wings, and possibly some fresh fish sandwiches as featured specials in the future.
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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 [email protected]. Support local journalism by subscribing.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Top 10 restaurants in Sarasota, Bradenton I recommend the most
