Must Do Sarasota Visitor Guide Winter/Spring 2017

Sarasota’s Food Scene
is a Standout
By: Larry Hoffman
Sarasota is on lots of lists. And, I mean lots. Best
beach in the U.S., best places to retire, best
places to live in the U.S… I could go on for a
while, but, I won’t.
In Sarasota’s vibrant dining community, one
of the most talked about “best of” lists is the
Conde Nast Traveler, “Best Food Cities in the
U.S.”. I’m sure you can guess, Sarasota Florida
made that list! This is a list of the top fifteen
food destinations in this country. And, we’re in
there. This isn’t some lightly regarded thing mind
you. All the culinary heavy hitters show up on it.
Chicago, New York, NOLA, San Fran, Boston,
and SARASOTA!
For those of us who write about, observe and dine
out in this city, it’s not a surprise to be included.
OK, well, maybe it’s a wee bit surprising. But,
anyone who has been around here long enough
knows, we’ve got some fantastic places to dine.
Culinary Conscience
Obviously, seafood is big here. I shouldn’t have to tell you
that. Anything from a plate of peel and eat shrimp, to gulf
coast oysters, to our delicious (when in season) stone crabs.
But, Sarasota’s seafood scene goes way deeper than that.
Larry Hoffman
Peruvian, Indian, Thai, Vietnamese,
Laotian, Greek, Mexican, Baja, BBQ,
French, Irish, Italian, Cuban, and
vegetarian, Oh, did I miss any? Yeah,
I did. We even have an Ethiopian
restaurant. Stir in more sushi bars than
you can count on two hands and a
ceviche bar (or two) and you’ve got
a dining scene that can satisfy the
craving of any moment.
Explore Downtown
Sarasota
Sarasota’s Gulf Gate neighborhood
is a major foodie find. It’s not on the
radar of visitors to our area (it should
be). But, I guarantee you that every
local has it on their dining map. The
business district is compact to say
the least. Four streets. But, boy do
they pack a lot of dining options into
that small space. There’s twenty plus
restaurants to pick from. But, who’s
counting?
Gulf Gate is a prime example the
culinary diversity we just mentioned.
This dining destination has it all. There
are no blank spaces. These are “mom
“First we eat,
then we do everything else. ”
- M.F.K. Fisher
We’ve had our share of James Beard nominated chefs in
Sarasota. One of those standout chefs, Steve Phelps, is
working hard to make the sustainable seafood movement
part of our dining culture. Through the national culinary
organization, Chef’s Collaborative, Chef Phelps sponsors
Eat well with the Little Sarasota Dining Book as your guide.
“Trash Fish” dinners at his Indigenous Restaurant. These
• Features 200 restaurants in every imaginable cuisine category •
get-togethers are more than an opportunity to sample some
• Interesting articles written by local chefs •
sumptuous seafood. These events highlight undervalued
• Delicious recipes from some of Sarasota’s best-known restaurants •
and underutilized species of fish that make their home in our
local waters. Knowledge is a good thing!
Cuisine Diversity
Be sure to sign up for a free subscription to dineSarasota’s
newsletter “Feast” when you visit online.
Larry Hoffman
It’s one thing to have a Mexican restaurant over here and
maybe an Asian spot over there. And, hey, let’s throw in a
Greek place just for good measure. Our local dining scene
goes way beyond that. I mean WAY beyond. Ready? Here
we go…
Larry Hoffman
Pick up your copy of Sarasota’s dining resource.
Available at Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million and
other local retailers and online at dineSarasota.com
and amazon.com.
40 WINTER | SPRING 2017 MustDo.com