"What's new" definitely does not necessarily equate to "what's best," especially when it comes to dining out. When in doubt, check out one of these iconic restaurants. Shiny and new can be fun to try (and believe us we do!), but there is a reason the restaurants on this list have been here forever: these tried and true staples of the Sarasota restaurant scene are always great to revisit and remember why they have withstood the test of time.
Bahi Hut
Sarasota's oldest tiki bar has been open since 1954 and still serves up the world's most delicious butt-kicking beverage, their signature Mai Tai. The Bahi Hut Mai Tai packs a wallop though, and is often underestimated, so know going into it that you have a two Mai Tai limit! (Just FYI, the Bahi Hut is under relatively new ownership, so if you had the Mai Tai back in the day, you may notice the new recipe is not the same, even though they claim it is! #themoreyouknow)
The Bahi Hut is Sarasota's most iconic dive bar, so once you're done getting sunburned at the beach, head on over for a Mai Tai!
The Bahi Hut | www.bahihut.com | 4675 N Tamiami Trail | Sarasota, FL 34234
Michael's on East
If fine dining is your style, there is no place better to go than Sarasota's classic Michael's on East, which opened all the way back in 1987. With a reputation of perfection, their upscale cuisine is matched with a superb wine selection, all set within an ambiance reminiscent of a 1940s supper club. The restaurant was inducted into the Nation's Restaurant News Fine Dining Hall of Fame in 2009, they received their 34th consecutive AAA Four-Diamond Award in 2023, and has been on SRQ Magazine's Best Of list so many times we lost count. Visit the Wine Cellar for a surprisingly large selection of bottles for purchase, and the Lounge for additional dining and ambiance options!
Bottom line: if you're fancy and you know it and you really want to show it, visit Michael's on East for your next special occasion. We especially love the Lounge, where you can cozy up to the grand piano, which is played live several nights a week!
Michael's on East |
bestfood.com | 1212 East Avenue S. | Sarasota, FL 34239
Euphemia Haye
Longboat Key's Euphemia Haye is a coastal fine dining mainstay in our area. And before all you mainland-living people even start asking: Yes, it's worth the drive! Opened in 1980, Euphemia Haye quickly got a reputation for Chef Raymond's exquisite global and American cuisine. In the years since, they have expanded the restaurant and added The Haye Loft, a more relaxed environment upstairs with the. most. exceptional. dessert bar you will ever see, voted best desserts by every local magazine and newspaper more times than can be counted. Expect fantastic service at Euphemia Haye: In our transient town, it's nice to see the same faces year after year and you get that at Euphemia Haye.
Go for the meal, stay for the dessert bar, and all the while enjoy the relaxed yet immaculate coastal ambiance. Or don't go for the meal, eat a light dinner at home and enjoy the heck out of the dessert bar!
Euphemia Haye |
www.euphemiahaye.com | 5540 Gulf of Mexico Drive | Longboat Key, FL 34228
The Man-named Rivalry: Mattison's & Patrick's
Nope, we couldn't decide so we are picking BOTH! When it comes to essential downtown casual eating, these two tied for our highest recommendation. We love Patrick's 1481 for a downtown business lunch spot, and after work concludes, Mattison's City Grill is a great place to wind down the day with happy hour outdoors or celebrate Friday night with open air live music. Either way, you can't go wrong with the food, the ambiance, or the Downtown Sarasota iconic-ness of either of these fantastic restaurants.
Patrick's 1481 |
www.patricks1481.com | 1481 Main Street | Sarasota, FL 34236
O'Leary's
Nothing says "tropical" quite like a tiki bar, which is why two of our Sarasota iconic restaurants are, indeed, tiki bars! Snuggle up to the sandy coast of Sarasota Bay while you enjoy your frosty beer or frozen cocktail under the shade of the tiki hut or right in the sand at the picnic tables at O'Leary's Tiki Bar & Grill. Serving up your favorite American food counter-style, the setting for your feast at O'Leary's is pretty unparalleled, overlooking the sparkling water, Ringling Bridge, and Marina Jack's.
Don't miss their signature cocktails we recommend The Elvis, a peanut butter whiskey & banana puree frozen drink and your favorite guilty pleasure food (basket of fries, sloppy joe, or nachos anyone?)! Then stick your feet in the sand and watch the sun go down over the bay. It's simply the best.
Honorable Mention: Morton's Market
Nope, it is not a restaurant, but when it comes to iconic Sarasota food, you cannot miss Southside Village's Morton's Gourmet Market. Not only is Morton's a fantastic speciality gourmet food shop, but it's prepared take-home meals and catering are absolutely top-notch. They have to-go deli offerings, sushi, prepared soups & salads, and freshly made pre-cooked meals in their Gourmet-To-Go section. For soirées, their catering options are both wide-ranging and delicious, their dessert choices are delectable and varied, and you can't sneeze at their wine selection either.
If you don't want to make the trip to the Haye Loft, Morton's bakery section is also pretty incredible and the best news is, you get to take it home with you. Bottom line is foodies won't choose to miss visiting Morton's Gourmet Market while in town!
