Sarasota County Dining Guide
Thirty restaurants worth the drive, from bayfront fish houses to Amish pie.
Sarasota County eats a lot of seafood, and the best of it is simple: grouper sandwiches, stone crab claws in season, peel-and-eat shrimp and raw Gulf oysters, often served at a table overlooking a creek, a bay or a marina. Downtown Sarasota adds a strong chef-driven scene, with small restaurants on Main Street, Burns Court and in Southside Village, while Siesta Key and Venice lean toward casual beach bars and family places.
Two local traditions are worth seeking out. Pinecraft, the Amish and Mennonite winter community east of downtown Sarasota, has served home-style cooking and pie to visitors for decades. And the region’s independent restaurants band together twice a year for Forks and Corks in January and Savor Sarasota in June, the easiest times to try several places at fixed prices.
Waterfront and Seafood
Places where the view is part of the meal.
A long-running restaurant on the downtown marina, with bay views from every level and dinner cruises on its own boat.
A casual pub on Sarasota Bay serving fish and chips and its signature deep-fried hot dog since 1985; it also has Siesta Key and Venice locations.
Steamed seafood pots and raw oysters at tables on the bank of Phillippi Creek, a local favorite for more than 35 years.
A family fish market with roots going back to 1918, with a restaurant and raw bar beside the counter.
An old Florida fish house on the Intracoastal Waterway near the Blackburn Point bridge, rebuilt and reopened after the 2024 storms.
A bayside grill on south Longboat Key with a dock for diners arriving by boat.
Downtown Sarasota and St. Armands
The county’s densest cluster of chef-owned restaurants.
Southern-style seafood in an old house under a huge banyan tree, with a backyard bar that is busy most evenings.
An oyster bar and seafood room from the Owen’s team, with a supper-club feel and a long raw bar list.
A Main Street seafood house that cuts local fish in-house and has won local readers’ polls for seafood many times.
Peruvian and Latin cooking known for its ceviche menu and lively dining room on Main Street.
A polished special-occasion restaurant that marked its 30th year in 2024, with a long run of AAA Four Diamond awards.
A corner restaurant with outdoor tables and live music most nights, open since 2002 and named a city Legacy Business in 2025.
On the Circle since 1959, serving the family recipes of Tampa’s Columbia, including the 1905 Salad and tableside sangria.
The restaurant that followed the longtime Cafe L’Europe on the Circle, open under its new name since 2025.
Siesta Key and the Beaches
Beach bars, sunset patios and seafood a short walk from the sand.
Known locally as SKOB, a lively oyster bar and sports bar in the middle of the village.
Small plates and seafood with Latin touches, plus a frequently praised jalapeno-watermelon margarita.
Steaks and seafood a block from the beach, opened in 2018, with a wine list that earned a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence in 2025.
An upscale dinner spot on Little Sarasota Bay at the quiet south end of the key, best at sunset.
A casual crab and oyster house whose clam chowder has won the Great Chowder Cook-Off in Newport, Rhode Island, with the Sniki Tiki bar next door.
A fish market and casual cafe known for grouper sandwiches; it will also cook the fish you caught on a charter.
A breakfast and brunch favorite with an umbrella-shaded patio and sweet potato pancakes.
Venice and South County
From the Venice pier to downtown Englewood.
A beachfront restaurant and tiki bar at the foot of the Venice Fishing Pier, rebuilt and reopened in 2025.
Seafood and steaks overlooking the Venice Inlet marina, serving the area since 1976.
A family-style Italian restaurant on West Venice Avenue, handy for dinner after a walk downtown.
A waterfront tiki bar and grill on the Intracoastal near the Venice Inlet, known for its sunset crowd.
A new steakhouse from the owners of Farlow’s on the Water, opened on Dearborn Street in January 2026 with its own dry-aging room.
Classic and Local Favorites
Long-running places locals send visitors to.
Home-style Amish cooking in the Pinecraft community, best known for its long list of fresh-baked pies.
A large Amish-style restaurant with a buffet and menu service, often voted a local favorite for fried chicken.
A Main Street lunch counter opened in 1958 by former circus performers, famous for its Italian sandwich.
A breakfast spot serving the neighborhood since 1998, known for its fruit crepes.
Restaurants change hours, menus and ownership often — check with the restaurant before you go. Listings are editorial picks, not paid placements.
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Get free trip quotes »Sarasota County Dining — FAQ
What food is Sarasota known for?
Gulf seafood, especially grouper sandwiches, stone crab in season and raw oysters, along with Cuban and Spanish cooking at the Columbia and Amish home cooking in Pinecraft.
Do I need reservations?
For dinner downtown, on St. Armands Circle and at the better-known Siesta Key restaurants from January through April, yes. Casual beach bars and fish markets usually seat walk-ins.
When are the restaurant weeks?
Forks and Corks, run by the Sarasota-Manatee Originals, is usually held in late January, and Savor Sarasota, organized by Visit Sarasota County, usually runs for two weeks in June with fixed-price lunch and dinner menus.