What are the best restaurants in Sarasota and Manatee? Our favorites of 2023, so far!
Our beloved Sarasota, Bradenton and Venice metropolitan area has once again earned high rankings on U.S. News & World Report's annual list of best places to live. We proudly claimed the No. 1 spot in Florida and finished an impressive fifth in the country.
U.S. News also recognized the Sarasota metro area as the country's second-fastest growing place, seventh safest place, and eleventh best place to retire. While our balmy weather, world-famous beaches and no state income tax certainly contribute to our appeal, I firmly believe that the thriving restaurant scene is another compelling reason why people are flocking to Sarasota and Manatee counties.
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For instance, seven establishments in Sarasota-Manatee landed on Yelp's recently published list of the Top 100 Florida Restaurants. Among them, Dry Dock Waterfront Grill on Longboat Key secured the No. 54 position and was also recently recognized as one of the 100 most romantic restaurants in the U.S. by OpenTable. It happens to be one of my personal favorites in the area, and Dry Dock appears on several of the best restaurant lists featured below.
Additionally, you'll find other essential local restaurants such as Indigenous, the downtown Sarasota business owned by Steve Phelps. He achieved the distinction of being a semi-finalist for the James Beard Foundation's Best Chef: South award in both 2014 and 2015. Indigenous also appears on multiple best restaurants lists for Sarasota-Manatee featured below.
The lists encompass the best downtown and waterfront places, as well as favorites for foods such as burgers, pizza, and Mexican cuisine. These are lists that we have published in 2023. Bookmark this page and return in upcoming weeks for more lists about the region's best restaurants and what to eat and drink when you get there.
Better than Chick-fil-A? 12 best restaurants for fried chicken in Sarasota and Bradenton
Following the opening of the newest Chick-fil-A in Sarasota-Manatee in May, it was time to share my recommendations for the best local restaurants serving fried chicken. These establishments offer equally delicious, and often far superior, fried chicken compared to the fast food giant's (which, I admit, I do enjoy occasionally). Plus, you can indulge at these places without biting into any controversy.
Read the story: Better than Chick-fil-A? 12 best restaurants for fried chicken in Sarasota and Bradenton
10 best restaurants in downtown Sarasota
Step out anywhere in downtown Sarasota and you're soon met by a bunch of restaurants in either direction ranging from fancy to fast casual. There are dining options to consider on upper Main Street and lower Main Street, in Towles Court and Burns Court, and on various side streets such as Palm, State and Central. Yes, the choices can seem overwhelming. To help, here are my picks for the 10 best restaurants in downtown Sarasota.
Read the story: 10 best restaurants in downtown Sarasota
Best waterfront restaurants in Sarasota
Everything tastes better on the water. I don't know if that's a scientific fact, but witnessing a spectacular sunset or spotting a frolicking dolphin definitely makes for a memorable meal. Fortunately, along with our famous beaches, we have lots of waterfront restaurants here in Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte counties. Newly updated, the six-part series will again begin with places in downtown Sarasota and on nearby City Island, Siesta Key, Lido Beach, and the Sarasota County side of Longboat Key.
Read the story: Best waterfront restaurants with outdoor seating in Sarasota and what to eat, drink there!
Best restaurants for burgers in Sarasota, Bradenton and Venice area
Over the past year, I've indulged in burgers at local establishments approximately twice a week in order to compile this 2023 edition of the list. It features many of the most popular restaurants in Sarasota and Manatee, along with hidden gems. From upscale dining destinations to casual bait shops, this selection encompasses a wide range of places, offering gourmet burgers priced at nearly $30 as well as affordable diner-style gems under $7.
Read the story: 42 best restaurants for burgers in Sarasota, Bradenton from $29 gourmet delights to $7 deals
Best restaurants for pizza in Sarasota, Bradenton
Everybody should have a favorite pizza place. Due to the nature of my work and, well, outsized appetite, I have more than a dozen to recommend just here in Sarasota and Bradenton. They range from authentic Italian restaurants serving the classic Neapolitan pizza margherita made with San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella, fresh basil leaves, salt, and extra-virgin olive oil — to totally American pizza pies inspired by the McDonald's Big Mac.
Read the story: Best restaurants for pizza in Sarasota, Bradenton — from authentic Italian to fun toppings
Best romantic restaurants in Sarasota and Bradenton area
Here's our freshly updated annual list of the most romantic restaurants in Sarasota and Manatee counties. We have dining destinations from Venice to Anna Maria Island, with stops in downtown Sarasota and downtown Bradenton, as well as neighborhoods such as Southside Village and St. Armands. You'll find we've included some of the oldest, most renowned restaurants in Sarasota and Manatee counties, as well as one of the biggest restaurant openings of 2022.
Read the story: Best romantic restaurants in Sarasota and Bradenton area, from Venice to Anna Maria Island
10 best Mexican restaurants in Sarasota, Bradenton and Venice
After visiting about two dozen Mexican restaurants in recent months, I've compiled a list of my 10 favorites. They can be found from Venice to Longboat Key to Anna Maria Island, with stops in Sarasota and Bradenton that go beyond the bustling downtown districts.
Read the story: Tacos, margaritas and more! 10 best Mexican restaurants in Sarasota, Bradenton and Venice
Best waterfront restaurants in Venice area
Here's my annual look at the best waterfront restaurants in the south Sarasota County communities of Venice, North Port, Osprey and Nokomis. Each of these restaurants features a fabulous waterfront setting overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, Intracoastal Waterway, Little Sarasota Bay, Myakka River, South Jetty, or Roberts and Dona bays. Several of these restaurants also suffered damage last fall from Hurricane Ian, but all have recovered nicely.
Read the story: Best waterfront restaurants in Venice, North Port, Osprey, Nokomis area for awesome views
Best restaurants for brunch in Sarasota and Bradenton
Forget what they say about breakfast. Brunch is the most important meal of the day. And we have some fine spots for steak, eggs, omelets, mimosas, bloody Marys and much more nestled among the best restaurants in Sarasota and Manatee counties.
Read the story: What are the best restaurants for brunch in Sarasota and Bradenton? My top 5 favorites
The best restaurants on Anna Maria Island
Featuring several of the region's best beaches and a bunch of fun beach bars in addition to various other attractions, Anna Maria Island is one of Florida's great tourist destinations and, yes, contains its fair share of tourist traps — which you of course want to avoid when dining out. To help, here's a list of the best restaurants on Anna Maria Island, which I've been regularly visiting for the past two decades. The restaurants are spread across the charming island cities of Anna Maria, Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach, with my focus on lunch and dinner destinations.
Read the story: The best restaurants on Anna Maria Island, from waterfront favorites to hidden gems
10 best restaurants in downtown Bradenton
There are lots of reasons to visit downtown Bradenton these days. For many of us, though, the main reason to visit downtown Bradenton is dining. The best restaurants are all found along Old Main Street and the surrounding area, including 13th Street, Manatee Avenue, and First Avenue overlooking the river. They range from waterfront landmarks to hidden gems, from fancy to casual, from places serving breakfast cuisine to late-night comfort food. One of these businesses recently landed on Yelp's Top 100 Florida Restaurants, and all of them offer indoor as well as outdoor seating.
Read the story: 10 best restaurants in downtown Bradenton, from Old Main Street to the Riverwalk
Best Irish pubs in Sarasota, Bradenton area for food, drinks and fun
These are the local places serving Irish drink and food favorites like Guinness, Jameson, shepherd's pie and fish 'n' chips in a setting that probably contains plenty of dark wood peppered with green, white and orange flags and other memorabilia from the Emerald Isle.
Read the story: The best Irish pubs to visit in Sarasota, Bradenton and greater Tampa Bay for food, drinks and fun
Restaurant reviews: Best things to eat in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte and Tampa Bay
My occasional "Best Things to Eat" column features favorite items eaten recently at restaurants in Sarasota, Manatee, and Charlotte counties, as well as exceptional places in Tampa Bay. Each column typically includes two or three restaurants, with several dishes from each establishment. I've only done one so far this year — see the first link below, followed by links to a couple of popular ones from 2022 — but expect more in 2023.
Restaurant reviews: Best things to eat in Sarasota and Bradenton area this week: Jan. 27- Feb. 2, 2023
Restaurant reviews: Best things to eat in Sarasota and Bradenton area, April 27-May 3, 2022
Restaurant reviews: Best things to eat in Sarasota-Manatee: Jan. 5-11, 2022
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 wade.tatangelo@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Best restaurants Sarasota, Bradenton, Venice, Siesta Key Beach Florida
