Dine Around – An Eater’s Guide to Burns Court
It may be small, but there’s some great stuff to eat in Burns Court
There are some that define Sarasota as the “Cultural Capital of Southwest Florida.” Granted, that’s not a king-sized geographic area, but it is something.
We have a symphony, a ballet, an opera, a botanical garden, and of course, ART (and lots of it!). Yes, we have several fantastic art museums. (If you still haven’t been to the Sarasota Art Museum, you need to scratch that off your to-do list in 2023!). Our city also claims a couple of “art districts.”
You know the type of neighborhood that I’m talking about. Art galleries sometimes doubling as wine-tasting rooms. Painted everything. A coffee shop where you can hang out if you don’t want to be noticed (but really do want to be noticed). And, of course, assorted other spots for congregating and conversing. You know that place…
The Burns Court neighborhood of Downtown Sarasota truly qualifies as an art district (so do Towles Court and Palm Avenue). It has funky and imaginatively painted sidewalks. And even some walls that have been customized to suit the area’s particular “flavor.”
And as every self-respecting art district should have, its own film society and cinema. 🎞️🎥.
Now imagine if you could sprinkle in a few eclectic and unique places to eat and drink into the mix… You’d really have something going. 😃
Let’s take a little leisurely walk down Pineapple Avenue and see what the Burns Court neighborhood has to offer our Sarasota dining (and drinking) community…
Summer Tap Juice Bar (411 S. Pineapple Ave. (941) 993-1449)
This place was a complete surprise to me. But not to anyone else, I guess (it was PACKED!). Anyone and everyone will fit in here. There are kids with parents (and parents with kids), young adults there for a meet-up, and some freshly squeezed juice. And even some local retirees catching up with friends. This place oozes COMMUNITY! 👯🧑🤝🧑
Owens Fish Camp (516 Burn’s Lane (941) 951-6936)
For the past 14 years, Owens Fish Camp has been anchoring this little neighborhood (remember back when it was 5 One 6 Burns??). Since there are no reservations here, there is almost always a wait; longer when it’s season, shorter when it’s not. It’s super laid back (like most of its surroundings). The Low Country Boil for Two is a must if you’d like to throw a little kick into your dining experience.
Project Coffee (538 S. Pineapple Ave. (941) 313-2283
Remember that coffee spot we talked about earlier? This is it! Project Coffee can be a lot of things. A great escape or a place for a casual business meeting. They feature a great list of specialty coffees and “All Day Breakfast.” It’s an abbreviated menu, to be sure. They do have an All-Day Burrito, Avocado Toast, and a couple of tasty breakfast sandwiches.
The Fountain Kitchen & Wine Bar (543 S. Pineapple Ave. (941) 203-8523)
OK, let’s get this out of the way first. Here’s the sign that you see outside this cute little place located at the wedge of Orange and Pineapple Avenues…
This is a BIG statement and VERY subjective. It’s also quite possibly argument-inducing. Being originally from Chicago, that pizza bar is VERY HIGH for me. I’m not a pizza snob. I just know what’s good! 😆🍕 (we will get into all of this at a later date).
If you decide to pass on the “Best Pizza in Sarasota,” you can choose from a selection of “BIG” salads, a hot-pressed sandwich, or even their “Blue” Tomato Soup. They do lean pretty heavily into the pizza thing, so…
Fresh Start Café (630 S. Orange Ave. (941) 373-1242)
Laid back and casual breakfast and lunch spot. We have talked about Fresh Start Café before (you can read that here). They feature a super eclectic (just like Burns Court itself) menu. The outdoor dining space is a real draw. A terrific way to get your day off and running. There is a parking lot next to the restaurant, making things nice and easy.
How did you enjoy our stroll through the neighborhood? This little slice of downtown offers some pretty unique sipping and supping options. Hopefully you picked up a few bits of useful info. Again, like always, if you happen to have something to add to the conversation, please leave us a comment. ⭐
🗓️ SARASOTA FOOD EVENTS 🗓️
Here are some upcoming local food events that we think you might find interesting. All you need to do is make that reservation. We’ve provided you with a link to more info. (If you have an event, send us the details! (EMAIL IT)
WEEKLY POP-UP KITCHEN EVENTS – 99 Bottles Taproom & Bottle Shop
FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH – Cheese & Wine – Mademoiselle Paris (Downtown)
JAN 14 – 4th Annual Sarasota Beer & Burger Festival – INFORMATION
JAN 15 – Broadway Brunch – Bijou Garden Cafe
JAN 21 – Lets Rock Food Truck Rally – Big Top Brewing
JAN 24 – Hungarian Wine Dinner – Sunnyside Cafe
JAN 26 – Bonterra Wine Dinner – Mattison’s Forty-One
JAN 26 – Daou Vineyards Wine Dinner – The Chart House
JAN 26 – Chardonnay & Pinot Noir Wine – Mademoiselle Paris
JAN 27 to 29 – Sarasota Seafood & Music Festival – INFORMATION
JAN 28 – 10th Annual Under the Tent Grand Tasting – The Butchers Block
JAN 28 – Italian Wine Tasting – 99 Bottles Taproom
JAN 29 – Jewish Food Festival – INFORMATION
FEB 1 – Old Forester Whiskey Tasting – Michael’s Wine Cellar
FEB 4 – Palm Ball, Call of the Wild – INFORMATION
FEB 6 – Allegrini Wine Dinner – Michael’s Wine Cellar
FEB 7 – Valentine’s Social Club – Michael’s Wine Cellar
FEB 14 – Annual Aphrodisiac Dinner – Ortygia
APR 15 – Food Trucks, Tunes, & Brews 5 – INFORMATION
APR 20 TO 24 – Forks & Corks Food & Wine Festival – INFORMATION
🧑🌾 FARMER’S MARKET INFO 🧑🌾
EVERY SUNDAY – Siesta Key Farmer’s Market – DETAILS
EVERY SUNDAY – Farmer’s Market at Lakewood Ranch – DETAILS
EVERY SUNDAY – The Meadows Farmer’s Market – DETAILS
EVERY WEDNESDAY – The Phillippi Farmhouse Market (Oct-Apr) – DETAILS
THIRD THURSDAY NIGHT – RADD Night Market – DETAILS
EVERY SATURDAY – Sarasota Farmer’s Market – DETAILS
EVERY SATURDAY – Downtown Bradenton Public Market – DETAILS
EVERY SATURDAY – Venice Farmer’s Market – DETAILS
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