A Southside Tradition Marches On
A neighborhood restaurant that keeps on serving
📝 If you’re here expecting that obligatory Valentine’s Day piece, you may be a little disappointed. But if you’re looking for some ideas for a delicious lunch at a fantastic price, then you’ve come to the right place!❤️
👀 A Fresh Look at an Old Fav. We are in the middle of an avalanche of new restaurant openings. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you, just look around. It is impossible to pick up a paper, open your email, or surf the web and not see it rumbling down our culinary mountainside.
There are places opening to cover every imaginable niche and space. Some of these little slices of cuisine types have gotten so crowded that they’re hardly niches anymore. Others are still filling out.
What’s lost in all of the rush for the latest special of the day is some of our old friends. They were (and some still are) the restaurants, cafes, and eateries that were woven into our weekly and sometimes even daily routines. Stitched in so tightly to our habits that we never needed to make a plan to go there. We just went.
A Neighborhood Fixture. One area in particular had/has a lineup of places that match that description. Some have called it a day (Knick’s Tavern & Grill, Chutney’s Etc., and The Hillview Grill), while others keep on pushing delicious favorites out of their kitchens. One of those is the Southside Deli (1825 Hillview St. | 941- 330-9302)
It’s only 26 years, but 1999 seems like you need the “Wayback Machine” to get there. A lot has happened. It was a different millennium, after all. But just before the start of dineSarasota (2002), the Southside Deli started churning out crowd-pleasing sandwiches, salads, soups, and more.
📃 It’s A Lot! Yes, they have quite the menu. It seems close to impossible that they could execute that many choices from their smallish kitchen. But execute, they do. And with all of the ease of a well-oiled restaurant operation.
This isn’t fine dining.
This is neighborhood dining. And it’s a fantastic example of it!
They have something that you would only expect at your favorite fast-food joint. A drive-through window! 🪟
And, during lunch, that window is BUSY!
🚶➡️🚶♀️➡️🚶♂️➡️ There’s usually a line inside too. The local medical community flocks here for a little lunchtime respite.
OK, I’m not going to go so far as to say this will be the best $9.50 you’ll ever spend. But it should, at the very least, be in the conversation.
Yep, that hard-earned $9.50 will get you a Southside Deli Soup + Half Sandwich Combo! I chose the Southsider Sandwich (Marble Bread with Ham, Turkey, Swiss, Cukes & Southside Sauce).
📝 It’s a distant cousin of the Anna’s Deli Surfer Sandwich, I think.
And I paired that sandwich up with some tasty Italian Wedding Soup. Yes, I know that doesn’t “look” like Italian Wedding. But trust me, the baby meatballs are in there!
💰 Things Are Expensive Out There. Restaurants are certainly no exception. Back when I started writing about food here in town, I used to say that if you can get lunch for under ten dollars, you’re doing great. Fast forward 23 years, and that number has probably doubled to twenty. So, scoring a cup of soup AND a half a sandwich for ten bucks looks like a steal!
➡️ It’s Nice to Have Choices! Yep, as you would guess, the Southside Deli isn’t the only place in town where you can pick up a filling and tasty lunchtime deal. For an extra $2.49 (still an excellent price), you can grab a combo from Siesta’s Key’s very own Village Cafe (5133 Ocean Blvd. | 941- 349-2822).
Tom & Kay Kouvatsos opened the doors of their cozy neighborhood eatery back in 1995. (They got a little head start on Southside!) This is a fantastic “mix ‘n match” situation. My personal fav is a cup of their homemade Soup of the Day paired with half a Siesta Club!
But the salad is great too. Now we’re talking!
If you happen to drop by for your combo, don’t forget to say HI to Tommy and Kay. They would LOVE to meet you! ❤️
~ LH
📌ODDS AND ENDS
🔦 Meanwhile, Out on Longboat Key… As long as we’re on the subject of Sarasota dining institutions, let’s toss another one on the pile. And this one couldn’t be more different than the two above.
Back at the end of January, our friend (and super talented writer) Lauren Jackson wrote a piece for Sarasota Magazine on LBK fixture Maison Blanche (2605 Gulf of Mexico Dr. | 941- 383-8088). This profile is a great read and will remind you that you should really get back out there. Or maybe even try it for the first time! – READ LAUREN’S ARTICLE HERE!
🍵 Low Tea?? Yes, you read that correctly. Sean Murphy has always had a slightly different view of the restaurant biz than you and I. This is proof of that statement. Every day at 4PM, The Doctor’s Office (5312 Holmes Blvd. | 941- 213-9926) will be serving “Low Tea” in the garden. Yes, you will get those cute little finger sandwiches, but NO TEA! They’re subbing in rum drinks instead! That’s very Sean…
🗓️ SARASOTA FOOD INFO🗓️
Here is some local food information that we think you might find interesting. We’ve provided you with a link to more info.
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😋 MICHAEL’S ON EAST – MONTHLY EPICUREAN MENU – JAPAN🌍
🧑🌾 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
EVERY THURSDAY – Englewood Farmer’s Market (Oct-May) – DETAILS
EVERY SATURDAY – Sarasota Farmer’s Market – DETAILS
EVERY SATURDAY – Downtown Bradenton Public Market – DETAILS
EVERY SATURDAY – Venice Farmer’s Market – DETAILS
THIRD THURSDAY EVERY MONTH – UTC Night Market – DETAILS
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