The LIST – December 2022
We’ve got info on all of the hottest restaurants for the last month of the year!
Welcome to December! OK, it may be just a touch late in the month to be “welcoming” you. But you did make it to month number 12, and we’re glad you did!
At the risk of sounding like a broken record (or that little voice inside your head), “where did 2022 go!?” Yes, it is an all-too-familiar end-of-the-year question. 2022 was a busy one for our local Sarasota restaurant community; yes, it has flown by! ✈️
There have been a whole lot of new restaurants that have opened in the past 365 days. We aren’t going to run them all down for you here. (There are other publications in town that are already doing a great job with that!) But if you’ve been reading our “LIST” articles all year, we have mentioned them.
We’ve added a few new ones since we were last together. So let’s take a peek, shall we?…
F.L.A. Deli (2805 Proctor Rd. (941) 217-5710) seems like it’s more of a “re-brand” than an opening. This great European deli was most recently known as M & M European Deli. Same location. Same great selection of sometimes hard-to-find treats from across the big water. Just in case you were wondering, yes, they have Hungarian Tripe Stew with Salted Potato. You’re welcome for that.
Finally, after a wait that seemed longer than all of 2022, Florence and the Spice Boys (4990 S Tamiami Trl. (941) 405-3890) have thrown open the doors to their first restaurant that is not on wheels! Not to worry, you can still get a lot of the same dishes that made the food truck so popular.
The last new kid on the block for this month is down in the south part of Sarasota County, Osprey, to be more specific. Deep Lagoon Seafood and Oyster House (482 Blackburn Point Rd. (941) 770-3337) is serving up great seafood down on Casey Key. A fantastic waterfront dining experience. Don’t pass on the Hogfish Lagoon Style!
If you pay any of these spots a visit in the next month or so, leave a comment so we can all benefit from the wisdom of your experience.
All right. Moving things right along, here’s the TOP 5 for this month…
#5 Ophelia’s on the Bay (9105 Midnight Pass Rd. (941) 349-2212)
This is a longtime Siesta Key favorite. They’ve been serving classic Florida cuisine for over 30 years! It’s one of the few places on Siesta where you can dine on the water. And this is the absolute perfect time of year for that type of activity (red tide permitting).
#4 Meliora (1920 Hillview St., (941) 444-7692)
If you want a reservation at this wildly popular Southside Village restaurant, you will need to get on it early. Just remember, be flexible. If you’re planning a little way out, go for the “kitchen table”!
#3 Baby Brie’s Café & Coffee House (1938 Adams Ln. (941) 362-0988)
Bringing coffee and more to Towles Court. Again, the best time of year for sitting outside on the deck and enjoying a latte is right now! Unwind after some potentially stressful holiday shopping.
#2 Pho Cali (1578 Main St. (941) 955-2683)
Pho Cali is never really far away from our top 25 list every month. It’s impressive how a simple Vietnamese pho noodle house can be so popular month after month. We’re guessing there must be a secret ingredient… 🍲
#1 Faicco’s Italian Heros (3590 Webber St. (941) 960-1395)
OK, now let’s talk. I have absolutely no idea what in the world is going on here. I mean, it’s just a sandwich shop!! They do serve one heck of a hero, but still. (I appreciate a great sandwich as much or more than the next person). Here’s a little behind the dineSarasota scene info. More of you visited the Faicco’s page on our website in the past 30 days than the other top 24 combined! That has NEVER happened in the 20-year history of the site! 🤷♂️ I guess Sarasota might really be turning into the sandwich capital of S.W. FL. If you’ve been out of the loop, you can read our First Look piece about the shop HERE.
Here’s the rest of the TOP 10.
This month’s Top 10 is rounded out by the Alpine Steakhouse (think Tur-Duc-Hen), Indian cuisine newcomer, Turmeric, the Drunken Poet on Main Street, the above-mentioned F.L.A. Deli, and Fork & Hen. WOW, that is quite a TOP 10!
HERE’S THE COMPLETE LIST OF THE TOP 25 FOR DECEMBER 2022
That’s going to bring our final LIST of 2022 to a close. We have had some memorable ones in 2022. Thanks for coming along for the ride. Hopefully, you’ve been introduced to a new place or two. Or maybe even re-acquainted with an old one. 😊
🗓️ 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)
ALL DECEMBER – Epicurean Menu, Tuscany – Michael’s On East
WEEKLY POP-UP KITCHEN EVENTS – 99 Bottles Taproom & Bottle Shop
DEC 14 – Michael’s Annual Holiday Champagne Tasting! – Michael’s Wine Cellar
DEC 31 – NYE Candlelight Dinner – Ortygia
DEC 31 – NYE Beach Bash! – Sharky’s on the Pier
DEC 31 – New Year’s Eve Dinner – Madfish Grille
DEC 31 – NEW YEAR SOIRÉE – GROVE Restaurant
DEC 31 – NYE Dinner – Mademoiselle Paris
JAN 7 – Open House Wine Tasting – Michael’s Wine Cellar
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
🌟 SHARE, FOLLOW, LIKE 🌟
Get information on 350+ Sarasota restaurants on the dineSarasota.com website
Did you miss a story? Here are some of our past Bites – SB ARCHIVE
Do you love our A Burger A Week pieces? – HERE’S THE FULL ARCHIVE 🍔
Yes, we’re on social media! Our Facebook Page, Twitter Feed, and Instagram
Check out all of our Videos on our YouTube channel!
Refer a friend to Sarasota Bites. That would make us super happy CLICK HERE!
Email us a question, comment, or suggest a story. SEND EMAIL
Leave a Reply