The LIST – January 2023
It’s a brand-new year and a brand-new list! 🎇
Welcome to the new year! It’s OK. You can open your eyes. I have a feeling everything will be A-OK.
In case you’re wondering, yes, we have some old favorites represented this month. But we’ve also seen some new names climbing up the list in the past 30 days. This edition has something for everybody and every taste.
📝 We’re working on compiling the “Best Of” for 2022. So, make sure and keep a lookout for that. That’s probably hitting the website in the next week or so. We’ll make sure to give you a heads-up on our dS FB Page. (Follow us if you don’t already)
OK, with that little bit of housekeeping out of the way, let’s get to what you’re here for, some Sarasota restaurant talk! 😃
We’ve got a couple of new kids to talk about. These two may not have thrown open their doors yesterday. But we’ve just added them to our Sarasota restaurant database in the past month (or so).
Post Kitchen & Bar (8433 Cooper Creek Blvd. (941) 259-4850) recently opened in the Shoppes at University Center. For those of you who’ve spent a little time dining out around town, you will remember this as the former Carmel Café space.
The ordering process was the thing I remember most about the Carmel Café. They were just a touch ahead of the curve. Your server would drop an iPad at your table to pass around. It contained the menu. You would make your selections, and it would submit your order DIRECTLY TO THE KITCHEN! This was back 10+ years ago. It went about as well as you would expect. 😯
Post doesn’t have iPad ordering (at least not that I’m aware of). But it does have a menu of “American Modern Cuisine.” Lots of seafood, some raw bar selections, and a few grilled pizza choices. If you’ve been, we’d love to hear about your experience.
Our other new addition over the past month is on Siesta Key. Ross and Louise Galbraith closed their popular Pub 32 back in July 2022 (see “The Timeline“). But they didn’t waste a whole lot of time before they were back on our local dining scene with their latest vision of what an Irish eating and drinking experience should be, The Shebeen Irish Kitchen & Bar (6641 Midnight Pass Rd., (941) 952-3070). It’s beer and wine only. But they are serving some of the favorites from Pub 32, including Shepherd’s Pie and Corned Beef and Cabbage. You should stop in and say HI. 👋🍀
OK, now for the main event. Our Top Five for the month just passed…
#5 Pho Cali (1578 Main St. (941) 955-2683)
It’s just obvious that folks around here LOVE this place. It just continues to impress that so many people look for info on this fantastic Vietnamese restaurant month after month!
#4 Post Kitchen & Bar (8433 Cooper Creek Blvd. (941) 259-4850)
Yep, the same Post Kitchen from above. We added them to the database, and they were pretty popular right from the start.
#3 The Shebeen Irish Kitchen & Bar (6641 Midnight Pass Rd., (941) 952-3070)
We’re going to be doing a FIRST LOOK piece on this South Siesta spot. We need to scratch that corned beef and cabbage itch. Keep an eye out for it.
#2 Florence & The Spice Boys (4990 S. Tamiami Trl. (941) 405-3890)
Middle Eastern cuisine in a super comfortable atmosphere. This is a delicious, stress-free dining experience from start to finish. They’re using some flavors here that you won’t find at other places around town!
#1 Faicco’s Italian Heros & Grill (3590 Webber St. (941) 960-1395)
Yes, GIANT Italian-style sandwiches. I think the line has gone down a bit in the past 30 days. Now might be the right time to take a Porchetta and Broccoli Rabe sandwich for a test drive if you haven’t already!
Here’s the balance of the January Top 10
We’ve got the Drunken Poet Café, Ophelia’s on the Bay, last month’s addition Deep Lagoon Seafood & Oyster House, Towles Court hotspot Baby Brie’s Cafe & Coffee House, and just outside of the top five this month, Meliora.
HERE’S THE COMPLETE LIST OF THE TOP 25 FOR JANUARY 2023!
ONE LAST THING… If you’re getting this in your inbox, thank you so much for being a Sarasota Bites subscriber. We appreciate your support. If you’re reading this on our website or from another place, we would love you to join the thousands of people who already receive our newsletter.
And as a little carrot, we are giving away 10 copies of the brand-new 2023 edition of our Little Sarasota DINING Book. All you have to do is subscribe by the end of January, and you will be magically entered into our drawing. It really is just that simple! We’re looking forward to a great 2023, and we want YOU along for the ride! 🚀
🗓️ 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 11 – Wines Around the World – GROVE Restaurant
JAN 14 – 4th Annual Sarasota Beer & Burger Festival – INFORMATION
JAN 21 – Lets Rock Food Truck Rally – Big Top Brewing
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 – Italian Wine Tasting – 99 Bottles Taproom
JAN 29 – Jewish Food Festival – INFORMATION
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
🌟 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
Thanks