The LIST – October 2022
Our local Sarasota restaurants are still standing strong!
Every month for the past 72, we have written a piece about the top 25 restaurants in the Sarasota area. That’s six years for this feature! Over that period, our local restaurant community has gone through some stressful times.
Back in ’20 & ’21, the COVID pandemic, along with resulting supply and personnel shortages, made for a very challenging environment for owners and operators of our local restaurants. And now, of course, Ian.
Most of your favorite places have probably reopened their doors since the storm passed. Unfortunately, many of them went without power, water, or phone service for a while. But the people who provide food and beverage services here in town are strong. And they are proving that once again.
Many of them have opened their kitchens to provide much-needed relief to those in our area that need it most (We’ll highlight some of them in a future article).
Writing a piece featuring some of our most popular restaurants at such a difficult time seems a little awkward. But we’re hoping that continuing to shine a light on some of these places will help them get back to “normal.” Of course for some, it won’t be easy to put the events of the past week in the rearview mirror. But just maybe a little extra mention here and there will at least get things started.
With that in mind, let’s get to our October 2022 list of some of the most popular places from our dineSarasota.com website…
OK, here’s a rundown of the Top 5 for October 2022.
We’ve got a few places returning to the Top 5, and as usual, a few new places moving up.
#5 Kore Steakhouse (1561 Lakefront Dr., (941) 928-5673)
- Kore drops down three places to number five. Still, it’s pretty impressive. They have been in our top five since we added the restaurant to our database a few months back. So if you’ve never had a real Korean BBQ experience, you are in for a treat. Kore has got the whole thing really dialed in. Oh, they’re open for lunch now too!
#4 Baby Brie’s Café & Coffee House (1938 Adams Ln. (941) 362-0988)
- A coffee shop at number four? Yes, your eyes do not deceive you. This new place, located in the Towles Court neighborhood of Downtown Sarasota, is a whole lot more than your traditional coffee spot. Their lunch menu features a bunch of different “Melts.” There’s everything from a Cubano Melt to a Cheesesteak Melt!
#3 Yokoso Ramen (3422 Clark Rd. (941) 265-1600)
- Let the slurping begin! Yes, REAL ramen. I have been waiting for ramen to take on the Sarasota restaurant scene for a while now. Yokoso features a big list of ten different takes on this Japanese noodle bowl. They have some appetizers as well. We’re going to feature them in a FIRST LOOK piece soon, so keep your eyes peeled for that.
#2 Meliora (1920 Hillview St., (941) 444-7692)
- This Southside Village hotspot climbs a couple of places into the number two slot for the month. If you haven’t been, I would get that reservation now. Once season gets here, this is going to be a really tough table to get. The Raw Scallop on the cold menu is so unique and delicious that it’s hard not to order every time you visit!
#1 Fork & Hen (2801 N. Tamiami Tr., (941) 960-1212)
- Number one and the reigning champ, Fork & Hen. Mark Traugutt and Alfonso Duron are making a name for themselves on the North Trail. Yes, the fried chicken is outstanding and perfectly cooked. But there is more to the place than just poultry! Their menu is on the small side, which suits this place perfectly. They feature daily specials. Oh, try the Mac n Cheese (make sure to add fried chicken! OK, maybe IT IS about the poultry).
Here’s the rest of the Top 10 for the month.
Grandpa’s Schnitzel (new), The Drunken Poet Café, Rosemary & Thyme, Island House Tap & Grill, and newcomer Chateau 13 round things out for October. These places can use your support right now. As a matter of fact, ALL of the restaurants around town could. So why don’t you plan on having an extra meal out this week to show them some love?
HERE’S THE COMPLETE LIST OF THE TOP 25 FOR OCTOBER 2022
Let’s talk about some FUN food activities! Transition Sarasota will hold its annual Eat Local Week from October 21-28. Since 2010, this organization has “rescued” more than 480,000 pounds of food from local farm fields and donated that produce to area food banks.
They’re sponsoring a bunch of great food-related events during the week. This year, dineSarasota will be helping to facilitate a Food Photography Class to be held on October 28th. It will be taught by local Sarasota food photographer, Kathyrn Brass-Piper. You have undoubtedly seen her beautiful food images gracing the pages and covers of Edible Sarasota, Sarasota Magazine, and others.
The class will teach you some tips and tricks to make your food photos stand out from the pack. We will be photographing food plates from local chef, Alyson Zildjian. This is an excellent opportunity to learn from the best.
This class is very limited in size. And at $20 per person, it could not be more affordable! HERE’S A LINK to book, reserve your spot, and at the same time help a great local food charity. We look forward to seeing you there!!
🗓️ 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.
ALL SEPTEMBER – OktoberFest – Michael’s On East
OCT 7 – Wine Tasting – Morton’s Gourmet Market
OCT 13 – A Taste of Sarasota – INFORMATION
OCT 19 – Wines Around the World: Halloween Edition – GROVE Restaurant
OCT 19 – Neyers Wine Dinner – Michael’s On East
OCT 20 – Burgundy Wine Tasting – Mademoiselle Paris
OCT 21 TO 28 – Eat Local Week – Transition Sarasota
OCT 23 – Set the Bar Cocktail Competition – Sarasota-Manatee Originals
OCT 27 – A Wicked Affair Wine Dinner – Mattison’s Forty-One
OCT 29 – Day of the Dead Blick Party – El Melvin Cocina
OCT 29 – Haunted Mansion Party – Sage
NOV 2 – Wines Around the World: Cabernet – GROVE Restaurant
NOV 5 – Saturday Wine Tasting – Michael’s On East
NOV 8 – Whiskey and War Stories – GROVE Restaurant
NOV 12 – Suncoast Food & Wine Fest – INFORMATION
NOV 19 – Wines Around The World: Thanksgiving Edition – GROVE Restaurant
🧑🌾 FARMER’S MARKET INFO 🧑🌾
EVERY SUNDAY – Siesta Key Farmers Market – DETAILS
EVERY SUNDAY – Farmers Market at Lakewood Ranch – DETAILS
EVERY SUNDAY – The Meadows Farmers Market – DETAILS
EVERY WEDNESDAY – The Phillippi Farmhouse Market (Oct-Apr) – DETAILS
THIRD THURSDAY NIGHT – RADD Night Market – DETAILS
EVERY SATURDAY – Sarasota Farmers Market – DETAILS
EVERY SATURDAY – Downtown Bradenton Public Market – DETAILS
EVERY SATURDAY – Venice Farmers Market – DETAILS
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