The Best Restaurants In Sarasota Florida

Sarasota’s food scene has a laid-back, but sophisticated, feel. Not surprisingly, seafood is a big deal here, with fresh-caught peel-and-eat shrimp, Gulf Coast oysters, stone crabs, mahi-mahi, snapper and more on local menus. Here are Culture Trip’s top six restaurants in Sarasota, Florida.

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Walt’s Fish Market, Restaurant and Tiki Bar

Restaurant, Market, American, $
There’s no better place to get fresh-caught seafood than Walt’s. Part fish market, part fun place to eat and drink, this local haunt only serves fresh fish that was caught within the last 24 hours. For over 100 years, locals and visitors alike have visited Walt’s for grouper, red snapper, flounder, cobia, mahi-mahi, tripletail, shrimp, mullet and more. For a real treat, do as the locals do, and head to the Tiki Bar to wash it all down with a Brittany’s Margarita. It’s a classic margarita with a twist of freshly squeezed strawberry-and-orange juice.

Cafe, Market, Restaurant, American, French, $$$
Occupying a 1920s-era gas station in Sarasota’s theater district, The Bijou Cafe has been a family-run staple since 1986. Choose from four themed rooms – The Bird Room, The Patio Room, Main Room and The Gossips Lounge – or for al fresco dining, sit in two lit, palm-lined courtyards. Here, the upscale fare is made with locally sourced seafood and veggies and includes favorites like crab cakes with creole remoulade.

Ophelia’s on the Bay

Restaurant, American, $$
If you want a romantic dinner, Ophelia’s is where you want to go. Open since the 1980s, this Siesta Key spot has two all-glass dining rooms and patio dining right on Little Sarasota Bay. The menu changes nightly and always includes fruits and vegetables grown in Florida. During the meal, take your eyes off your lover for just a few minutes to gaze at the water – there’s a pretty good chance you’ll see dolphins darting by.

Owen’s Fish Camp

Restaurant, American, $
It doesn’t get more “Florida” than a live backyard band and local Florida fish in an Old Florida shack. At Owen’s Fish Camp, eat “naked fish” caught in Sarasota Bay, dressed in lemon-caper butter and served with the spot’s famous collards and succotash. Year-round Christmas lights give the haunt a low-key, welcoming feel, while subtle nods to history are everywhere. That Banyan tree out front? It was given to Owen Burns, who owned most of Sarasota and who Owen’s is named after, by none other than Thomas Edison.

Columbia Restaurant

Restaurant, Cuban, $
Columbia Restaurant is a Cuban classic. Florida’s oldest restaurant opened right on St Armands Circle in 1959 and has been making Sarasota locals feel like they’re dining in Havana ever since. Make sure you order the ropa vieja and “1905” salad – the latter is made tableside with iceberg lettuce, ham, Swiss cheese, tomatoes, olives, cheese, Worcestershire sauce and the spot’s signature garlic dressing. It’s quite the show.

Indigenous Restaurant

Restaurant, American, $$
The brainchild of two-time James Beard Best Chefs in America semifinalist, fisherman Steve Phelps, Indigenous is a laid-back “farm-to-table” spot that has Sarasotans clamoring to get in. The focus here is sophisticated American cuisine with an innovative twist. The service is great, and chef Steve – who owns Indigenous – is always keen to tell you what boat caught the fish you’re eating and who the captain was. Pro tip: the restaurant is housed in an Old Florida bungalow and it can get a little loud, so sit outside for the best experience.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.