Culture, Art & Great Food at Sarasota’s Museums and Attractions

From fancier dishes to casual bites and alfresco eats, Sarasota’s food scene has a table for every mood and occasion. If you’re looking for a side of art and culture with your meal, look no further than these eateries that share their space with some of Sarasota’s most notable galleries, gardens and more. Read on to discover the unique museum bistros and quirky themed cafes you can enjoy at local museums and attractions.

The Ringling

Known for its art and circus museums and Ca’ d’Zan, the opulent home and grounds of John and Mable Ringling, The Ringling also offers an array of food choices. Want some coffee and maybe a sandwich? Mable’s Coffee & Tea, located in the John M. McKay Visitors Pavilion and above the gift shop, is your place. In fact, you can get to Mable’s through its entrance in in the gift shop. That gives you the chance to check out the gift shop’s eclectic offerings. 

If you’re wandering around The Ringling and its various attractions, you may find that The Wandering Chef Food Truck is a convenient option. It offers casual and kid-friendly fare like hamburgers and street tacos that you can enjoy at several nearby picnic tables.

When you really want to take a break, The Ringling Grillroom in the Visitors Pavilion is the place to go. This indoor/outdoor restaurant is casual but classy, focusing on modern American fare. Dig into substantial  New York strip steaks, as well as lighter dishes like seasonal vegetable pastas and Caesar salads.

Sarasota Art Museum and Bistro

Housed in the former Sarasota High School, the Sarasota Art Museum is operated by the nearby Ringling College of Art and Design and features rotating contemporary exhibitions. Whether you want thought-provoking pieces or pops of color, you can find them both at the museum.  

When you’re done wandering checking out the exhibitions, make your way over to Bistro, where you’ll find a retro style mixed with forward-thinking menu items. Executive Chef Peyton Leffingwell aims for food inspired by Florida’s local produce, healthy proteins and artisanal specialty items, according to Bistro's website. Menu highlights include the Avocado Tartine, Pimento BLT and Southwest Cobb Salad. You can sit inside on Bistro’s cheerful, bright orange chairs or take in the view from the outside, which sometime features live music.

Lunch entrees, courtesy of Bistro at Sarasota Art Museum

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens and Selby House Café

The always beautiful Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in downtown Sarasota features lush plants and an unforgettable view of Sarasota Bay. It bills itself as The Living Museum for good reason. As you walk around and take it all in, make sure to stop by the Selby House Café for lunch or a snack. It’s located in the historic Selby House, which was once home to philanthropists William and Marie Selby who made their living from the Selby Oil and Gas Company. Enjoy espresso drinks, salads, soups and sandwiches inside, or take your food and drink outside for views of the Ana Goldstein Children’s Rainforest Garden and some impressive-sized banyan trees.  

At Selby Gardens, you'll also find The Green Orchid, the world's first net-positive energy restaurant. This stylish spot keeps its menu ultra-local, serving sustainably-sourced entrees and seasonal produce from the restaurant's own rooftop garden. An innovative cocktail menu and a curated list of organic wines round out the offerings. Both of Selby Gardens' eateries are operated by the locally famous Michael’s on East Restaurant.

Views of century-old banyan trees outside of Selby House Café

Café Barbosso

Café Barbosso is actually a bonus listing as it’s not a museum, but it is an attraction in its own way. That’s because this restaurant features live painting artists nearly every night, along with fabulous Italian food. It also hosts live music on Thursday through Saturday and gets busy enough that you’ll want to make reservations. While enjoying dishes like Spaghettini ‘n Meatballs or The Ultimate 10-Layer Eggplant—all cooked by Chef Joe DiMaggio Jr. (yes, he’s related to the baseball legend)—you can watch artists create on canvas right in front of you. Or, you can take in the variety of art adorning the walls, from portraits of Frank Sinatra and Audrey Hepburn to more abstract styles. You’ll leave stuffed and happy…or as the folks at Café Barbosso put it, “Eat, Love, Laugh…or Else.”