Dining

Enjoy fresh air, open spaces and global cuisine throughout the day on St. Armands and Lido Keys

The best part of a trip to Florida is the seemingly endless seafood available at your beck and call. From grouper sandwiches to briny oysters and piping hot conch fritters, Sarasota’s historic St. Armand’s circle is the ideal location to sample the area’s plentiful seafood.

Enjoy fresh air, open spaces and global cuisine throughout the day in Historic Downtown Venice

Sarasota County’s hidden jewel, Venice, is the ideal place to take in the Florida sights. Enjoy waterfront dining, and city highlights during our curated dining tour of the island.

Sarasota area restaurants offer up alternatives to the standard plastic straw to help protect the local environment

Millions of plastic straws are used every day in the United States. Generally not able to be recycled, they can wind up littering our beaches and local waterways. In fact, they’re usually among the top items collected during beach cleanups around the world.

Hunting for shells at Sarasota County beaches is among the unique pleasures visitors and locals alike enjoy year-round

Hunting for shells on Florida's endless beaches is among the unique pleasures visitors and locals alike enjoy year-round. Sarasota County is known for its beautiful beaches filled with a variety of nature’s treasures. Ask any shelling enthusiast and they’ll swear on a stack of sand dollars that there’s nothing more relaxing and enjoyable as the hunt for a perfect shell.

Outdoor seating at restaurants is easy in paradise along Florida’s Gulf Coast, but this list of local eateries features places that put their own special twist on the concept.

Sitting outside for a meal in Florida is canon—especially when you’re taking a break from a long, arduous winter elsewhere and want to soak up as much warm, sunny vibes as you can before heading back!

National Daiquiri Day falls on July 19 every year, and in a sunny beach town like Sarasota: there's no cooler way to celebrate than by sipping on some variation of this versatile, rum-based tropical cocktail with your toes in the sand, or tapping along to live music on the deck of a Daiquiri Deck Raw Bar.

Enjoying beauty and art requires brainpower and good food. Fortunately, Sarasota’s museums and attractions have got you covered. 

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 space with some of Sarasota’s most notable galleries, gardens and more.

Oct. 14 is National Dessert Day. Celebrate with a sweet treat from one of these Sarasota area dessert spots.

Got a sweet tooth? Whether you’re craving a light, cold treat on a warm day or an over-the-top, decadent dessert in an intimate setting, and whether you’re in Venice or Siesta Key, Sarasota County has the perfect dessert spot. Celebrate National Dessert Day – or any occasion, really – at these amazing spots.

Get your cocoa fix in Sarasota this Valentine’s with a guide to sinful, local chocolate shops

There’s no better day on the calendar year to indulge in a decadent assortment of chocolates than on February 14th.