Sarasota Essentials

Learn about the places Sarasota locals can't live without

By Susan Ladika, FrontDoor.com | Published: 1/15/2009

Grab lunch, a latte or a late-night bite in one of Sarasota's many cafes and restaurants. SarasotaFL.org

Food and Drink Essentials

WHERE TO BUY GROCERIES

Morton's Gourmet Market
1924 S. Osprey Ave.
941-955-9856
Morton's Gourmet Market and the city of Sarasota have grown up together in the past 55 years. From its beginnings as a small independent grocer in a newly awakened seaside town, Morton's has evolved into the city's signature market. Shopping at Morton's is whatever you want it to be: local produce and seafood, or artisan cheeses and fine wines from around the world. Locals know it as the go-to place for hard to find ingredients as well as a great place to pick up a ready-to-go picnic for the beach.

WHERE TO GET A DRINK

Sharky's on the Pier
1600 Harbor Drive S., Venice
941-488-1456
You can't get more Florida than this. There's plenty of outdoor seating, as well as a thatch-roofed bar mixing up specialty drinks like Sharky's Pier Punch, Bait Bucket Margarita and Mango Bango. But everyone knows drinking on an empty stomach can be dangerous, so try some conch fritters or a grouper wrap. To work off the food and drink, take a stroll down the pier jutting 700 feet into the Gulf of Mexico.

WHERE TO GET A LATE NIGHT BITE?

Mattison's City Grille
1 N. Lemon Ave.
941-330-0440
It's easy to feel like you belong here, where an urban vibe meets Sarasota's indigenous salt air. In the heart of downtown, Mattison's City Grille keeps things moving with live music and a menu that can serve up anything from tapas to dessert well into the night. Brick oven pizzas have cemented many a friendship, while romances have been kindled, stoked and even set ablaze over creme brulee and cappuccinos.

WHERE TO GET A LATTE

Pastry Art Bakery
1512 Main St.
941-955-7545
After wandering the world, not to mention the restaurant business, for almost a decade, Pastry Art owner John Andersen came to Sarasota and rescued the coffeehouse from the brink of bankruptcy, building it into one of the area's premier java joints, where you can savor a latte and enjoy one of the shops famed confections: grande tarts, Napoleons, cannolis, custards and ?clairs. Go ahead, have two.

BEST DINNER SPLURGE

Cafe L'Europe
431 St. Armand's Circle
941-388-4415
Sarasota is full of fabulous restaurants, but when you're ready for that singular splurge, it's time for Cafe L'Europe. Even the sidewalk seating is reminiscent of a meal on the Continent, which is, of course, where the restaurant draws its focus. Guests can enjoy elegant service and a robust menu. With a definite nod to his coastal locale, executive chef Keith Daum has developed quite an array of specialties, along with the traditional continental fare.

BEST DESSERT

Yoder's Restaurant
3434 Bahia Vista St.
941-955-7771
There's something about homemade pie that commands a comfort zone all of its own. Yoder's has been supplying Sarasota with perfect pies for more than 30 years. Spoon into a piece of the Amish restaurant's signature peanut butter cream pie and you'll know why this sweet made Yoder's famous.

BEST PLACE TO BUY LOCAL

Worden Farm
34900 Bermont Road
Punta Gorda
941-637-4874
Going green and eating healthy doesn't get much easier than a membership in Worden Farm. For about $30 per week, you'll get a share of the farm's harvest from December through April. Members can pick up a box of produce selected by the farmer each week at one of several satellite delivery points, including Sarasota's Downtown Market. Members also have the option of visiting the farm and picking out their own mix of veggies.

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