Food & Drink

Take Your Tastebuds on a Trip

With award-winning restaurants, farm-fresh food markets and breweries, Sarasota and Manatee Counties offer more than a few places to eat, drink and be merry. Taste delicious Mediterranean frittatas and house-made sauces in Sarasota. Take a tour of Drum Circle Distilling and sip some of its highly acclaimed Siesta Key Rum. Explore Bradenton’s rich agritourism scene.

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#2 Best food city in the U.S. (Sarasota) Condé Nast Traveler, 2016

3 Million Pounds of fish are harvested each year (Bradenton Gulf Islands) Bradenton Area CVB Agritourism Guide

21 Zagat-rated restaurants in Sarasota Visit Sarasota

2 Million Citrus trees in Bradenton Area Bradenton Area CVB Agritourism Guide

Eat
Drink
Be Merry

Eat

A Fresh Food Paradise

Are you a foodie whose palate is always in flux? Florida’s West Coast is here to appease. From the delicious Floribbean cuisines of Bradenton to some of the most scrumptious Amish pies in Sarasota, the region is filled with culinary delights. Three million pounds of fresh fish are harvested from Bradenton’s Gulf Coast each year and locally sourced, farm-to-fork initiatives create a culture of eco-sensitivity throughout the region.

Drink

Swirl a Glass of the Best

From open-air tiki bars on the Bradenton Gulf Islands to the distilleries, breweries and wineries of Sarasota, the spirits are always high on Florida’s West Coast. Share a bottle of award-winning spiced rum from Siesta Key Rum Distillery or a full-bodied cabernet at Michael’s On East (a AAA Four Diamond restaurant). And when spring rolls around, make sure you attend Sarasota-Manatee Originals’ Forks & Corks — a 15+ year running showcase of visiting and local winemakers stretching from the Anna Maria Island’s north shore down to the beaches of Venice.

Be Merry

Food Festivals and Farmers Markets

In Sarasota and Manatee Counties, there’s always a reason to celebrate local culinary delights. The Cortez Seafood Festival in Bradenton attracts thousands each year. Taste the food and sip the spirits of more than 35 area restaurants or watch a cooking demonstration at Lakewood Ranch’s Suncoast Food & Wine Fest. Enjoy multi-course meal options at more than 60 restaurants during Savor Sarasota Restaurant Week. There’s always a new flavor to experience on the Suncoast.

What’s New in Sarasota-Manatee?

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Tops in Florida, Sarasota ranks #5 in nation for best places to live

The annual U.S. News and World Report for 2023-24 tabbed Sarasota as the top place to live in the Sunshine State and fifth overall for the United States. With a 6.8 score out of a possible 10, Sarasota trailed only top-ranked Green Bay, Wis. followed by Huntsville, Ala.; Raleigh-Durham, N.C. and Boulder, Colo. Factors added […]

entrepreneurs

Florida is the best place for entrepreneurs

With resources like the SBDC at USF, the Manasota SCORE chapter and CareerSource Suncoast’s CEO Program, the Suncoast is known for birthing new entrepreneurs. A recent survey confirmed that Florida is the best state for entrepreneurship. The Digital Project Manager looked at eight factors before awarding the state of Florida its highest score at 65.12. […]

Sarasota earns Neighborly accolades

Neighbor ranked Sarasota as the No. 4 most neighborly city of 2023. Sarasota was the lone Florida city recognized in the top 25 list, which was determined by factors such as planting roots and embracing community events. “Recognizing America’s ‘Most Neighborly Cities’ is not just a celebratory act, but a call for unity and hope,” […]

Ringling College among top film schools

Ringling College is ranked 20th among the top 25 institutions in the Hollywood Reporter’s rankings of top film schools. The ranking is up three places from last year. “The small class sizes are a draw for the program, which enrolls between 30 and 40 kids a semester,” wrote the Hollywood Reporter. “Even with its small […]

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