June 6, 2025

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The LIST – June 2025

We’ve got some new places AND some old favorites!

Wine and cheese are ageless companions, like aspirin and aches, or June and moon, or good people and noble ventures. – M.F.K. Fisher 

🎓 Summer is on! It seems like we were just here a minute ago, but here we are again. The temp is rising, it’s getting quiet around town, oh, and yes, it’s finally raining again. June… 

📆 Something to Celebrate! 

June is National Steakhouse Month! (Summer House & Alpine Steakhouse) 

🌽 June 11 – National Elote Day (Kolucan & El Melvin) 

🧆 June 12 – National Falafel Day (Divan & Florence & The Spice Boys) 

🦞 June 15 – National Lobster Day (The Lobster Pot & Lazy Lobster) 

🍣 June 18 – International Sushi Day (JPan & Pacific Rim) 

⏱️ REMINDER – The 2025 edition of Savor Sarasota Restaurant Week is on. You’ve got until June 20 to grab some great local dining deals. – MORE INFO HERE 

We added lots of “new” places to the database since last month. In fact, FIVE new ones! When we get these spurts of energy, we just go for it. 

1️⃣ Bella Vita Italian Kitchen (501 N. Beneva Rd. | 941-365-5555) Rocco’s Famous Meatball Bowl. Enough said!  https://www.dinesarasota.com/sarasota-restaurants/bella-vita-italian-kitchen

2️⃣ Cafe on St. Armands (431 St. Armands Cir. | 941-388-4415) A former St. Armands mainstay is purchased, reimagined, and redesigned. A fresh new face on the circle. 

3️⃣ Flower Child (6532 University Pkwy. | 941-373-0199) Fast casual, “healthier” organic fare. They have a loyal and dedicated following wherever they open. 

4️⃣ Samba Brazilian Steakhouse (6115 S. Tamiami Trl. | 941-586-2040) Brazilian cuisine. South Trail location. This is an off-the-menu situation. Not a roving meat buffet. 😉 

5️⃣ Ringside (Cirque St. Armands) (5401 Bay Shore Rd. |941-360-7393) Lido Key gets another option for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

All Right! – Top 10 Time! WOW! Talk about turning over the list. There are only three places that repeat from last month (Mouthole, Alpine, and Beso). Everyone else is brand-new this month. Welcome!! 👋 

Lefty’s makes a nice run to number two (you must be sampling those frog legs we wrote about!). Ray & Nikki over at Mouthole move up one spot to number one! They are serving up some delicious food over there in Gulf Gate. 📝 They are famous for their smash burgers, but they also make a killer Corned Beef Reuben! 

👨‍🦰 Don’t Forget. Father’s Day falls on Sunday, JUN 15^TH. A BBQ or beach day might be in order. 

🗒️ HERE’S THE COMPLETE LIST OF THE TOP 25 FOR JUNE 2025!

OK – That’s it for The LIST for June. We’ve given you some fantastic dining suggestions. We’ve done the hard part. The easy part (the eating!) is up to you! 

~ LH 

📌 ODDS AND ENDS 

🐷 Get Out Your Grass Skirt! Do you love a luau? Or maybe you’re not sure if you love a luau or not? Either way, you’ll probably want to be at the Siesta Key Wine Bar on Thursday, June 19, from 6PM to 9PM. That’s when they’ll be hosting their 3^rd Annual Luau & Wine Tasting! YES, like any respectable luau, they’ll have a whole roast pig. There will also be the return of the “Iconic Pineapple Tree.” ** I have no idea what that is, but it sounds SO interesting. ** So, dig out your favorite Hawaiian shirt and dust off that grass skirt. – LUAU DETAILS HERE! 

🍹 The First Round’s on Us. Are you a local Manatee County teacher/educator? If you can answer YES to that all-important question, then you are about to get “treated.” Beachside Hospitality is offering all area teachers (with a valid Manatee County school ID) their first round of drinks on the house. That’s a super nice way of saying thank you for all of your hard work for the past school year. This offer is good at: Sandbar Seafood + Spirits, Beach House Waterfront Restaurant, and Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant & Pub. CHEERS!  

🎇 It’s Never Too Early… Yes, the 4^th of July is a month away. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t make a celebration plan. (In fact, you ought to!) Pier 22 is hosting an Independence Day Buffet. The spread will include a carving station, a sushi bar, and lots more. You’ll also get your very own reserved ringside table for the fireworks that will begin around 9:30PM. This will be a fun way to “ooh & aah” and enjoy a giant buffet of tasty treats! – EVENT & RES INFO HERE! 

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🗓️ SARASOTA FOOD INFO🗓️ 

Here is some local food information that we think you might find interesting. We’ve provided you with a link to more info. 

📖 BUY A COPY OF OUR 2025 SARASOTA DINING BOOK! – ORDER HERE 📖 

😋 MICHAEL’S ON EAST – MONTHLY EPICUREAN MENU – SAVOR THE WORLD🌍 

🧑‍🌾 FARMER’S MARKET INFO ‍🌾 

EVERY SUNDAY – Siesta Key Farmer’s Market – DETAILS 

EVERY SUNDAY – Farmer’s Market at Lakewood Ranch – DETAILS 

EVERY SUNDAY – The Meadows Farmer’s Market – DETAILS 

EVERY WEDNESDAY – The Phillippi Farmhouse Market (Oct-Apr) – DETAILS 

EVERY THURSDAY – Englewood Farmer’s Market (Oct-May) – DETAILS 

EVERY SATURDAY – Sarasota Farmer’s Market – DETAILS  

EVERY SATURDAY – Downtown Bradenton Public Market – DETAILS 

EVERY SATURDAY – Venice Farmer’s Market – DETAILS 

THIRD THURSDAY EVERY MONTH – UTC Night Market – DETAILS 

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