Best Sarasota Restaurants. Gulf Gate Edition

The Best Sarasota Restaurants | Gulf Gate

Sarasota Gulf Gate Restaurant | Dolce Italia

This small eatery is a little bit of an “off the grid” place. It’s not that folks don’t know about Dolce. It’s more like Dolce itself is very understated. But, what hits you from the moment you walk in the door is that you’ve stumbled onto something special. It’s family owned and operated. That in itself isn’t so unusual around this town. You really feel like family when you have the Dolce experience. Don’t just consider one of the daily Dolce specials, actually have one!
Dolce Italia | 6606 Superior Ave. | 941-921-7077 | Dolce’s Website

Sarasota Gulf Gate Restaurant | Kazu 2.0

Sarasota is LOADED with sushi places. And, we certainly have a lot of great ones. We’ll get to that “Best of” listing at another time. Gulf Gate’s Kazu 2.0 ranks right up there with the best of them. Originally located in Southgate, Kazu updated their name and changed their space. What remained is the super fresh, high quality sushi they were always known for. They’ve got a nice late night menu for those of you not in the “early bird” crowd. But, if you are into an early dose of sake and japas, Kazu 2.0 features a Happy Hour until 6PM.
Kazu 2.0 | 6566 Gateway Ave. | 941-922-5459 | Kazu’s Website

Sarasota Gulf Gate Restaurant | Munchies 420 Cafe

What can we say that hasn’t already been said, watched and experienced at this one of a kind Sarasota restaurant? Know one thing, Munchies is not Veg. It may be located in the same neighborhood. But, it’s practically in another world. Watch all of the Man vs. Food you want. But, you have to experience this place for yourself to get the full on effect. And, I strongly encourage you to do just that. For the complete Munchies experience check it out post 2AM! A round of Fat Sandy’s for everyone!!
Munchies 420 Cafe | 6639 Superior Ave. | 941-929-9393 | Munchies Website

Sarasota Gulf Gate Restaurant | Off The Hook Seafood Co.

A relatively new entry in the Gulf Gate dining scene. Off The Hook Seafood has managed to make a name for themselves in a very competitive neighborhood. The space has a clean, modern feel. It’s not homey like a Dolce or Solorzano’s. But, it’s a very comfortable dining experience. They always feature a “Fresh Catch of the Day”, along with some lighter sandwich options. A good all around Sarasota seafood spot.
Off The Hook Seafood | 6630 Gateway Ave. | 941-923-5570 | Off The Hook Website

Sarasota Gulf Gate Restaurant | Opa Opa

Opa Opa. That’s a happy name for a Greek restaurant. Wouldn’t you agree? OK, so, we don’t have an official “Greektown” here in Sarasota. Our Greek style restaurants are spread out all over town. That includes an entry here in Gulf Gate. Opa Opa, serves up authentic (I almost hate using that word) Greek fare. But, it really is. The lamb is great here. Try it (or the Greek Combo Platter). My friends who know this cuisine intimately and eat it often say that Opa Opa is one of their favs too.
Opa Opa | 6525 Superior Ave. | 941-927-1672 | Opa Opa Menu

Sarasota Gulf Gate Restaurant | Piccolo Italian Market

Part deli/restaurant part Italian market. Whichever part you stop in for, Piccolo’s has an old neighborhood feel that just oozes out of every inch of the place. They have good Italian style sandwiches named after famous folks like the “Dustin Hoffman” or the “Sly Stallone”. But, the real star here is the ingredients. Delicious Italian cold cuts and cheeses used in a variety of creative ways on fresh “brick oven” baked Italian bread. They also feature some hard to find specialty Italian grocery items.
Piccolo Italian Market | 6518 Gateway Ave. | 941-923-2202 | Piccolo’s Website

Sarasota Gulf Gate Restaurant | Solorzano’s Ristorante

Another one of Gulf Gates fantastic Italian restaurants. At Solorzano’s it’s Hoboken N.J. pride all the way. If you’re originally from this part of the country, this experience will probably be like walking into your favorite place back home. If you’re not, you’ll still enjoy a delicious, authentic New Jersey Italian meal. They used to insist on reservations here. They may have loosened up. To be on the safe side check first.
Solorzano’s Ristorante | 6516 Superior Ave. | 941-906-9444

Sarasota Gulf Gate Restaurant | Tony’s Chicago Beef Co.

What can you really say about Tony’s? This place is a not so hidden gem of a restaurant. I’m not even sure if “restaurant” is the correct or proper description of this unique Sarasota sandwich shop. If it was in the Windy City, you would just say, “Beef Stand”. In Sarasota, I’m not sure. Let’s just leave it at this, Tony’s has super authentic Chicago beef sandwiches. And, I mean, super authentic. There are a bunch of second place finishers in town. But, really it’s just Tony’s!
Tony’s Chicago Beef Co. | 6569 Superior Ave. | 941-922-7979 | TONY’S WEBSITE

Sarasota Gulf Gate Restaurant | Veg

There aren’t a ton of vegetarian (or for that matter vegan) restaurants in Sarasota. There are some. And, most places you visit have vegetarian options on their menu. I guess that’s a step in the right direction. While Veg isn’t technically vegetarian (they serve seafood), it’s close enough for most. What they do have is creative, well thought out vegetarian dishes. A fantastic Veg Matzoh Ball Soup that is a must. It’s usually busy here. They have a pretty loyal and dedicated gang of regulars.
Veg | 2164 Gulf Gate Dr. | 941-312-6424 | Veg’s Website

Sarasota Gulf Gate Restaurant | Word of Mouth

It’s “The Original” Word of Mouth. At least that’s what they’re promoting this location as. And, it’s true. This was the first (and I think best) Word of Mouth restaurant. Homemade breakfast and lunch items are the rule. It really seems like things are “homemade” too. Not in quite a Yoder’s way, but, lots more “homemade” than some other places. They have really great fresh baked goods if that’s your thing. Salads and sandwiches standout. Here’s a little bit of a surprise, they serve a more than respectable Turkey Reuben. That one is hard for me to pass up.
Word of Mouth | 6604 Gateway Ave. | 941-925-2400 | WOM Website

There you have it. Those are our TOP 10 Sarasota Gulf Gate restaurants. FYI – These are in alphabetical order for your convenience. They’re OUR ten favorites. Mix and match the way that you see fit. Oh, if your favorite Gulf Gate place didn’t make our list. Add it in the comments section and let the rest of the world know that we left one out.