October 9, 2026

Meet the Irish Spice Bag

An Irish takeaway favorite finds a home at Delany’s Public House.

🤔 What’s in a Name? Naming things is more important than you might think. After all, it’s the first impression that someone gets from anything. It doesn’t really matter if it’s a product, a business, or even a car. The name sets the tone.

It has just been SO much fun writing about our food scene here in Sarasota for the past twenty-five-plus years. And over that time, I have gotten to sample and describe to you some pretty wild dishes.

📝 Remember when we tried the Zap Zap? That delicious Polish pizza bread with the wild name? It wasn’t something that was ever on our food radar. Now it is! – READ THAT ARTICLE HERE

Well, here we go again! Remember just half a second ago when we were talking about naming things? Let’s try this one on for size: The Spice Bag!

OK, maybe we should talk? When I say, “spice bag,” what’s the first thing that comes to mind? What about if you called someone a “spice bag”? I’m not 100% sure if I want that label hung on me!

Luckily, this is NOT an insult that your kids will be throwing around on the playground. It is a dish. An Irish dish. An Irish “fast food” dish. And now the Spice Bag makes its way to Sarasota!

When I think of Irish cuisine, the Spice Bag is not the first (or even second) thing that hits me. I’m more in the Shepherd’s Pie, Bangers and Mash, Fish and Chips camp.

But all the way back in 2006, the creative folks working at Sunflower Chinese located in a Dublin suburb thought that a paper sack filled with French fries (chips), crispy chicken nuggets (or shrimp), and some assorted peppers, all shaken up in a spicy spice blend, would make for a great late-night, after-shift snack. As it turned out, they were onto something!

Fast forward to 2026 and this crazy, salty, spicy treat is a staple in Irish Chinese takeaway places and fish and chips shops throughout the Emerald Isle.

And now, in some random culinary twist of fate, it’s made its way across the pond and all the way here to Sarasota, Florida. A place not generally known for cutting-edge, trendy takeout-style food. Chick-fil-A seems much more in our wheelhouse than a Spice Bag. 😀

There’s an Irish restaurant in Lakewood Ranch that has seemingly made it its mission to bring the wonders of the Spice Bag to our local plates and palates. Delany’s Public House sits at the end of Lakewood Main Street, which has a history of housing Irish/Scottish places.

📝 If you’ve been here for any length of time, you will remember when the husband-and-wife duo of Malcolm and Karen Ronney opened MacAllister’s Grill and Tavern in this spot. They were LWR pioneers back in 2006! This space also housed McGrath’s Irish Ale House. 🍀

And now, fittingly, this Main Street anchor is home to Delany’s.

It has that same Irish pub feel as those other two places. The packed bar really says it all. It’s cozy and very energetic!

You can buy Irish goodies you might not be able to find at your favorite Sarasota grocery store.

Delany’s has all of the things on their menu that are required to consider it a proper Irish pub.

Yes, to all of these…

Fish and Chips, Bangers and Mash, Fisherman’s Pie, Shepherd’s Pie, and even a Sunday Roast.

You know what we’re here for. But first, of course, we need to sample a few things.

The Jambon (flaky puff pastry, Irish cheddar, roasted ham, creamy bechamel) was lighter than it looks. The puff pastry was super flaky, just as advertised.

The Smoked Salmon Boxty (crisp potato cake, sour cream, chives & caviar) was a home run. I love every element of this dish. I knew that when they were combined, it would leave a smile on my face. 😋

As good as these two were, they were just the opening act. No introduction needed for the main event. Yes, it’s the Spice Bag!!

This is it in its unopened state. The big reveal is just around the corner…

All right, now for the “unbagging”!

Let’s talk about this for a minute.

First, the chicken was really crispy and cooked to perfection.

The fries (or chips) were soggy from being steamed in the bag. It’s OK. This is the way that it’s meant to come out. And it works for this dish.

The peppers are there for color, I think…

The spices, well, what I can say is this: peppery, salty, and savory. They don’t skimp. There is a lot on here. And it will get your attention.

They serve a curry sauce on the side for dipping. That sauce is mildly addictive! I wanted a to-go container for the sauce. (Or a big spoon to slurp it right there!) ☺️

So, what’s the big deal? This is the perfect Irish beer-drinking food. It goes perfectly with a Guinness or a Harp! Even if you don’t have a beer, it is a savory, unique snack.

Will the Spice Bag take Sarasota by storm the way it did in “The Fair City”? I’m not convinced that’s in our future. But if you happen to find yourself wandering Lakewood Main Street and you’d like to try a tasty, authentic Irish treat, the pipes could very well be calling you to Delany’s.

DELANY’S PUBLIC HOUSE

📍 8110 Lakewood Main Street

☎️ 941-222-1100

🌐 WEBSITE | MENU

📋 END NOTES –

(a) You can buy the actual spice blend that Delany’s uses for the Spice Bag right at the restaurant. If you can’t find it in the little store at the front of the place, just ask. If you’d like a recipe for the spice blend (and the dish) – HERE IS THE RECIPE

(b) The husband-and-wife team of Tory Delany and Darren Shore, along with their business partner Kevin O’Hanlon, own and operate Delany’s. These are the same folks who own Allswell Craft Cocktails & Kitchen in Waterside Place.

(c) Eric, who is one of Delany’s managers, answered every single one of our many Spice Bag questions. Thanks for that, Eric!

(d) This place is still newish. That means they are working out some of the service details. Our drinks and all of our dishes were delivered to the same wrong table. Not our table! They’re still getting the table numbering thing down. They’ll get there, I’m sure. 😁

(e) Apologies for the kind of rough-looking images. Delany’s, being an Irish pub, isn’t the brightest place to take pics. And the Spice Bag, not so photogenic! I’ll do better next time. Promise. 📸

📌 ODDS & ENDS

🪑 Musical Chairs. It’s been quite the summer for openings and closings. One more for the pile. Bricks Smoked Meats has ended its nine-year run at its State Street location (its Brandon location has also closed). 📝 There was a fire this past week at the Bricks Sarasota location – INFO HERE

Taking its place will be The Baja Bar. When it opens in mid-January 2027, Chef Amy, who spent years perfecting her craft in Belize, will be serving a menu that is California-style (but not Tex-Mex) and seafood-focused. Tacos and tequila will be featured. Full report once they fling open the doors early next year.

💵 DINING DOLLARS! We’re all looking for a little edge when it comes to dining out. The Sarasota-Manatee Originals want to help give you a BIG leg up! Starting on Monday, October 12, at 9AM, you can snap up some 50% off dining certificates to some of the best restaurants in town. That’s a great deal on your meal. Remember, mark your calendar for Monday morning! – HERE’S A LINK TO PURCHASE SOME!

---

---

🗓️ 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 2026 SARASOTA DINING BOOK! – ORDER HERE 📖

📰 ALL THE LATEST SARASOTA FOOD NEWS! – OUR NEWS PAGE!

📋 MENU OF THE MONTH!! – Michael’s On East – SPAIN!

---

🧑‍🌾 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 Florida Farmer’s Market – DETAILS

THIRD THURSDAY EVERY MONTH – UTC Night Market – DETAILS

---

🌟 SHARE, FOLLOW, LIKE 🌟

📱 Yes, we’re on social media! Our Facebook, X, Instagram, Threads  and Bluesky

Get information on 350+ Sarasota restaurants on the dineSarasota.com website

Did you miss a story? Here are some of our past Bites – SB ARCHIVE

Do you love our A Burger A Week pieces? – HERE’S THE FULL ARCHIVE 🍔

Check out all of our Videos on our YouTube channel!

Refer a friend to Sarasota Bites. That would make us super happy – CLICK HERE!

Email us a question, comment, or suggest a story. SEND EMAIL

From time to time, our articles may include links to purchase items. If you click on a link and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. These small commissions help pay for the cost of creating the content we love bringing you. For more information on our editorial policy, CLICK HERE.  

👀 JUST IN CASE YOU MISSED SOMETHING…