Quick Bites – Openings, Mardi, and Brunch
We’re bringing you some tasty bites this month! 😋
👋 Welcome In! There is always a lot to talk about when it comes to Sarasota restaurants, food, and dining. A LOT! Openings, closings, movings, special menus, special dinners, happy hours, late-night features… I could go on, but you’re smart. You probably get the point.
We’re here to tie some of these things up into a nice, tidy package for you. That’s what Quick Bites is all about. We’ve been tagging some of these things onto the end of your newsletter for a while now (we’ll still do that). We thought that maybe it was time that they had their own moment in the sun. 😎
Let’s Get to It...
🏪 Won’t You Be My Neighbor. Anyone who’s ever been to Hive Bar (2881 Clark Rd. | 941- 888-0382) loves it. At least anyone that I’ve come in contact with. Soon, there will be a little more to love…
Local restaurateur Broc Smith, along with his partners, Michael Bush and Jeremy Rice, will be bringing two new restaurant concepts to life. The good news – you won’t have to travel far to enjoy either of them. They’ll be right next door to Dive Liquors/Hive Bar!
The trio has taken over the former Donato’s Pizza space AND Puccini’s old home. They plan to open Dough Boy Swift, serving NY Style Pizza, wings, and fresh pasta in the corner space. Masō (pronounced Mah-So) with a menu of high-end steaks and seafood along with a “luxury wine list”, offered at an “extreme value”, will open right next to Hive.
Of course, we’ll keep you in the loop on both of these openings. Don’t worry, you won’t miss a thing, promise!
🍹 The Happiest of Hours. Yes, Happy Hours are popular. But they are SO hard to nail down. A moving target does not even start to define it. Some places have it cast in stone. Others in sand. We’ve got a good one for our Happy Hour consideration.
The sign really says it all. But what may not be immediately obvious is what a great opportunity this is to sample some food and drink from one of Sarasota’s hottest new places. Lucky 8 (1812 S. Osprey Ave. | 941-444-0155) rolls out the Happy Hour welcome mat in NOLA style. Laissez les bons temps rouler! 🎉
🎭 Mardi On! Let’s all pile on that Mardi Gras party bus! If you’re looking to celebrate but just can’t figure out where, we’ve got an idea (Yes, you could go to Lucky 8), but The Madfish Grill (4059 Cattlemen Rd. | 941- 377-3474) is rolling out a special menu of Creole and Cajun favorites just for the occasion. Jambalaya, Po Boys, and Blackened Redfish all dot the menu. You’ve got until MAR 4TH to join the festivities. – MORE INFO HERE!
🎂 Happy Anniversary to You! Three years go by in the blink of an eye. I think the older that I get, the faster it rolls by. I’m sure it seems that way for the folks over at Mademoiselle Paris (9906 Gulf Dr. | 941- 226-0708). They’re blowing out the candles on the third-anniversary cake for their Anna Maria Island location.
If you’ve never been, what in the world are you waiting for?? Need a little sample? We’ve got the entire menu (including the wine list) for you to wander through – MENU HERE. Once you’ve taken all of that in, make a plan to get up there and say “Bonjour” before the next three years fly by!
️🍳 Because Breakfast is Too Early and Lunch is Too Late. There are brunch fanatics everywhere. Brunches and Happy Hours are the two non-official meals that really get folks excited. (And they’re also the two things we get a lot of email from you about.) Out on Siesta Key, the Summer House Steak & Seafood (149 Avenida Messina | 941- 260-2675) has rolled out a Sunday brunch that will bring a smile to even the most discerning brunch lover’s face. There is just TONS of everything! It’s a brunch buffet that will delight. Every Sunday, 10AM to 2:30PM, $65PP adults, $27PP children 12 & under. – RESERVATIONS HERE
⚡Lightning Round!
1️⃣ You can still buy tickets to the Set the Bar Cocktail Competition – TICKET INFO HERE!
2️⃣ Are you a fan of Tampa Bay Beer Week? If you are, Calusa Brewing is where you need to be on SAT MAR 1ST. They will be releasing four delicious beers to celebrate TBBW. Can you say, Citronious BIGGEST! These brews won’t last long… – BREWERY INFO
3️⃣ Here’s your early warning. Like it or not (I realize that some of you aren’t big on change), the Daylight Savings time change will happen at 2AM on SUN MAR 9TH. That’s the time we zoom ahead one hour. Move those clocks up! I’d hate to see you show up an hour early for your Sunday Brunch reservation. (I guess that’s better than an hour late!) ⏰
4️⃣ We Want YOUR Bites! – Does your restaurant have an event coming up? An anniversary? Maybe a special menu? Or do you know a restaurant that could use a nice shout-out? Well, we want to help. Send us your “Bites” – EMAIL US HERE!
That’s a wrap. It’s been nice chatting with you. Hey, let’s do that again! Enjoy the rest of your February! 😉
~ LH
🗓️ 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 – JAPAN🌍
🧑🌾 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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