Sarasota Food News
The latest restaurant openings, closings, development, permits and industry updates in Sarasota and across Florida.
Hawkers Asian Street Food opens at UTC in former JPAN space
Hawkers Asian Street Food, a Florida-born chain specializing in Asian street food fusion from Malaysia, Hong Kong and Vietnam, will open at UTC's West District on Cattlemen Road. The fast-casual restaurant will feature roti, Korean fried chicken, dim sum, stir-fried noodles and a street food sweet shop.
Why it matters: Sarasota dining gains a new casual Asian concept with regional popularity and a diverse menu of shareable small plates and street food specialties.
Source: Sarasota Magazine • Read full story →
1818 Grill closes as Legends Sports Pub expands
The 1818 Grill at 1818 S. Osprey Ave. in Sarasota's Southside Village will close after its final service Saturday, Sept. 26. The neighboring Legends Sports Pub plans to expand into the vacated space.
Why it matters: Sarasota diners will see a shift in Southside Village's restaurant landscape as a longstanding establishment makes way for a neighboring bar's expansion.
Source: Sarasota Herald-Tribune • Read full story →
Hawkers Asian Street Food Opening UTC Location
Hawkers Asian Street Food, a Florida-based chain, is opening at University Town Center in a 5,054-square-foot space along Cattlemen Road. The location will introduce the chain's first street food sweet shop concept.
Why it matters: This is the first UTC location for the popular Asian chain, bringing a new cuisine experience and unique sweet shop concept to Sarasota's premier mixed-use destination.
Source: Patch.com/Florida/Sarasota • Read full story →
Three new Sarasota County restaurants coming soon
Sarasota County's dining scene is expanding with several new concepts in development, including a French-inspired daytime cafe and a Uruguayan bakery and coffee shop. The additions continue the area's restaurant growth.
Why it matters: Local diners can expect fresh dining options and diverse cuisines arriving in Sarasota County.
Source: Business Debut • Read full story →
Chicken Salad Chick Opens Sarasota Location September 29
Chicken Salad Chick, a Southern-style fast-casual eatery, is opening at 6650 Fruitville Road in the Fruitville Farms shopping center on September 29. The 2,600-square-foot location will seat 52 and offer dine-in, patio, takeout, delivery and catering. The menu features over a dozen made-from-scratch chicken salad varieties, side salads, soups, sandwiches and desserts.
Why it matters: This is Sarasota County's first Chicken Salad Chick location, bringing a popular Southern franchise to local diners seeking casual dining options.
Source: Your Observer • Read full story →
Popular Sarasota pizza restaurant Tralia opens second location
Tralia, a Sarasota pizza restaurant that grew from a pop-up into a top dining destination, is expanding with a second location. The expansion reflects the restaurant's success in the local dining market.
Why it matters: Sarasota residents will gain easier access to one of the county's most sought-after dining experiences with an additional location.
Source: Sarasota Herald-Tribune • Read full story →
Artisan Cheese Company Closes After 14.5 Years
Artisan Cheese Company closed its Rosemary District location at 550 Central Ave. after operating for 14.5 years. The specialty shop cited declining sales, down 40% this year with particularly weak summer performance. The closure reflects broader challenges facing Sarasota's independent retail food businesses amid rising costs.
Why it matters: Another closure in Sarasota's retail food scene signals ongoing economic pressures affecting local specialty shops and independent businesses.
Source: Your Observer • Read full story →
Kolucan Mexican Grill Reopens Under New Ownership
Gulf Gate's beloved Kolucan Mexican Bar & Grill reopened under new ownership led by Margarito Rosas, president of Sarasota-based Rosas Cast Stone. Plans are underway to eventually rebrand as Garibaldi Seafood Mexican Restaurant Bar & Grill.
Why it matters: Gulf Gate's elevated Mexican restaurant returns after a sudden September closure, with new ownership promising fresh direction while preserving the neighborhood's upscale dining presence.
Source: Sarasota Magazine • Read full story →
Beloved Sarasota Cheese Shop Closing After Landlord Dispute
A well-known Sarasota cheese shop is closing after the landlord approved a restaurant tenant instead. The cheese shop's efforts to remain in its current location were unsuccessful.
Why it matters: Local food retailers and specialty shops are part of Sarasota's dining ecosystem, and this closure signals ongoing commercial real estate pressures in the area.
Source: Patch • Read full story →
North-End Restaurant Plans to Expand Next Door
Longboat Key's Whitney's restaurant is one step closer to expanding after Planning and Zoning Board recommendations. The expansion signals the restaurant's commitment to growth and increased capacity on the island.
Why it matters: As a major Longboat Key dining destination, Whitney's expansion indicates continued strong business and improved dining capacity for residents and visitors.
Source: Your Observer • Read full story →
From Belfast to Lakewood Ranch: Delany’s Public House Opens
Delany's Public House is bringing Irish pub tradition from Belfast to Lakewood Ranch with a full bar and general store component. The opening represents a major new concept in the Lakewood Ranch dining market.
Why it matters: This traditional Irish restaurant and bar represents significant new dining and entertainment options in popular Lakewood Ranch, one of the area's fastest-growing dining destinations.
Source: Business Observer (may require subscription) • Read full story →
Baldoria Mediterranean Restaurant Opens Downtown Sarasota
Baldoria, a new restaurant and cocktail bar from the creators of My Mamma Italian Kitchen, opens in downtown Sarasota. The concept features Spanish-style Mediterranean dishes with an Italian twist.
Why it matters: Sarasota's downtown dining corridor gains another concept from an established local restaurateur group bringing diverse Mediterranean flavors to Main Street.
Source: Sarasota Herald-Tribune (may require subscription) • Read full story →
Sorella Italian Restaurant Opens Downtown Sarasota This Month
Sorella, a new Italian restaurant featuring chefs from popular local spots, is opening by end of September at 1532 Main Street downtown. The menu focuses on pizza and pasta.
Why it matters: Downtown Sarasota's dining scene expands with a new Italian concept led by experienced chefs with roots in the local restaurant community.
Source: Sarasota Herald-Tribune (may require subscription) • Read full story →
Four Local Restaurants Close Within Two Weeks
Indigenous, Artisan Cheese, Kolucan, and JPan at UTC have all announced closures within the past two weeks. Multiple closures signal challenging conditions in the local restaurant market.
Why it matters: Four closures in two weeks—including a specialty cheese shop and two sushi concepts—indicate significant market turbulence and changing dining preferences among Sarasota-area consumers.
Source: mySuncoast • Read full story →
SaraSocial Brings Southern Cooking and Late-Night Lounge to Downtown
SaraSocial opens as a restaurant by day and lounge by night in downtown Sarasota, featuring Southern cooking, music, cocktails, and hookah service on front and rear patios. The concept blends daytime dining with late-night entertainment.
Why it matters: Sarasota readers seeking new after-hours dining and entertainment options now have a hybrid restaurant-lounge concept downtown.
Source: Sarasota Magazine • Read full story →