Sarasota Food News

Whole Foods Market opened its 42,000-square-foot store on Nov. 5 in the Marketplace at Heritage Harbour in Bradenton. The store features more than 450 local items from over 115 Florida-based suppliers, with the first 300 customers receiving a limited-edition tote bag and savings coupons up to $100.

Pi on Main, which opened in January 2024 at 1507 Main Street, has closed as owner Watershed Hospitality Concepts focuses on other properties. The restaurant had drawn crowds for live music, games, pizza and burgers before its closure.

Mitchell's Food and Wine opened on Main Street in the former Lucile Pizza and Wine Bar location under Chef Ryan Boeve and partner Mark Baldwin. The new restaurant returns Boeve to classical-style cooking, with the name honoring his grandmother Lucile and his mother's maiden name.

A new dining and entertainment concept called Backyard Social is coming to Sarasota County, featuring live music, bars, bowling, games, and five food options. The venue combines casual dining with entertainment amenities.

Masō was voted the top restaurant in Sarasota Magazine's Best of Sarasota 2026 awards. The intimate restaurant is part of a collection of food-and-drink concepts owned by Broc Smith and Jeremy Rice.

Alpine Steakhouse and its turducken specialty dish were featured on Food Network's "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" with Guy Fieri 19 years ago. The restaurant has maintained its signature dish as a dining attraction.

At Don Luigi, chef and owner Luigi Di Iorio creates each plate based on market availability that morning, the dining room's atmosphere, and his culinary inspiration. The intimate restaurant operates without a traditional menu.

The Andersons purchased Crescent Beach Market on Siesta Key after learning the beloved mom-and-pop shop was shuttering. Despite lacking business ownership experience, they reopened the market and partnered with local vendors for bread, milk, and specialty items. The rescue demonstrates community commitment to neighborhood gathering spaces.

St. Armands Circle is undergoing a restaurant renaissance with several new openings including Trinidadian and Italian seafood concepts, and Pinchers arriving this fall. The iconic circle now hosts over a dozen restaurants alongside the historic Columbia, which opened in 1959. Additional concepts including a coffee and dessert shop are coming soon.

Alma de España, a Spanish and Cuban restaurant, is opening at 239 S. Links Ave. on November 1, following its debut on South Osprey Avenue. The nearly 1,100-square-foot space sold for $1.65 million in September. Chef Elier Rodriguez brings fine-dining experience to the menu featuring gazpacho, paella, and flan.

Eggs and Burgers Diner is opening November 2 at 7218 N Tamiami Trail, replacing the closed Crager's Restaurant. Owner Ibrahim Tunga plans to focus on all-day breakfast and smash burgers with large portions and affordable pricing. The new diner brings a classic American concept to the corridor.

A Tex-Mex restaurant that had been operating in Sarasota for more than a decade has closed. The closure marks the end of a long-running dining establishment in the area.

Restaurateur Tom Leonard's effort to restore Shore Restaurant to St. Armands Circle faces multiple city code challenges, including flood-proofing requirements, balcony encroachment rules, and parking space shortfalls. City staff is in ongoing discussions with the partnership regarding parking solutions in adjacent garages.

Texas Roadhouse and Whataburger have won key Sarasota County approval and are moving closer to opening their first locations in the area. The chains are among five restaurants eyeing spots at a major new Sarasota County shopping center.