Sarasota’s Summer Table Is Set
New rankings. New menus. New reasons to eat out—all in this month’s Quick Bites.
📆 What We’re Celebrating This Month
🌭 July is National Hot Dog Month! (Hot sounds about right! 🥵)
🐔 July 6 – National Fried Chicken Day (Yoder’s & Dutch Valley)
🍟 July 10 – National French Fry Day (Hive Bar & Tony’s Chicago Beef)
🍧 July 19 – National Ice Cream Day (Kilwin’s & Orange Octopus)
🥃 July 24 – National Tequila Day (Casa Masa & Kolucan)
📋 The LIST – JULY 2026
OK – Let’s get right to the Top 10. We know you want to see it. So here you go!
We’ve got some movers and some shakers on this month’s LIST. We’re going to break things down into some bite-sized nuggets for you that are easy to digest.
📊 LIST Watch
👀 Some Observations
New No. 1 – Kitchen Social rockets from #22 to #1 (▲21). That’s one of the largest jumps in recent LIST history and easily the story of the month. Taste of Hong Kong debuts at #3 after not appearing in June’s Top 25. Karl Ehmer’s Alpine Steak House unexpectedly falls from #1 to #25 (▼24). Also, Hanami Sushi, Cocktails & Lounge (#4), and Park Grille & Cafe (#8) all make their Top 10 debuts.
Oh – One more LIST-related thing before we move on. We’re going to be trotting out some new metrics from our longstanding monthly feature. We have uncovered some VERY interesting things about the Sarasota restaurants you know and love! Stay tuned for that…
😎 Super Summer Supper. For years, Indigenous has been one of our area’s best restaurants. And we tend to think about these kinds of places in a somewhat different way than the rest of our dining options. Seems like we categorize them as “more special occasion, less every day.” Let’s change that mindset.
Chef Steve Phelps is personally curating and creating some delicious dishes just for the summer and making them available at a price that’s more in the “Let’s make this a regular thing” ballpark than you usually see at a restaurant of this caliber.
For $49 per person, you can enjoy a fantastic three-course prix fixe meal at his historic Towles Court restaurant. What can you get for a touch less than fifty bucks? Here, have a look at a sample menu – SUMMER SUPPER MENU HERE!
Like everything at Indigenous, the menu will change based on what’s fresh, seasonal, and locally available. Bon Appétit!
⚽ Goooooooooooal! The iconic call from Andrés Cantor of Telemundo is etched into the brains of soccer and non-soccer fans alike. After all, it is pretty unique, not to mention memorable.
World Cup soccer is on every TV in every place that serves beer and has a TV. It’s pretty remarkable, actually. I guess I would classify myself as more of a soccer appreciator than a true fan. But even though it may not be my #1, it’s super easy to get caught up in the international excitement of it all!
Where to Watch – OK, you’ve taken the plunge, and you’ve decided that you want to join the party. Where do you watch? We’ve got a few ideas for you.
1️⃣ My Village Pub (MVP) (5200 Ocean Blvd. | 941-777-6787) – Located on Siesta Key, MVP has a ton of TVs (this is a requirement for this sort of thing!), a BIG menu of great bar food, and a super friendly staff to serve it all to you. – READ ABOUT THE MVP MAC DOUBLE CHEESEBURGER HERE!
2️⃣ Food + Beer (Multiple Locations – CLICK HERE) – Food + Beer is everywhere! And all of a sudden, too. They have a relaxed sports bar atmosphere, lots of TVs, and a good-sized menu. It’s a fun place to catch a match. Yes, we wrote about their burger too! – READ THAT HERE!
3️⃣ The Fox & Swan (3676 Webber St. | 941-927-7686) – This place is different than the other two. It’s a British pub! If you want to watch and be part of World Cup madness, this may be your call. Cold beer, cheering Brits, and a whole lotta fun!
⭐ The USA vs. Belgium MON., JULY 6 @ 8PM!
Feel free to wear your favorite team’s colors or bring a flag! Olé, Olé, Olé…
🥪 A Sandwich is a Sandwich, but… I love a good sandwich as much as, or maybe more than, the next person. Chef Michael Calore is a master sandwich maker. From the early days of Main Street’s, Mozzarella Fella, to his current home at Pazzo on Orange, Michael brings his creative sandwich-making ideas to life. It’s really love wedged between two slices of bread!
Each and every Wednesday night through the summer, you can enjoy one of his delicious sandwiches for the pretty great price of sixteen bucks! There are eight different variations to pick from. And of course, you can add some Disco Fries to that sandwich.
Curious? Or just hungry? Have a look at the Pazzo on Orange summer sandwich menu! – SEE THE SUMMER SANDWICH MENU HERE!
⚡Lightning Round!
🍕 More Michelin. Add the newly opened Mister O1 Extraordinary Pizza to the growing list of restaurants that have caught the eye of Michelin inspectors. Chef Renato Viola brings his famous pies all the way from Miami to the UTC area. Yes, a million social media posts have already been created about this new place. We won’t jump on the pile. 📝 We will give it a proper write-up soon. But if you’re out that way, it’s definitely worth a stop!
🤔 Thinking Caps On! Trivia nights are popular. Add another to the ever-expanding calendar. Lefty’s Oyster and Seafood Bar hosts a chance for you to pit your brain power against a room full of other challengers. The fun rolls every Tuesday night from 7-9pm. Grab your smartest friends and put your best team forward. OH, yes, there will be prizes up for grabs!
🧑🍳 The New Kid in Town. Let’s give a warm Sarasota welcome to Chef Troman Felizmenio. He’s taking over as the new Executive Pastry Chef at the St. Regis Longboat Key Resort.
Chef Troman brings with him more than twenty years of hospitality experience. Can’t wait to see what comes out of the oven. Welcome!
OK – That’s it. Enjoy July. Enjoy the World Cup. And, of course, enjoy your new and old Sarasota-area restaurants!
~ 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 2026 SARASOTA DINING BOOK! – ORDER HERE 📖
📋 MENU OF THE MONTH!! – Happy Hams & Clams – MENU HERE!
🧑🌾 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
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👀 JUST IN CASE YOU MISSED SOMETHING…
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Your Brain Says Doughnut. Your Tongue Says Pizza. These pizza-inspired doughnuts look like pastries, taste like lunch, and completely fool your brain. 📆 Last Friday, June 5th, was National Doughnut…
Michelin Comes Calling, The LIST Gets Shaken Up & Sarasota Goes Zero-Proof The Alpine Steakhouse takes the crown, three local restaurants earn Michelin recognition, and Sarasota embraces the mocktail movement….
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