The LIST – May 2025
We’re closing out Spring 2025 on a high note!
🎉 “Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s party!'” – Robin Williams
🌹 There’s A LOT to celebrate in May! May is just jam-packed with occasions to toast. Cinco de Mayo (just passed), Mother’s Day (upcoming), HS proms and graduations, and so much more. May is a happy month!
📆 Something to Celebrate!
May is National Hamburger Month! – We know a few places – BURGER LIST
🍴 May 9 – National Foodies Day (Hey! If you’re reading this, you’re one of them!)
🫓 May 13 – International Hummus Day (Tandoor & 1592 Wood Fired Kitchen)
🍖 May 16 – National Barbecue Day (Brick’s & Stottlemyer’s)
🥧 May 20 – National Quiche Lorraine Day (L’Opera Bakery & Bistro & Mademoiselle Paris)
May 25 – National Wine Day (Siesta Key Wine Bar & Michael’s Wine Cellar)
⏱️ It’s not too late… There’s still a little bit of time to make plans if you’re going to be treating your mom/wife/nana or other significant person to a Mother’s Day brunch or dinner. We do need to be honest here. At this late date, you may not get your first choice of places, but there is still a window… Here’s some help… – OUR DS MOTHER’S DAY LIST!
We promised last month that we’d add some new places. Well, we didn’t do quite as great as we thought we would. But we did add one new spot!
Let’s all welcome 131 Main (6608 University Pkwy. | 941- 394-0131) to the dineSarasota.com restaurant database! If you happen to be out in the LWR area, stop in and show them a little love. Make sure you tell them you saw it here! 😉
OK – Top 10 Time! Yes, it’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for. It is the time of the month when we unveil the list of our site’s most searched for places. Here you go!
If you happen to be a frequent reader, you may notice just a bit of seasonality in our monthly list. (Some of you have even mentioned it!) This month is a perfect example of that very phenomenon.
With Easter falling last month and Mother’s Day this month, a bunch of places that feature some “fancier” dining made the Top 10. Yes, I’m looking at you, Michael’s On East, Capital Grille, and Seasons 52! Our readers really know how to dine in style!
🗒️ HERE’S THE COMPLETE LIST OF THE TOP 25 FOR MAY 2025!
Next time we meet up for an edition of The LIST, it’ll be summer! Here we go! 😎
~ LH
⚡ Quick Bites
😢 A Longboat Key Staple Goes Down. I’m certainly not the first person to mention this (hopefully I’m not dead last either 🙂), but longtime Longboat Key and Sarasota restaurant icon Euphemia Haye has served their last Peppered Steak and tableside Caesar Salad. Fifty years is a good long run by any measure. In the restaurant business, it approaches legendary status. We’re keeping our fingers crossed that the location re-opens as a restaurant at some point down the road.
📝 WAY back when we wrote a piece on Chef Ray and Euphemia’s famous Roast Duck. It even includes the recipe. YOU CAN READ THAT HERE!
🚨 Right Now… Another sad note. Sorry to be the bearer of it. One of my favorite local businesses is calling it a day. The Artisan Cheese Company (550 Central Ave. | 941-951-7860) will be closing its doors on May 30th. When they opened in 2012 on Main Street, they were like a breath of fresh air. They offered cheeses from the U.S. and around the world. These were cheeses that you couldn’t find at other places in town. Classes and other cheese-related events dotted their growing calendar of activities. They were small, but mighty! They will be missed. Stop in and say hello (and goodbye) to Louise and her talented group of cheesemongers before the end of the month. 😢 – READ LOUISE’S LETTER HERE
😊 Happy News. After all of that above, we need something a touch more uplifting. YES – We have some openings!
• Florence and the Spice Boys opens location #2 out in the UTC area. (257 N. Cattlemen Rd.) They’ll be bringing that delicious Israeli-influenced cuisine that The Landings crowd loves so much to North Sarasota County. Yes, the Chicken Shawarma Salad is fantastic. But they also serve a great Big Mac style burger. Here’s what we wrote about the Le Big Mac!
• Peachy’s Baking Company (4800 S. Tamiami Trl. – The Landings) is opening a real brick-and-mortar location! Yes, now you can get their scrumptious hand-dipped donuts anytime the craving strikes. It also means you won’t have to hunt them down at a Farmer’s Market for a soft pretzel. Their grand opening is May 10th!
• Flower Child swings open the doors to their lucky 41st location on May 13th. And they’re bringing their motto, “Healthy Food for a Happy World,” with them. The new spot is located at 6532 University Pkwy. It’s in the same plaza as Owen’s Fish Camp (Center Point at Waterside).
🍳 Brick’s Rolls Out Brunch. OK, we know that you’ve got a ticking clock on the Mother’s Day thing. And we certainly don’t want to add any pressure or anxiety to the mix. So, take a deep breath, here’s a potential solution for you to explore.
Brick’s Smoked Meats (1528 State St. | 941- 993-1435) has just launched a fantastic Weekend Brunch! There’s a possibility that they just might be able to squeeze you in this Sunday. (No guarantee, but it’s worth a call.)
But if they can’t accommodate you this weekend, you haven’t totally missed the boat. You can enjoy their delicious brunch offerings EVERY WEEKEND!
They’re serving a big, full menu of their usual savory smokiness. Plus, they’ve added a few surprises into the mix…
How about a Brisket Benedict to get your Saturday or Sunday started in fine fashion? It’s a “three cheese potato cake topped with sliced brisket, two eggs, and homemade queso.”
Of course, you can get their famous Deviled Eggs. They wouldn’t leave those off the menu.
And also, the Bacon Burnt Ends (aka Cowboy Candy! 🤠).
Pair this with one of their “Sober Sippers” and you’ve got a pretty great start to any Sunday (or Saturday). 📝 You can add a shot of gin or vodka for six bucks to make these full-strength adult beverages!
If you go on a Saturday, take some time to stroll our Downtown Sarasota Farmer’s Market! There is always something new and interesting to find wandering Lemon Ave. 🌻 – FULL BRUNCH MENU HERE!
🚋 Trolley, Trolley. No, this is not a lead-in to a new Mr. Roger’s themed restaurant. (I can only imagine…). But if you’ve always dreamed of riding a trolley AND having that trolley make stops at some great local restaurants, then your dream is about to come true!
The Sarasota-Manatee Originals version of a progressive dinner rolls on MAY 22nd. The Blend trolley will feature wines from Alexander Valley Vineyards and make stops at Michael’s On East, Cuba 1958, Tsunami Sushi & Hibachi, Offshore Tapas & Wine Bar, and the 1818 Grill. You should definitely be on board when the trolley leaves the station. – RESERVE YOUR SPOT HERE!
🗓️ 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 – MEXICO🌍
🧑🌾 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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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 🍔
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