It’s traditionally one of the biggest “party” days of the year. Yes, NYE is pretty big too. But Super Bowl Sunday seems to be right up there.
Image by fstop123 via Getty Images
This year, since the NFL has decided to add one more week to their schedule, the Super Bowl will be played on February 13th. In case you’re the type of person who keeps track of these things, that’s Valentine’s Day Eve. It’s going to be a BIG weekend in the restaurant world.
As we usually do with these kinds of “holidays” (yes, I think we should at least consider making Super Bowl Sunday a holiday), we’re going to give you a few suggestions on where to watch the action between the LA Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals. And, of course, eat some delicious football party food!
Of course, Super Bowl Sunday is about watching the game; we know that. Critiquing the commercials is also a popular part of the day too. Let’s not forget that it’s also about eating. This is not a gourmet food situation by any stretch of the imagination. It’s not meant to be.
Wings, nachos, party snacks, and of course a few cold beers are the order of the day. I’m not saying that you couldn’t enjoy a plate of braised shorts ribs or some perfectly seared scallops. But there is probably a more appropriate occasion for that. This is the day for pulled pork sandwiches or a halftime plate of jalapeño poppers!
Let’s dive into some of the best places around Sarasota to watch (and eat your way through) Super Bowl LVI.
Capt. Curt’s Crab & Oyster Bar (1200 Old Stickney Point Rd., (941) 349-3885)
Great clam chowder. They have TVs spread around in a few different watch areas. During college football season Capt. Curt’s is an Ohio State University bar. So, you can probably expect a large contingent of Bengals fans to be on hand to cheer on their team from the Buckeye State.
Evie’s Tavern & Grill on Bee Ridge (4725 Bee Ridge Rd., (941) 377-9300)
Evie’s is a great place to watch a football game on any Sunday. If you want to get up and stretch your legs instead of watching the halftime show with Eminem, Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, and Kendrick Lamar, you can always hit the driving range! There aren't a lot of Super Bowl watch spots where you can do that.
Empanadas - Fire Fresh Grill
Fire Fresh Grill (1359 Main St. 2nd Flr. (941) 384-7591)
You’ve got to make the trip upstairs to the second floor. This is almost like a speakeasy situation. To accompany all of that football, they’ll be serving up food specials including pizza and their fantastic Nashville Hot Chicken.
Gecko's Grill & Pub - Mediterranean Flatbread
Gecko’s Grill & Pub (6606 S Tamiami Trl., (941) 248-2020)
Gecko’s is going all out for Super Bowl LVI. For $25 you can reserve a seat in your favorite viewing location. You’ll get that $25 back in the form of a Gecko’s gift card when you arrive. They will also be featuring gift raffles, their great football menu, and happy hour pricing on select cocktails. This includes buckets of beer! Seems like a great way to make sure you’ve got the view of the game that you want!
Miller's Ale House - Zinger Melt
Miller’s Ale House (3800 Kenny Dr., (941) 378-8888)
The Ale House has a similar “reserved seat” promo as Gecko’s. $25 to reserve your seat. That $25 will be applied to your check when you settle up your bill. 60+ TVs will pretty much make certain that you’ll have a great view of the game no matter where you sit. No 300 section here! They’ll also feature lots of food and drink specials.
Oak & Stone (4067 Clark Rd., (941) 893-4881)
Is there really a better way to enjoy the Super Bowl than with a selection of 50+ beers on the “beer wall”? If you can’t find one that suits your individual taste, then we’ve got an issue. Have a pizza and a beer and enjoy the game!
The Old Salty Dog - Jerk BBQ Wings
Old Salty Dog (5023 Ocean Blvd., (941) 349-0158)
Lots of TVs both inside and out. “The dog” is always a fun gameday experience. I’m sure that Super Bowl Sunday won’t be an exception. Of course, they always have their special football menu for game day. On this NFL championship Sunday they will also be serving a complimentary halftime buffet for anyone there to watch the game. That spread will probably feature their locally famous Dog Bites and wings!
Siesta Key Oyster Bar – SKOB (5238 Ocean Blvd., (941) 346-5443)
SKOB is known around Siesta Key as a good football spot. Feb 13th will not be an exception. They serve delicious wings. I can tell you from personal experience that the Jamaican Jerk Wings are a serious cut above. Plenty of TVs and a party atmosphere will make this an excellent choice for SB viewing.
There you have it: eight super places to watch the Super Bowl! No matter which one you pick, you’re sure to have a great Sarasota Super Bowl experience. Enjoy!
GAME FACTS
Teams: Cincinnati Bengals vs. Los Angeles Rams
Where: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California
Time: 6:30pm EST
Watch: NBC (stream live on Peacock or NBC Sports app)
We’ve done all of the heavy lifting for you! All you need to do is make that reservation. Here are some upcoming local food events that we think you might find interesting…
FEBRURAY (ALL MONTH) – Epicurean Menu, France – Michael’s on East
FEB 6 – 8th Annual Chili Cookoff - Red Barn - INFORMATION
FEB 10 – 4 Course Duckhorn Wine Dinner – CMX Cinebistro
FEB 11,12 & 14 – Special Valentine’s Day Menu – JR’s Old Packinghouse Cafe
FEB 12-14 – Valentine’s Day Specials – Phillippi Creek Crab & Oyster Bar
FEB 14 – Special Valentine’s Day Dinner Menu – Napule Ristorante
FEB 14 – Four Course Valentine’s Prix Fixe menu - MeLange
FEB 14 – Four Course Valentine’s Dinner – Duval’s Fresh. Local. Seafood
FEB 14 – Valentine’s Day Dinner (Special Menu) - D'Corato
FEB 14 - Romantic Aphrodisiac Dinner – Ortygia Restaurant
FEB 14 - Valentine's Day Dinner - Mademoiselle Paris
FEB 19 - Orin Swift Cellars Wine Dinner – GROVE Restaurant
EVERY SUNDAY - Siesta Key Farmers Market - DETAILS
EVERY SUNDAY – Farmers Market at Lakewood Ranch - DETAILS
EVERY SUNDAY – The Meadows Farmers Market - DETAILS
EVERY WEDNESDAY – The Phillippi Farmhouse Market - DETAILS
THIRD THURSDAY NIGHT – RADD Night Market - DETAILS
EVERY SATURDAY – Sarasota Farmers Market - DETAILS
EVERY SATURDAY - Downtown Bradenton Public Market - DETAILS
EVERY SATURDAY – Venice Farmers Market - DETAILS
Did you miss a story? Here are some of our past Bites – SB ARCHIVE
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