Ready, set, go... And as quickly as you can get those words out, your summer is off and running. Kids are out of school, maybe a little vacation from work, and, of course, Sarasota summer dining.
There's no better time than now to roll out our June 2022 version of The LIST! Let's get right to it, shall we?
Yes, we've added a few new places to the dineSarasota.com website in the past month that we think you might want to know about. Right now the database stands at 358 Sarasota area restaurants!
We've got another NY Chinese carryout place to try (and I'm sure critique). Bamboo Garden (5010 Clark Rd. (941) 929-1688) has opened its doors in the Northridge Shopping Center. Now I know there are going to be a bunch of you out there who will say, "it's nowhere close to the NY Chinese carryout I had in NY." And for a lot of people, that's true. But we're living in Sarasota, Florida, not NYC. On a personal note, I'm guilty of the same mindset when it comes to pizza. I'm from Chicago, so... (** After 20 years I am still working on it! 😀)
On the complete opposite end of the culinary spectrum is Graze Street AMI (3218 East Bay Dr. (941) 896-6320). This is a "Chef-Driven" market concept up in Holmes Beach. I'm not sure we've determined an exact definition for that term. But it has been used a lot over the past 5-7 years. I'm hoping it means they're serving food that the chef (or chefs) would be happy to enjoy themselves. They're offering a small selection of deli sandwiches and a daily Chef's Special. All food is to-go. The market also features a nice selection of cheeses, charcuterie, and assorted jams.
The last addition this month is a re-purposing of an existing downtown restaurant space. The two-lane bowling alley at Evie's on Main is out, and Molly's Restaurant and Pub (1560 Main St. (941) 366-7711) is in! Same owners (the Evie's group), new concept. Yes, you can get fish and chips (also bangers and mash). They can also make (not turn you into) an Irish Mule for those of you who would like to widen your cocktail horizons!
On to our Top 5! Hey, let's do this month's list in reverse order.
Number five for June, Bijou Garden Café (1287 1st St., (941) 366-8111). Now under the ownership of the Realm Restaurant Group (they also own Sage). This longtime downtown favorite keeps freshening things up. They're a Savor Sarasota restaurant. Stop in for the special prix fixe menu.
Mattison's Forty-One (7275 S. Tamiami Trl., (941) 921-3400) is in at number four. A completely refreshed dining room awaits diners. They're also a Savor Sarasota restaurant. You have until June 14th to dine from their special restaurant week menu.
Jumping up into the top five this month, Michael's on East (1212 S. East Ave. (941) 366-0007). Again, a Savor Sarasota restaurant. Boy, do you have some great choices for cost-effective dining this month! Hopefully, you're taking full advantage of that opportunity!
Number two GROVE Restaurant (10670 Boardwalk Loop, (941) 893-4321). We've written about GROVE a lot over the past year or so. Why? Because it's obvious from your activity on our website that you LIKE THEM! We think that's a pretty good reason.
Clocking in at the number one spot this month, Rosemary & Thyme (511 N. Orange Ave. (941) 955-7600). The first thyme they’re in the top spot! (That was too hard to pass up, sorry. I'd like to say it won't happen again, but...). Great dinner spot in the Rosemary District. The real hidden dining treasure is the Sunday brunch. You should do that before the summer is history. Have a look at their Savor Menu.
We fill out the Top 10 this month with Pier 22, Kore Steakhouse, Capital Grille, and newcomers LobsterCraft and Meliora. If you're a visual learner, he's a little graphic for you.
This is the part of our monthly list posts where we usually leave you with a video. This month we have something a little special AND a little different.
Thuy Nguyen has been part of our local Sarasota hospitality scene for a long time. You may not recognize the name, but you've probably seen her smiling face around town.
Thuy (pronounced Twee), has been keeping the drinks flowing at McCurdy's Comedy Theater as their Bar Manager. Before that, you may have caught her at Patrick's. It's also possible you could have seen her running through Ed Smith Stadium at an Orioles spring training baseball game. She is the Concessions Manager there. In short, Thuy is a busy lady!
What you may not know is that Thuy is also a Digital Content Creator. She's the producer (and star) of a long-running YouTube channel appropriately called The Life of Thuy. She has been trying one new thing every week for the past TEN YEARS and filming it! That's a whole lotta new stuff. I'm not sure I have the courage for about half of it. 😯
Here's a link to her YouTube channel. You should watch a couple of episodes and subscribe!
As if that isn't enough, Thuy was also asked in 2019 to give a TedX Talk about herself and her videos. Her talk is fascinating and inspirational. Definitely worth a look. Sometimes you find the most unlikely things in the most unlikely places. Enjoy!
OH, as a little something special for reading all the way to the end of this article, we have a giveaway for you! The folks at McCurdy's Comedy Theater and Humor Institute have graciously given us a couple of pairs of tickets to pass along to our readers. There's a link to enter below. We'll pick two entries to receive two tickets each. And, just to make things interesting, we're not going to choose them at random. We'll give those tickets to the 6th and 20th people to enter! Good Luck!!
🗓️ SARASOTA FOOD EVENTS 🗓️
It’s summer, so things are a little light. Here are some upcoming local food events that we think you might find interesting. All you need to do is make that reservation. We’ve provided you with a link to more info.
JUN 1-14 – Savor Sarasota Restaurant Week - INFORMATION
JUN 9 - Wine Cellar Social Club – Michael’s on East
JUN 9 - Dining Certificate Sale - Sarasota-Manatee Originals
JUN 10 – Puerto Rican Night! - Dive Wine & Spirits
JUN 11-12 – St. Armands Circle Craft Festival - INFORMATION
JUN 14 – Wine Tasting – D'Corato Italian Ristorante
JUN 23 - Harry’s Duckhorn Wine Dinner – Harry's Continental Kitchens
JUN 24-JUL 14 – Suncoast SummerFest - INFORMATION
JUN 28 – Wine Tasting – D'Corato Italian Ristorante
JUN 29 - Reds, Whites, and Blue Wine Dinner – Mean Dean’s
JUN 30 - Red, White & Rosé Wine Dinner – GROVE Restaurant
JUL 2-3 - Suncoast's Largest Food Truck Festival - INFORMATION
JUL 14 – Bastille Day Dinner – Mademoiselle Paris
🧑🌾 FARMER’S MARKET INFO 🧑🌾
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
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