OK, I didn’t expect Father's Day trivia to be so weird and confusing. Would you be surprised if I told you the first unofficial celebration of "Father's Day" happened in the early 1900s? 1910 to be exact. I was surprised.
And, as if that's not crazy enough, that is the same year that Hallmark Greeting Cards first started making us feel guilty if we didn't acknowledge every special occasion with a pre-written joke, riddle, or heart-tugging ode.
So, the question must be asked. Is Father's Day the first official (unofficial) Hallmark Holiday?? It didn't become a "real" holiday until 1972! Wait, what!? I thought that Father's Day had been an actual holiday my whole life. Boy, was I wrong! To me, this was a head-spinning revelation.
I have pretty vivid memories of "celebrating" Father's Day as a kid. An under age 12 kid. Looking back on it, if Father's Day weren't an official holiday, was I really required to buy all of those painfully horrible ties (mostly with my mom's money. OH, and painful for my dad too, I'm guessing)? Or to make countless plaster casts of my hand like it was some kind of 3D grow stick. 1972! WOW, that's about all I can say.
Image by AleksandarNakic via Getty Images
When I was growing up, Father's Day celebrations in our family consisted of my mom grilling something (my dad could barely make a sandwich. He was WAY better at other stuff). My dad would also continue to ask what we were going to do for the remainder of the day until he got a satisfactory answer. So those June Sundays were pretty low-key affairs. It wasn't until much later that Father's Day meant a father/son round of golf.
Father's Day is a much bigger deal now than it was then. It doesn't quite have the same restaurant power as Mother's Day, but it seems like it's got some good forward momentum as a dine-out day.
I'm guessing that a lot of moms out there wouldn't mind a Father's Day where they didn't have to cook either. This is a softball problem. Of course, there's an EASY answer here. Yes, that is correct. Let someone else do the cooking (and the cleanup) for you! It's really a win for dad AND for mom.
Let's take a look at some local options, shall we?
📝 NOTE - You can get lunch or dinner on Sunday, June 19th at almost every restaurant in town. The places below have got a little something special in store to celebrate the day.
Michael's On East (1212 S East Ave., (941) 366-0007)
We associate Michael's with their fantastic Mother's Day and Easter brunches. But they've got all of the dads out there covered too. Sadly, no buffet. But would a dad want a buffet or Michael's "King for a Day" 32oz Porterhouse steak for two!? Most dads I know are going to choose steak almost every time. It's the "for two" thing I'm a little confused about... 😂😂
Good Liquid Brewing (1570 Lakefront Dr., (941) 238-6466)
If you haven't been to the newish Good Liquid Brewing at Waterside, Father's Day is the perfect reason to make the trip. We've already established that a lot of dads like steak. There are two choices at GLB, the "Dad's NY Strip" and the "Good Rib Eye." Both are specially priced. OH, that rib eye is aged 45 days!
Libby's Neighborhood Brasserie (1917 S. Osprey Ave., (941) 487-7300)
Our Father's Day rundown keeps on moving along to Libby's. Yes, you guessed it, more meat. But this time, it's the challenging choice of beef or pork. You could make the easy pick and go with the porcini-crusted rib eye. Or you could take the road seemingly less traveled and have the pork chop marsala grace your Father's Day plate. Both are excellent choices!
GROVE Restaurant (10670 Boardwalk Loop, (941) 893-4321)
What, you want some choices that might not include meat? OK, GROVE is going to give them to you. Yes, they have a buffet!! And it's not even Mother's Day (or Easter, for that matter). Lots and lots to pick from here, including peel & eat shrimp, roasted oysters, a sushi bar, and yes, of course, hand-carved prime rib!
Mattison's Riverwalk (101 Riverfront Blvd. – BDTN, (941) 896-9660)
Mattison's City Grille (1 N. Lemon Ave., (941) 330-0440)
Both Riverwalk and City Grille will be serving the same Father's Day menu. One that comes with a nice water view and the other with a slightly more urban feel. The destination is up to you. Pick either place and get the same great menu options. An herb buttered filet mignon, Tuscan marinated Airline chicken breast, or get a little adventurous and go with the Durham Ranch bison burger topped with Knob Creek bourbon BBQ sauce and fire-roasted poblano peppers.
Some final Father's Day observations. YES, you can treat your dad to a special Father's Day meal without having to do much more than make reservations. YES, it still blows my mind that Father's Day has only been a "real" holiday since the 70s. And YES, if you don't want to spring for a holiday meal, a tie (or plaster hand casting) is still an appropriate token of your fatherly appreciation.
Whatever you choose to do, enjoy the day and your family.
🗓️ 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 - Dining Certificate Sale - Sarasota-Manatee Originals
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 (Oct-Apr) - 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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