Hidden Restaurants Sarasota Locals Love: Gulf Gate, Rosemary District & Beyond
The Sarasota restaurants locals actually eat at are not the ones in the tourist guides — they're in Gulf Gate strip malls, converted packing houses, and office…
Indigenous Restaurant
La Violetta
Piccolo Italian Market & Deli
J.R.'s Old Packinghouse Cafe
Monk's Steamer Bar
RomanSQ
Tripletail Seafood & Spirits
Bob's Train
Southwest Florida
Sarasotaby the locals.
Sarasota is a Gulf Coast city that rewards the traveler willing to drive past the beach strip. The best food is in Gulf Gate strip malls, Historic Towles Court arts buildings, and a 1920s celery packing house that still runs live blues six nights a week.
8 spots curated
5 neighborhoods
★ 4.6 avg rating
Sarasota gets written about for its beaches and arts scene, but the food scene locals actually use is built across Gulf Gate strip malls, Towles Court arts buildings, and side streets that most visitors never find. This is the guide to that Sarasota.
01 — Neighborhoods
Pick a corner of Sarasota
02 — Browse
What are you in the mood for?
Restaurants1
Bars1
Italian Restaurants1
American Restaurants2
Pizza1
Seafood Restaurants1
Sandwich & Deli1
★ Featured
Closed
Closed Restaurants · Historic Towles Court
Indigenous Restaurant
Closed Italian Restaurants · South Sarasota
La Violetta
Open Sandwich & Deli · Gulf Gate
Piccolo Italian Market & Deli
Closed American Restaurants · Sarasota
J.R.'s Old Packinghouse Cafe
Closed Bars · Gulf Gate
Monk's Steamer Bar
Closed Pizza · Gulf Gate
RomanSQ
Closed Seafood Restaurants · Gulf Gate
Tripletail Seafood & Spirits
Closed American Restaurants · North Sarasota
Bob's Train
Sponsored · Florida Hidden Spots
03 — Editor's Picks
This week's obsessions
01.
Editor's Pick
Restaurants · Historic Towles Court
Indigenous Restaurant
“Indigenous in the Historic Towles Court arts district is the most acclaimed restaurant in Sarasota that tourists somehow keep missing. Chef…”
02.
Italian Restaurants · South Sarasota
La Violetta
“La Violetta is an Italian restaurant disguised inside an office complex — you would drive…”
03.
Sandwich & Deli · Gulf Gate
Piccolo Italian Market & Deli
“Piccolo Italian Market & Deli is the anchor of Gulf Gate's dining cluster and one of Sara…”
04.
American Restaurants · Sarasota
J.R.'s Old Packinghouse Cafe
“J.R.'s Old Packinghouse Cafe occupies a 1920s celery packing house and runs live blues, f…”
05 — From the Journal