Eating Our Way Through Sarasota - Fall 2025 Restaurant Reviews

It’s time to review more Sarasota area restaurants! This time we’ll review a mix of new restaurants, as well as others that everyone raves about that Laurie and I decided we had to try based on the positive reviews. Do our reviews reflect what everyone else is saying? Read on to find out!

Dining patio at Michaels on East in Sarasota, FL

This summer has been usual and unusual in a number of ways. First, the rainy season came again in full force, with 51 inches of rain since the beginning of June – that’s 22 inches more rain than average, but still considerably less than last year’s 68 inches of rain! Also on the weather front, this summer’s heat and humidity weren't too terrible – daily highs were at or slightly below normal, and humidity high as usual but not entirely unbearable.

Traffic was also light with all the snowbirds gone, which made driving to downtown Sarasota or the beaches a pleasure instead of a chore. And the restaurants? They were pretty empty which we know they don’t love but we do – easy to get a reservation at the last minute and no waits to get seated! That’s all going to change in a few weeks, but until then we’ll take it!

As usual, Laurie and I have continued our weekly forays to try new restaurants that have recently opened, as well as others that have garnered a lot of attention and accolades that we hadn’t yet visited. Here’s our take on three restaurants that recently opened in 2025 (Ocean Prime, Allswell, and Jeff’s Bagel Run), as well as two restaurants that have been around for a while and that get rave reviews that we finally got around to trying (Yoder’s, Clasico). Also, I’m finally reviewing one of our favorites that I haven’t talked about yet – State Street Eating House and Cocktails.

Ocean Prime

 Ocean Prime restaurant, smoked gouda tater tots, and the dynamite sushi roll

This high-end seafood and steak restaurant in The Quay area of downtown Sarasota is tailor made for a special occasion. Spanning two floors with a large, covered patio in the back, this restaurant oozes glitz, glamor, and luxury. And it draws the well-heeled as well – when we left for the evening there were at least 20 extremely expensive cars parked in front, including a few Maseratis, Lamborghini’s, Porche’s, and other luxury cars – our Jeep Cherokee stood out a bit, and not in an impressive way! Regardless, everything about this restaurant was wonderful! The service is outstanding, with attentive staff that anticipate requests and keep a watchful eye on things. The food is excellent as well – the menu includes sushi, mostly seafood appetizers, and a nice selection of prime steaks and fresh seafood and fish dishes. The cocktails are also creative and tasty, and the wine list is well-curated with plenty of interesting by-the-glass options with the choice of a 6-oz. or 9-oz. pour. If you can, snag a seat out on the covered patio – the view at sunset is amazing and the fans and shades keep things cool. This place will blow a hole in your wallet, but the experience is well worth the price!

Overall Rating: Excellent; Food: Excellent; Ambiance: Superb: Service: Excellent; Value: Average; Cost: Very Expensive

Jeff’s Bagel Run

Jeff’s Bagel Run, and a selection of their fresh bagels

Jeff’s Bagel Run provides a much-needed fresh bagel store and restaurant in the Lakewood Ranch area. Located off of Rt. 70 and Lorraine Road, Jeff’s advertises New York style bagels (always boiled, never toasted), and they definitely are large and fat. That said, they don’t have the typical chew I’ve come to associate with a New York bagel. Regardless, these bagels are tasty, and unique in that they have a large selection of non-traditional flavors to sample. These include Cacio e Pepe, rosemary salt, jalapeno cheddar, and asiago everything bagels to name a few. They also have a daily special bagel along with 17 (yes 17!) different spreads! The bagels are very good, and made fresh daily of course. There is a small seating area inside as well. The only downside of this place is that they don’t make breakfast sandwiches – hopefully they’ll add those to the menu in the future. These bagels beat Panera’s, but fall a bit short of Jersey Girl’s Bagels, which are truly New York style bagels! Still, they are delicious and definitely worth a try!

Overall Rating: Good; Food: Good; Ambiance: Good; Service: Good; Value: Good; Cost: Cheap

Yoder’s Restaurant

Yoder’s Restaurant, and the country breakfast

Everyone here in Sarasota raves about the Amish Village near downtown Sarasota, which includes a bakery, fresh market, gift shop, and restaurant. They are famous for their pies, but also for what everyone describes as fantastic breakfasts and dinners at the restaurant. I finally made my way there one morning for breakfast. The restaurant is in an old building that is definitely showing its age both inside and out. Tables are covered with plastic tablecloths for quick wipe downs, and drinks are served in plastic glasses. But who cares, right? We have all had plenty of outstanding meals in places that feel like “dives”. Unfortunately, the quality of the food matched the ambiance – it was average at best. Everything was served warm, but not hot. The coating on my chicken fried steak was a bit mealy, and my “scrambled” eggs were more like an egg omelet. The biscuit was dense and a bit hard. All in all, a very disappointing experience. With all the great breakfast places around here and many much closer to home, no need to revisit this one anytime soon.

Overall: Average; Food: Average; Ambiance: Below Average; Service: Good; Value: Average; Cost: Cheap

Allswell Craft Cocktails and Kitchen

Allswell bar, Mexcali cocktail, and signature Allswell burger

The list of restaurants at Waterside Place in Lakewood Ranch continues to grow, and Allswell Craft Cocktails and Kitchen is the newest entry to the group. The vibe is modern American, with creative and delicious offerings from both the bar and the kitchen. The cocktail menu is great fun to explore, with unique takes on some of the classic cocktails, along with a variety of different Old-Fashioned cocktails that include classic, smoked, banana bread, and the dazzler made with rum instead of bourbon. The menu has a nice mix of sandwiches, burgers, salads, and entrées including steak, pork, pasta, and chicken dishes. The appetizer menu is extensive as well, with options like scotch eggs, brisket poutine, buffalo chicken eggrolls, and onion ring stack. I can personally vouch for the smash burger, which was cheesy and delicious, as well as the beef and mushroom pie which took me back to my childhood. The appetizers are also good enough to make a meal out of them. And it’s hard to stop at just one cocktail – they are that good! The dining room is pretty small – it seats about 60 not including the bar, but there is a large outdoor patio that probably comes close to doubling the seating capacity of the restaurant. Service is friendly and professional. Allswell also recently began taking reservations, which is a smart move that will definitely bring in more customers!

Overall Rating: Very Good; Food: Very Good; Ambiance: Very Good; Service: Very Good; Value: Good; Cost: Moderate

State Street Eating House + Cocktails

State Street Eating House, sweet potato gnocchi, and the mushroom toast

Brought to you by the same folks who own Beso (the best Spanish tapas restaurant in Sarasota!), this casual but “feels upscale” restaurant is close to all the action in downtown Sarasota on State Street. The star of the show here is the bar along with their fantastic cocktails, but the food is also well worth the trip! The menu is somewhat eclectic, which is actually one of the draws of this place – think short rib bao buns, shrimp and grits, chili-rubbed Iberico, and a retro fish sandwich side by side on the menu. They also have a fresh catch and butcher’s cut of the day, along with a few daily specials thrown into the mix. The cocktail list is long and every drink we’ve had here has been absolutely delicious. They also have a nice wine list with some non-traditional offerings that keeps things interesting. The service is excellent – the staff treat you like regulars even if you aren’t. This is a hidden gem that also takes reservations – make one and check it out – you won’t be disappointed!

Overall Rating: Excellent; Food: Excellent; Ambiance: Very Good; Service: Excellent; Value: Good; Cost: Moderate/Expensive

Clasico Italian Chophouse

Clasico Italian Chophouse, chicken parmesan, and the September birthday boys

I can’t tell you how many times Laurie and I have gone to downtown Sarasota for dinner, walked past Clasico, and commented that we have to try it at some point in time. It’s almost always crowded and the live music is definitely a draw. Well, four years later we finally made it there to celebrate birthdays for three of our dear friends and neighbors. They have plenty of outdoor dining, but it’s all on the sidewalk so pedestrians are essentially joining you for dinner – inside dining is the better option in my view. The dining room is a bit dated but nice enough. The cocktail list is somewhat traditional, with a few surprises mixed in – they were good but not great. The wine list is pretty basic as well, but again, there are one or two unique picks that keep things interesting. This is a traditional Italian restaurant, with a nice selection of pastas, classic Italian entrees, pizzas, and a raw bar and butcher cut menu as well. The appetizers we ordered were a bit mixed, with the meatball egg rolls a huge hit, and the fresh tomato bruschetta a bit bland and boring. The main courses were a mixed bag as well – the chicken and pesto and gorgonzola steak gnocchi got good reviews, while my chicken parmesan with bucatini was just OK – the chicken had little flavor and the bucatini overcooked and a bit mushy – a cardinal sin at an Italian restaurant. Service was competent and friendly. Given the choice, I’d choose other options if looking for an Italian restaurant downtown – Mediterraneo, Café Amici, La Mucca Ballerina, and Trattoria Bella Napoli are all better options.

Overall Rating: Average/Good; Food: Average/Good; Ambiance: Good; Service: Good; Value: Average; Cost: Moderate