The Vernona Restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota
Even if you have visited Sarasota just once, you know that its dining scene is one of its best assets. There is an enormous variety of great restaurants here, both casual and fancy and large and small.
What you might not realize is that Sarasota is a foodie's Mecca - a dining destination that rivals larger cities. It turns out that Sarasota has Florida's highest concentration of restaurants rated by Zagat Survey - the world's leading source of consumer survey-based restaurant information.
What's more, because of Sarasota's tropical climate and coastal location, our chefs have superb local resources - like fresh seafood and locally grown produce - right at their fingertips.
In celebration of Sarasota's culinary greatness, the Sarasota Convention and Visitor's Bureau holds its annual Savor Sarasota Restaurant Week each summer.
It has drawn the participation of more than 30 area restaurants, ranging from elegant to casual.
Here's how it works: during Restaurant Week, the participating restaurants offer "prix fixe" lunches and dinners.
The multi-course lunches are $15 per person; the dinners $25 per person.
Typically, meals consist of an appetizer, salad or soup, an entrée and a dessert. The portions might be a bit smaller than what's usually served, so that patrons can enjoy all three courses.
Also, special events such as cooking and drink-making classes, cooking demonstrations and wine tastings, are typically held throughout the week.
For the participating restaurants, Restaurant Week is a chance to woo new customers, and to please the regulars, by offering inventive new dishes.
It's also an exciting way for both residents and visitors to sample an array of Sarasota's finest restaurants at a reduced cost.
According to Michael Klauber, owner of award-winning Michael's On East, which was inducted into the 2009 Nation's Restaurant News Fine Dining Hall of Fame, the event is the perfect opportunity for chefs to try out new ideas.
Klauber's lunch and dinner menus for the week usually include both new items and signature dishes - "a mix of new and old favorites," he said.
"I'm very proud of the quality of restaurants in this town," Klauber said. "Here, there are more highly rated restaurants in a 20-mile radius than in any other place in Florida."
As for patrons, Restaurant Week will provide the perfect excuse to dine out - either at a favorite restaurant, or at a brand new place you've wanted to try. For one, chefs will be at their most creative, offering inventive menus and all-around delicious food. For most of the participating restaurants, meals at the Restaurant Week prices are quite a bargain.
"It's a steal," said Executive Chef Paul Mattison, who owns four area restaurants, as well as a catering company and culinary outfitters.
Several area restaurants extend their Restaurant Week menus through the summer and even into the fall.
For a list of participating restaurants, please visit www.savorsarasota.com.
