217 Avenida Madera, Siesta Key. 349-7790; surfersandwich.com
ANNA'S DELIAnna’s is Siesta Village’s long-standing spot for hefty sandwiches.
5239 Ocean Blvd., Siesta Key. 349-0995; bellaromaitalianrestaurant.com
BELLA ROMAYou’ll find traditional Italian cuisine, with an exceptional array of pasta and risotto, at this small Siesta Village restaurant.
5208 Ocean Blvd., Siesta Key. 349-9392; bigolafs.com
BIG OLAFFor decades, this shop has provided cold treats to overheated locals and tourists, usually decadent ice cream piled into Olaf’s trademark waffle cones.
5263 Ocean Blvd., Siesta Key. 349-9822; theblasecafe.com
BLASE CAFEThis funky spot serves an array of interesting appetizers focused on seaside seafood, along with standard modern American fine dining entrées.
149 Avenida Messina, Siesta Key. 346-0738; blusmokeislandgrill.com
BLU QUE ISLAND GRILLThis restaurant features traditional barbecue mixed with interesting open-fire grilling, along with a variety of sides.
1140 Avenida Messina, Siesta Key. 346-2750; thebrokenegg.com
BROKEN EGGBroken Egg caters to its devoted fanbase in the heart of Siesta Village, complete with cute outdoor dining carved on a deck that juts out into its parking lot.
5104 Ocean Blvd., Siesta Key. 349-1423; cafegabbiano.com
CAFE GABBIANOHearty, NY-influenced Italian fare has that distinctive balance of rusticity and elegance that is the hallmark of great Italian-American cuisine, the kind of elusive qualities that chains and even most independent places fail to replicate. The outdoor area is covered and elegant.
1200 Old Stickney Point Road, Siesta Key. 349-3885; captaincurts.com
CAPTAIN CURT'SAward-winning clam chowder, live music and big plates of steamed seafood with sides of butter highlight this casual spot near Siesta’s south bridge.
1256 Old Stickney Point Road, Siesta Key. 349-2800; claytonssiestagrille.com
CLAYTON'S SIESTA GRILLYou can get three squares a day at Clayton’s — breakfast to dinner — all of it tailored to the elegant island setting that decorates this restaurant just off the south bridge to Siesta.
153 Avenida Messina, Siesta Key. 312-9300; cottagesiestakey.com
THE COTTAGEThis tiny spot just off the main drag in Siesta Key Village features mostly small plates with big flavor.
5250 Ocean Blvd., Siesta Key. 349-8697; daiquirideck.com
DAIQUIRI DECKIt’s not all fried fish sandwiches and long rows of alcoholic slurpee machines at Daquiri Deck. Owners expanded the Deck a couple years back and added in an extensive raw bar menu to up the non-frozen options.
5253 Ocean Blvd., Siesta Key. 346-8122; gilligansislandbar.com
GILLIGAN'S ISLAND BAR AND GRILLThe usual lineup of bar food and boat drinks at a lively nightspot.
5148 Ocean Blvd., Siesta Key. 349-6800; thehubsiestakey.com
THE HUB BAJA GRILLThe Hub looks like a tourist spot thanks to acres of faux island décor. Still, it’s difficult to argue with a big, open-air covered deck that sits right on the sidewalk in the center of Siesta activity.
6621 Midnight Pass Blvd., Siesta Key. 349-1792; javiersrestaurant.com
JAVIER'SBefore the Peruvian invasion came to Sarasota in the form of Selva Grill and a handful of other restaurants, Javier’s was serving anticuchos and ceviche in a calm and elegant spot on south Siesta.
5251 Ocean Blvd., Siesta Key. 346-5358; lelucoffee.com
LELU COFFEE LOUNGELelu is a full-service spot, with everything from breakfast sandwiches and a cup o’ joe to caffeinated martinis and blue cheese sliders.
5157 Ocean Blvd., Siesta Key. 349-2323; sarasota-lobsterpot.com
LOBSTER POTSeems strange to head out to a Florida barrier island for New England-style seafood, but the absurdly rich lobster bisque and a bucket of steamers will quickly convince you that seafood has no borders.
6631 Midnight Pass Road, Siesta Key. 349-4024; miguelsrestaurant.net
MIGUEL'SAmid a sea of bar food and casual spots on Siesta, Miguel’s stands out as the most refined traditional restaurant on the island. Here you’ll find Continental classics with a focus on French cuisine.
5242 Ocean Blvd., Siesta Key. 346-2452
NAPOLI'SGreat pies and standard casual Italian fare, with slices sold from the outdoor courtyard on busy nights.
5023 Ocean Blvd., Siesta Key. 349-0158; theoldsaltydog.com
OLD SALTY DOGThe grouper sandwich is very good, the beer is cold and domestic, but the biggest draw for the OSD can be summed up in six words: beer-battered, deep-fried hot dog.
9105 Midnight Pass Road, Siesta Key. 349-2212; opheliasonthebay.net
OPHELIA'S ON THE BAYMost Siesta restaurants get away with either hiding away behind a strip mall façade or amping the village’s island-party theme for atmosphere. Ophelia’s, however, fits the island better than all the rest. The high-end food is elegant and composed, but the location — mere feet away from the mangrove islands of an Intracoastal offshoot — is fabulous.
5238 Ocean Blvd., Siesta Key. 346-5443; skob.com
SIESTA KEY OYSTER BARSKOB is another spot that references the wood and surf theme common to Siesta Village pubs, but here it feels a little more natural, in large part to a staff that’s turned it into a popular haunt for regulars. The food is standard bar and Floribbean fare.
210 Avenida Madera, Siesta Key. 346-7170; sol-food.net
SUN GARDEN CAFEOwned by former downtown Sarasota restaurateurs Suzanne and Rick Monroe, Sun Garden stands out from the rest of the village’s many breakfast spots. The sweet potato pancakes — topped with sweet almond butter — will cause cravings, and the fried baloney sandwich ain’t far behind.
8875 Midnight Pass Road, Siesta Key. 346-2207; turtlesrestaurant.com
TURTLESAcross from Turtle Beach, on the south section of the island, Turtles offers fresh seafood, a full bar and waterfront views. It has been a popular spot for nearly 30 years.
Where to eat: Siesta Key
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George & Carole Banks
Sunday, December 30, 2012 at 1:07 pm
Carole and I have been enjoying the warm friendship of Javier & Mary Arana at Javier's and the Surfrider before that for nearly 30 years. The food, service and ambiance are excellent.
Gord
Sunday, January 20, 2013 at 8:33 am
Great icecream. This is the place to go after supper, for example at the Lobster Pot accross the street for desert, and it will keep the kids attention for supper as they do not want to miss the after supper icecreaam cone or sundae
It's hard to believe Village Cafe isn't on this list.....we've been LOVING that place in our 8 years here, great, great food and awesome service.