The mega-thorough guide to dining in Lakewood Ranch
April 27th, 2009 by Brian Ries in Food and Drink, News, Sarasota-Manatee
These days, there are more and more reasons for townies to head out east and enter the Ranch, primarily thanks to some fine restaurants that have opened there in the past few years. Here’s your guide to the edible options LWR has to offer.
ACAPULCO MEXICAN RESTAURANT 1833 Lakewood Ranch Blvd., Lakewood Ranch, 708-3308
Acapulco serves reasonably-priced Americanized Mexican fare that won’t strain the tastebuds of Ranch denizens.
ASTORIA FINE RUSSIAN 8126 Lakewood Main St., Lakewood Ranch, 907-3873 or astoriarussianrestaurant.com
Russian seems an odd sell in the heart of Lakewood Ranch, but the uncompromising old country menu has wide appeal. Expect a filling meal of dishes like varenyki and chicken Kiev that’s far outside the usual Ranch fare, in a luxe setting on Main Street.
BROKEN EGG 6115 Exchange Way, Lakewood Ranch, 388-6898 or thebrokenegg.com
When the Siesta breakfast standard lost their lease on the Key, loyal fans still had a place to go out in the Ranch for those cheesy potatoes and morning specials.
CHINA COAST 8310 Market St., Lakewood Ranch, 907 4107
Standard Chinese take-out style cuisine providing fill-in meals for Ranch families.
COUNTRY PANCAKE HOUSE 8205 Nature’s Way, Lakewood Ranch, 361-1117 or countrypancakehouse.net
This homey comfort-food spot will unabashedly load your plate with enough calories to feed a family of four for three days. Plan on carrying out stacks of Styrofoam containers, if you like the food.
ED’S TAVERN 10719 Rodeo Drive, Lakewood Ranch, 907-0400 or edstavernlwr.com
Like Michelangelo’s Pizza, this is a Jersey joint relocated to the Sunshine State like a retired used car salesman. You’ve seen the menu at every bar and grill you’ve ever entered, which isn’t a bad thing.
LUCKY PELICAN BISTRO 6239 Lake Osprey Drive, Lakewood Ranch, 907-0589
There’s American comfort food at lunch and fairly wide selection of seafood — including a raw bar — at this casual spot in the Ranch’s Lake Osprey Village strip mall.
MACALLISTERS 8110 Lakewood Main St., Lakewood Ranch, macallisters.com
Scotland is more than a theme at MacAllisters, thanks to some stereotypical dishes like bangers and mash, steak pie and fish and chips, as well as a very nice single malt selection behind the bar. The kitchen here tries harder than at most taverns, making an effort to utilize local produce when possible.
MICHELANGELO 11517 Palmbrush Trail, Lakewood Ranch, 739-5656 or michelangelo-restaurant.com
Michelangelo serves damn fine New York-style pizza — available by the slice — along with odder varieties of laden pies, sandwiches and salads.
MONTY’S PIZZA 8386 Market St., Lakewood Ranch, 907-2888
More pizza.
PARIS BISTROT 8131 Lakewood Main St., Lakewood Ranch, 388-0564
Crepes are king at Paris Bistrot at lunch, with a huge variety of stuffings for the restaurant’s traditional buckwheat pancakes. At dinner, though, it’s more a bistro, with inexpensive, full meals of classic French faves like beef bourgignon and sautéed fish.
PINO’S PIZZA, PASTA & WINE BAR 1837 Lakewood Ranch Blvd., Lakewood Ranch, 714-0120 or pinospizzapasta.com
An offshoot of Pino’s 100 in downtown Sarasota, this outpost is a more mid-range and casual spot than its brother, with interesting specialty pizzas and a wide selection of pasta.
POLO GRILL AND BAR 10670 Boardwalk Loop, Lakewood Ranch, 782-0899 or pologrillandbar.com
This venture by Tommy Klauber of Longboat’s Pattigeorge’s is easily the chicest restaurant in the ranch, with an interesting menu that blends modern American with some Latin and Asian influences. Klauber also tries hard to use local ingredients and has assembled one of the nicest inexpensive wine lists in town.
SAIJO SUSHI AND JAPANESE RESTAURANT 8126 Lakewood Ranch Blvd., Lakewood Ranch, 388-9506 or saijosushi.com
This elegant spot in “downtown Lakewood Ranch” has surprisingly good sushi, along with the usual array of tempura and teriyaki, gyoza and miso.
SERVING SPOON 8215 Lakewood Ranch Blvd., 907-9101 or theservingspoononline.com
It seems that every home-grown SRQ breakfast joint has opened an outpost in the Ranch. Like Broken Egg, Serving Spoon has brought its signature breakfast sandwiches and light fare menu out east.
SOPRANOS OF NEW YORK 8744 E. State Road 70, Bradenton, 753-0051 or sopranosofnewyork.com
Another New York-area transplant serving big ole pies and fried bar food, with delivery throughout the Ranch.
VILLA MARINA PIZZA 1723 Lakewood Ranch Blvd., 747-0054 or marinaspizza.com
What’s with Lakewood Ranch and its seemingly insatiable desire for pizza? It’s creepy, and oddly humanizing. Villa Marina is the second location of a Tampa joint, with the usual pizza and stromboli and a simple menu of standard casual Italian entrees.
April 28th, 2009 at 3:01 pm
[...] — Dining Guide: The complete guide to eating Lakewood Ranch. [...]
July 7th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
[...] — Neighborhood eats: Lakewood Ranch. [...]