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Downtown Sarasota is the hub of the area dining scene, with the highest concentration of great restaurants in Sara-Mana. We’re sure you know about your favorites around Main Street, but you may have forgotten a few worthy restaurants that deserve another look. Take a gander at our complete list of downtown spots when planning your next meal.

AMERICANO 1409 Main St., Sarasota, 365-1026
Another entry into downtown dining by some of the people behind Café Epicure and Mediterraneo, Americano features rustic Italian cuisine and a big rotisserie selection at dinner, and casual breakfast and sandwich items earlier in the day, with sidewalk seating overlooking Five Points.

ANNA’S DELI 128 N. Orange Ave., Sarasota, 926-0612 or surfersandwich.com
Big deli sandwiches at this third location of the local Anna’s Deli chain.

BARNACLE BILL’S SEAFOOD 1526 Main St., 365-6800 or barnaclebillsseafood.com
Now the flagship for Sarasota’s Barnacle Bill’s empire, the downtown version is more chic than most, with upscale preparations of seafood from around the globe.

BIJOU CAFE 1287 First St., Sarasota, 366-8111 or bijoucafe.net
JP Knagg’s landmark downtown restaurant is still the same elegant and chic spot it’s been for decades, with the same exacting attention to detail on the floor and in the kitchen. It should get livelier now that Stephen Phelps — formerly of Canvas Cafe — is now top dog in the kitchen.

BROADWAY BAR 1001 Cocoanut Ave., Sarasota, 953-4343 or broadwaybar.com
Sarasota’s old meeting place is finally back, with a beautiful interior, upstairs meeting space and the same thin-crust pizza it’s served up for decades.

BUDDHA BELLY DONUTS 1990 Main St., Sarasota, 952-0700
Started by two former employees of Sarasota’s Ritz-Carlton, Buddha Belly quickly made it unnecessary to drive to Bradenton for good donuts. The yeast versions are high and light, even when coated in sugary glaze, the cake versions are more delicate than dense, and there’s even vegan options for those so inclined. Beyond the pastries, breakfast here is fabulous, especially sandwiches made on fresh-baked buns.

CAFÉ AMICI 1371 Main St., Sarasota, 951-6896
At the heart of Main Street, Café Amici dishes up classic Italian cuisine and a good wine selection in a quaint spot.

CAFÉ EPICURE 1298 N. Palm Ave., Sarasota, 366-5648 or sarasota-italian.com
A popular spot for casual gatherings at lunch or dinner, Café Epicure has a menu that boasts excellent pasta, capable pizza and fine sandwiches built in an Italian style, all at mid-range prices. There’s also the adjacent Jolly gelateria, as well as a recently opened attached bar and lounge space.

CARAGIULOS 69 South Palm Ave., Sarasota, 951-0866 or caragiulos.com
Now celebrating its 20th anniversary, Caragiulos is a downtown mainstay that’s managed to change with the times. These days, thanks to the influence of some of the younger Caragiulo brothers, the food manages to straddle the line between typical casual Italian and more upscale items, all while maintaining the restaurant’s classic identity.

C’EST LA VIE 1553 Main St., Sarasota, 906-9575
You can find the best croissants in town, along with a bounty of damn fine baked goods, or sit at the tables and enjoy the, uhm, casual service and tasty breakfast and lunch items at this French spot.

CEVICHE 1216 First Street, Sarasota, 952-1036 or ceviche.com
Housed in the remodeled historic Sarasota Times building, Ceviche offers classic Spanish tapas in three different dining spaces, along with a stunning view from the restaurant’s rooftop deck.

CINCO DE MAYO 1551 Main St., Sarasota, 917-0043 or cincodemayorestaurant.com
Typical mainstream Mexican food next to C’Est La Vie.

CITRUS CAFÉ 543 Pineapple Ave., Sarasota, 957-0432
Known for big salads and sandwiches at lunch, Citrus also does occasional dinners on the weekends at its prime location adjacent to Burns Court, depending on the time of year.

DAAWAT FINE INDIAN CUISINE 239 S. Links Ave., Sarasota, 366-4433
This new Indian restaurant — which brings the total in the area to an amazing three — is in the beautiful spot formerly occupied by Canvas Cafe in Towles Court.

DEREK’S CULINARY CASUAL 514 Central Ave., Sarasota, 366-6565 or dereks-sarasota.com
One of the best and most innovative restaurants in town thanks to nationally recognized chef Derek Barnes, Derek’s is the place serious food lovers go for an interesting meal.

DIVINO 1766 Main St., Sarasota, 330-9393
A cozy Italian restaurant in the relatively quiet area of Main Street across from the Herald-Tribune building.

DRUNKEN POET CAFE 1572 Main St., Sarasota, 955-8404 or drunkenpoetsarasota.com
A casual sushi and Thai spot in the heart of the downtown dining district, Drunken Poet specializes in evocatively named makimono, many inspired by local chefs and downtown regulars.

EL GRECO CAFE 1592 Main St., Sarasota, 365-2234 or elgrecocafe.com
This old-time downtown mainstay recently underwent a big renovation, updating the space and adding covered sidewalk seating where you can enjoy your garlicky Greek pizza and stromboli, along with other Italian and Greek classics.

HORSEFEATHERS 1923 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota, 955-9179 or horsefeathersgrill.com
Although food waxes and wanes in popularity here, the bar scene hasn’t calmed down since it opened several years ago. Horsefeathers is part of south Main Street’s nightly party triangle, along with Esca and Evie’s Tavern.

HYDE PARK PRIME STEAKHOUSE 35 South Lemon Ave., Sarasota, 366-7788 or hydeparkrestaurants.com
A small national chain, Hyde Park has all the trappings of a big-city steakhouse, with dry-aged beef and plenty of cocktails served amidst dark wood and leather.

IL PANIFICIO 1703 Main St., Sarasota, 366-5570 or panificiousa.com
Best pizza in town, period.

LAN 1568 Main St., Sarasota, 953-7111 or lanrestaurant.com
Chef Lan Bradeen’s small downtown spot is a triumph for young restaurateurs who want to break into the scene. Her cuisine is an interesting mélange of Asian influences, constructed with precision and elegance.

LAVANDA 1938 Adams Lane, Sarasota, 366-0070 or lavandarestaurant.com
Elegant European fine dining in the heart of the Towles Court art community.

MAIN BAR SANDWICH SHOP 1944 Main St., Sarasota, 955-8733 or themainbar.com
The sandwich shop in downtown for over 50 years, the place is packed during lunch hours with people seeking the restaurant’s signature Italian and other stacked piles of meat and bread.

MAIN STREET OYSTER BAR 1991 Main St., Sarasota, 955-4457 or zoria.net
The chef/owners of Zoria recently rebranded their spot, aiming at a lower-priced menu that still features high-end touches, featuring a whole lot of oysters and other seafood.

MARINA JACK 2 Marina Plaza, Sarasota, 365-4232 or marinajacks.com
Jutting out into the downtown’s dock area, Marina Jack serves up great sunset views along with standard American fare that ranges from casual in the outside bar to classic fine-dining in the dining rooms. Dock and dine.

MATTISON’S CITY GRILLE 1 North Lemon Ave., Sarasota, 330-0440 or mattisons.com
It’s a bit brutal during the summer, but the rest of the year Mattison’s all-exterior seating offers one of the best al fresco dining areas in Sarasota, along with casual but refined versions of chef Paul Mattison’s cuisine.

MEDITERRANEO 1970 Main St., Sarasota, 365-4122 or sarasota-italian.com
This south Main spot serves up a mix of modern and classic Italian dishes, along with some of the best pizza in downtown.

MOZAIC 1377 Main St., Sarasota, 951-6272 or mozaicsarasota.com
Chef Dylan Eljhajoui’s Moroccan- and Mediterranean-inspired cooking injects a new culinary ouvre into downtown’s dining scene. The food is exquisite, the wine program is excellent and the space is elegant.

O’LEARY’S 5 Bayfront Drive, Sarasota, 342-8875 or marinajacks.com
Shoehorned onto the shell beach of City Island, overlooking the boat moorings in the bay, O’Leary’s is a unique environment in downtown. There’s covered seating on a wide deck, or you can belly up to the tiki bar for draft beer and simple fried food to go with your view.

OWEN’S FISH CAMP 516 Burns Lane, Sarasota, owensfishcamp.com
A quaint old Florida home was converted into an old Florida fish shack, with enough old-timey decor to convey the message without too much kitsch. When the restaurant opens sometime at the beginning of February, expect mid-range seafood with a Southern bent.

PASTRY ART 1508 Main St., Sarasota, 955-7545 or pastryartonmain.com
Part coffee shop, part bakery, part restaurant, Pastry Art is many things to many people. Though many folks head there for the great soups and fine sandwiches at lunch, this centrally located spot is also a prime place to see locals and shake hands with prominent Sarasota citizens.

PATELLINI’S PIZZA 1410 Main St., Sarasota, 957-6433
Great NY-style pizzas by the slice or by the pie.

PATRICK’S 1400 Main St., Sarasota, 952-1170 or patricksofsarasota.com
Patrick’s serves an expansive menu of simple bar food and American standards, like it has for decades.

PHO CALI 1578 Main St., Sarasota, 953-9059 or phocalisarasota.com
Although the service can be exasperating, Pho Cali serves a mean bowl of the eponymous soup, along with a full line of other Vietnamese dishes.

PINO’S 100 Central Ave., Sarasota, 955-3739 or pinos100central.com
Classic Italian in a pretty setting, with a fairly extensive wine list.

SARASOTA OLIVE OIL COMPANY 500 Central Ave., Sarasota, 366-2008 or sarasotaoliveoil.com
Yeah, they sell olive oil, but they also pour fantastic coffee and construct wonderful sandwiches, not to mention hot dog Wednesdays, now featuring a weekly specialty dog.

SELVA GRILL 1345 Main St., Sarasota, 362-4427 or selvagrill.com
Chef Darwin Santa Maria’s nuevo-Peruvian cuisine is still some of the most interesting and exciting food in town, especially the wide array of ceviches he puts out every evening.

SIERRA STATION CAFE 400 N Lemon Ave., Sarasota, 906-1400 or sierrastation.com
Sandwiches and salads served in a cozy converted train station, with wonderful outdoor dining areas.

SPORTS PAGE 1319 Main St., Sarasota, 365-0469 or sportspagesarasota.com
Sports Page is the spot everyone ends up at after arts functions and downtown parties, a place where people of all kinds mix together to eat some of the best bar food in town, with plenty of TVs if you need to catch a game.

TASTE OF ASIA 1535 Main St., Sarasota, 365-2728
Although the menu is pan-Asian, there’s a bent towards Thai and Vietnamese at this tiny spot. For the biggest punch of flavor, though, stick with dishes from the owners’ home country of Laos.

TROPICAL THAI AND SUSHI BAR 1420 Main St., Sarasota, 364-5775 or tropicalthaiofsarasota.com
Standard Americanized Thai food and sushi.

TWO SENORITAS 1355 Main St., Sarasota, 366-1618 or twosenoritas.com
Icy margaritas and hot Mexican cuisine are the stars here, especially tacos that made it to the semi-finals of CL’s Tournament of Tacos this year.

URBAN REEF 1888 Main St., Sarasota, 365-3722
A new Floribbean-themed restaurant and bar in the former home of Esca on East Main Street.

UTAMARO 1900 Main St., Sarasota, 366-0095
Utamaro serves exquisite edo-style sushi and excellent udon across from the Hollywood 20.

WORD OF MOUTH 711 S. Osprey Ave., Sarasota, 365-1800
This outpost of the popular Gulf Gate breakfast and lunch spot serves up the same baked goods, eggs and great sandwiches as its daddy, along with a casual dinner menu.

YUME SUSHI 1537 Main St., Sarasota, 363-0604
Another downtown sushi spot with fine sashimi and makimono.

ZAK’S STEAKHOUSE 1213 N Palm Ave., Sarasota, 906-7300 or zaksprimesteakhouse.com
Located in a beautifully converted old Sarasota house — with a cozy covered outdoor courtyard — Zak’s is one of the few high-end independent steakhouses left in Sarasota.

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