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Arts + Entertainment | Eat + Drink

University Town Center is poised to welcome more than a dozen new tenants, Ikea this summer to Dick's House of Sport in 2027.
    By
  • Elizabeth King
  • June 3, 2026
13 new retailers, eateries coming to University Town Center

Restaurants and retailers are among the new businesses coming to the UTC area.

  • East County
  • Business
Arts and Central, the Rosemary District restaurant opened in 2024 by father-and-son team Dan Henson Jr. and Dan Henson, is one of more than 50 restaurants participating in the 21st annual Savor Sarasota Restaurant Week.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • May 27, 2026
Savor Sarasota Restaurant Week kicks off its 21st edition June 1-14

More than 60 area eateries are offering two-course lunches for $25 and three-course dinners for $45.

  • Arts + Culture
In addition to delicious brisket, Stottlemyer's offers live music daily under an open-air tiki bar.
  • By Emma Burke
  • May 26, 2026
Holy smoke! Don't let May pass you by without celebrating National Brisket Day

Gather around the table with people you care about and savor life in the slow lane.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Eat + Drink
A colorful spread of kebabs, house-made sauces and sides showcases the restaurant’s bold, cross-cultural approach to Mediterranean cuisine.
    By
  • Marty Fugate
  • May 20, 2026
Middle Eastern-inspired restaurant gets its passion from surprising its customers

Florence & the Spice Boys Chef Collin Blakeman explains why Middle Eastern cuisine is the spice of life.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Eat + Drink
Costello’s Neighborhood Pizza owner Kenny Palin takes a pie out of the oven at the Longboat Key branch of Costello’s.
    By
  • S.T. Cardinal
  • May 12, 2026
Owner rebrands Longboat, Gulf Gate pizza joints to Costello's Neighborhood Pizza

As the franchise contract reached expiration, owner Kenny Palin decided to personalize his two pizzerias with a family name.

  • Longboat Key
  • Business
Pastitsio ($25) made with Greek macaroni with ground beef, fresh herbs topped with a creamy béchamel sauce.
    By
  • Emma Burke
  • May 11, 2026
Make it a Mediterranean (meal) May

These local dishes remind us that eating well doesn’t have to feel restrictive.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Eat + Drink
Il Panificio is now open at 1995 Main St. in Sarasota.
    By
  • Elizabeth King
  • May 9, 2026
Il Panificio opens new downtown Sarasota restaurant

The pizza restaurant now has two locations on Main Street and one on Siesta Key.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Eat + Drink
Saucy! is expanding on the Gulf Coast, with a Lakewood Ranch and Trinity location opening May 4 and 5, respectively.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • May 7, 2026
Saucy new chicken spot opens in Lakewood Ranch

As the name of the KFC spinoff suggests, dipping sauces are front and center in the restaurant on Lena Road.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Eat + Drink
Sarasota's Axel Neff is glad to welcome community members who are both familiar and unfamiliar with Tim Horton's brand to bond over food and coffee.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • April 26, 2026
Tim Hortons blazes a Florida path with Manatee County restaurant

Tim Hortons, a Canadian breakfast chain, wants customers both familiar and unfamiliar with the brand to walk away with a smile.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Eat + Drink
The Original Hob Nob Drive-In is back at 1701 N. Washington Blvd. in Sarasota.
    By
  • Elizabeth King
  • April 25, 2026
The Original Hob Nob Drive-In reopens in Sarasota

The open-air restaurant on Washington Boulevard has returned and has future plans to offer online ordering.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Eat + Drink
Kojo's incredibly delish truffled chicken wontons ($14).
    By
  • Emma Burke
  • April 20, 2026
Live large with a tiny taste of the best truffle dishes in town

We've rooted out some affordable ways to celebrate National Truffle Day.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Eat + Drink
Element Steak.Seafood.Pasta is at 1413 Main St. in Sarasota.
    By
  • Elizabeth King
  • April 16, 2026
Sarasota restaurant closing on Main Street seeks new space

Element will shutter its current location downtown in late April.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Eat + Drink
Hanami Sushi Cocktails & Grill is at 1525 Fourth St., Suite C, in Sarasota.
    By
  • Elizabeth King
  • April 10, 2026
Sushi restaurant opens in Sarasota's Rosemary District

Hanami Sushi Cocktails & Grill will open April 10 on Fourth Street.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Eat + Drink
The original Owen's Fish Camp in Burns Court defines the quintessential "cottage."
    By
  • Emma Burke
  • April 8, 2026
Local cottage-core cafes offer a cozy escape

Step away from the noise and enjoy the vintage charm of the Sarasota area's culinary cottages.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Eat + Drink
John Atanassov and Joel King, co-owners of Blu Kouzina, are eager to serve and get to know new customers at their new location at University Town Center.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • April 6, 2026
Blu Kouzina adds its Greek flavor at University Town Center

With a focus on fresh ingredients and making customers feel at home, Blu Kouzina hopes to win over East County patrons.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Eat + Drink
1 2 3 4 5 »
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Latest in Arts + Entertainment

1
Pianist and composer Michael Stephen Brown is a faculty member at the 2026 Sarasota Music Festival.
  • June 7, 2026
The bar remains high at streamlined Sarasota Music Festival
2
Steven High is retiring as executive director of The Ringling, a position he has held since 2011.
  • June 5, 2026
Steven High to retire as executive director of The Ringling
3
Selby Gardens’ Selenicereus cactus blooms for one night only.
  • June 3, 2026
Selby's 'Queen of the Night' blooms tonight only
4
University Town Center is poised to welcome more than a dozen new tenants, Ikea this summer to Dick's House of Sport in 2027.
  • June 3, 2026
13 new retailers, eateries coming to University Town Center
5
Collin Purcell, Katie Blackwell and Brian Ott bring back the feel-good era of folk music in "Leaving on a Jet Plane."
  • June 3, 2026
Cool off this summer with Florida Studio Theatre's cabaret shows

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