10 Sarasota area restaurants open, 4 permanently close, 1 bar named among best in U.S.

August turned out to be one of the biggest months of the year for restaurant openings in Sarasota and Manatee counties , largely due to the luxurious, beachfront St. Regis Longboat Key Resort debuting multiple new dining and drinking venues .

There were other exciting openings as well, including restaurants in downtown Sarasota and Lakewood Ranch. Unfortunately, August also saw us report several restaurant closures in Sarasota-Manatee.

On a positive note, in addition to the openings, an iconic Sarasota establishment was named one of the best bars in the country by USA TODAY , and one of the region's most popular waterfront restaurants unveiled a new patio and bar, along with a daily happy hour menu brimming with deals on drinks and food.

Here are the biggest restaurant openings, closings, honors, and renovations we reported on during August in Sarasota and Manatee counties.

The Gator Club named one of the best bars in the country by USA TODAY

Among 27 drinking destinations from across the country, with only one other from Florida, The Gator Club in Sarasota earned a spot on the 2024 USA TODAY Bars of the Year list .

Located in downtown Sarasota near the city’s famed Bayfront, The Gator Club is a two-story bar and nightclub boasting more than a century of history, including bootleg whiskey, illegal gambling, an upstairs brothel, and the kind of spirits that can’t be contained by a glass. It's where Sarasotans and out-of-towners go for drinks during happy hour and to dance to live music late into the evening.

"This is an incredible honor," said Larry Siegel , owner of The Gator Club. "We always strive to do our best for our customers, staff, musicians and DJs. Thank you so much for this amazing recognition."

More: Sarasota bar named one of best in U.S. Everything to know before you go

Screaming Goat Taqueria permanently closes in Sarasota

After opening about six years ago at 6606 Superior Ave. in Sarasota's Gulf Gate neighborhood, later moving to another nearby space at 6566 Gateway Ave., Chef Malin Parker's Screaming Goat Taqueria announced it was shutting its doors , posting on social media : "It's with an incredibly heavy heart that I announce the closing of The Screaming Goat. Thanks to everyone that supported us the last 6 ½ years."

The restaurant served cuisine "inspired by the vibrant street food scene of Latin America" including tacos, burritos and bowls with plenty of both meat (pollo asado, beef barbacoa, cochinita pibil) and non-meat (masa-dusted cauliflower, sweet potato, vegan chorizo) filling options, along with a variety of salsas.

More: Sarasota restaurant permanently closed after being open for six years

Deep Lagoon Seafood and Oyster House opens in Lakewood Ranch

Deep Lagoon Seafood and Oyster House has opened a new location in the Waterside Place neighborhood on the Sarasota County side of Lakewood Ranch. The restaurant is billed as offering "a fresh twist on coastal casual," with indoor and outdoor dining and bars featuring views of Kingfisher Lake, the centerpiece of the upscale new neighborhood. Located at 1540 Lakefront Drive, it offers a menu and hours similar to the Deep Lagoon restaurant near Casey Key in south Sarasota County, which is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

While Deep Lagoon is not exactly a local creation, it is part of Phelan Family Brands, which started in nearby Bonita Springs in 1997 with Pinchers Crab Shack. Today, there are Pinchers locations throughout Florida, including in Venice and on Rodeo Drive in the original downtown Lakewood Ranch in Manatee County. Meanwhile, Deep Lagoon has restaurants in Naples, Fort Myers, and Marco Island. Phelan also owns various other brands, according to its website .

More: New waterfront restaurant opening in Sarasota County next week

A Sprig of Thyme opens in downtown Sarasota

First opening five years ago in Sarasota's Southside Village, A Spring of Thyme has moved downtown to 1534 State St., a space that's housed other restaurants in recent years including Atlantic Beer & Oyster , Daily Bird and most recently Rise Up Cafe, which is now set to join Sarasota Bradenton International Airport's dining and drinking lineup .

A Sprig of Thyme's menu draws from Mediterranean cuisine, with current offerings including The Giovanni Burger (named after owner Luigi Cirelli's father) blending lamb and Angus beef, and The Argentinian, flank steak char-grilled and served with chimichurri sauce. Other dishes currently on the menu, which will be refreshed every three months, include red snapper, mahi-mahi and half or full rack of lamb.

More: Sarasota restaurant opens at new downtown location

Meshugana Deli in Sarasota permanently closed

Initially opening in 2022 as a to-go operation offering carryout and catering, then expanding to a dine-in restaurant the following year , Meshugana Deli closed its Sarasota location at 4001 Clark Road in August. The New York-style Jewish deli served pastrami, corned beef, brisket and turkey sandwiches, "piled high"; sides such as chicken matzo ball soup, cheese blintzes, noodle kugel, potato latkes and knishes; sweets such as black-and-white cookies and coconut macaroons; and bagels for breakfast.

Meshugana Deli was one of multiple delis that've opened in Sarasota in recent years. Palm Avenue Deli debuted downtown in summer 2023 , next to fellow restaurants Kojo and Bar Hana, all of which share the same owner, while The Original Wolfie’s & Rascal House opened later that year in Sarasota's Rosemary District (and has since added a grab-and-go, takeaway and delivery service from its new Lakewood Ranch bakery and commissary.)

More: Sarasota New York-style Jewish deli restaurant permanently closes

Rusty Bucket Restaurant and Tavern at University Town Center permanently closed

Rusty Bucket Restaurant and Tavern, part of the University Town Center's West District near the Mall at UTC since opening in 2016, permanently closed in mid-August . Located right next door to Rocco's Tacos , Rusty Bucket was billed as "a casual American restaurant and tavern where people come to share laughter, smiles, and great conversation over food that makes everyone happy."

Rusty Bucket debuted in a suburb of Columbus, Ohio, in 2002 and grew to 20 locations, according to its website. Today, most Rusty Bucket locations are in Ohio, and the Sarasota spot was the last one operating in Florida.

More: One of the best restaurants in Sarasota's University Town Center is permanently closing

Bulgogi House opens in downtown Sarasota

A new addition to downtown Sarasota's dining scene arrived in August when Korean barbecue restaurant Bulgogi House opened at 1472 Main St., in the former space of Kennedy Studios. While the restaurant is new, its ownership includes John Zhao, who's also an owner of the popular Chinese restaurant Yummy House that has locations on South Tamiami Trail in Sarasota as well as Tampa, Gainesville and Ocala.

Customers can choose either to order a la carte, kitchen-cooked dishes that include one set of small side dishes and a bowl of rice, or grill the dishes themselves on grills at the table. Table-grilling options include all-you-can-eat — $35.99 for regular and $45.99 for premium with additional menu options, with a two-hour time limit and side dishes such as soybean soup, steamed egg and kimchi included — or single plates and sides.

More: A new Korean BBQ restaurant is now open in downtown Sarasota

6 restaurants and bars open at new beachfront St. Regis Longboat Key Resort in Sarasota

The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort, overlooking a private white sand beach and the Gulf of Mexico, recently began its soft opening . Select rooms, multiple waterfront restaurants and bars, and a spa featuring various signature treatments and Gulf-front views are now available, ahead of the resort's official opening planned for late September.

The St. Regis Resort's four main dining venues are the steakhouse CW Prime, the Northern Italian restaurant Riva, the Latin American spot Aura, and the rooftop lounge serving Asian fusion cuisine, Oshen. There's also The St. Regis Bar, The Monkey Bar, and the hotel’s café, Caroline’s.

All of the restaurants and bars are now open to the public except Oshen, which is exclusive to hotel guests and members.

More: Sarasota beachfront hotel St. Regis with waterfront restaurants now open

Pier 22 adds new patio, open-air bar, happy hour in downtown Bradenton

Pier 22 in downtown Bradenton, located at 1200 First Ave. W., recently debuted its newly renovated patio and open-air bar, along with a brand-new happy hour menu featuring deals on food and drinks. The new patio, complete with new tables and a larger bar offering postcard views of the mile-wide Manatee River and sunsets over Tampa Bay, now boasts a contemporary, coastal chic feel that should impress guests of all ages, including the younger crowd, who have been frequenting the place more often. Other highlights include a towering shelf of premium liquors, a new sound system, and flat-screen TVs.

Pier 22 serves happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m. daily throughout the entire restaurant, which includes the more upscale indoor dining and bar area, as well as the new patio and bar area. The new happy hour menu features eight small plates priced at just $6 each, as well as $2 off full-sized appetizers and flatbreads. For drink deals, you get $2 off select draft beers, including Yuengling, Shock Top, and Bud Light ($4 per pint during happy hour), $6 house wine, $6 well liquor, $8 classic cocktails, and $9 martinis and specialty cocktails.

More: One of the best waterfront restaurants in Sarasota and Bradenton is now even better

Settimi’s Gelato opens new St. Armands location, DalMoros Fresh Pasta to Go closes

After opening more than 20 years ago at 367 St. Armands Circle, Settimi's Gelato added a second, nearby space on the Circle at 309 John Ringling Blvd. in August, with plans to keep both locations open, said owner Isidro Lodi. Settimi's sells a variety of gelato flavors — with pistachio, hazelnut, guava, limoncello and chocolate among the most popular, Lodi said — as well as coffee and fruit smoothies.

The 309 John Ringling Blvd. space was formerly home to DalMoros Fresh Pasta to Go, which opened on St. Armands Circle in 2022 , letting customers customize their meals from a variety of pastas, sauces and toppings, ready within minutes and served in to-go boxes, offering the classic Italian dessert tiramisu as well. DalMoros still has locations in St. Petersburg, Delray Beach, Tampa, West Palm Beach and Hollywood, according to its website.

More: Sarasota gelato shop opens, fast-casual pasta restaurant permanently closes

Wade Tatangelo is Ticket Editor for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, and Florida Regional Dining and Entertainment Editor for the USA TODAY Network. Follow him on Twitter , Facebook and Instagram . He can be reached by email at wade.tatangelo@heraldtribune.com. Email entertainment reporter Jimmy Geurts at jimmy.geurts@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing .

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: 10 Sarasota area restaurants open, 4 permanently close, 1 bar named among best in U.S.