5 Sarasota restaurants, 2 rooftop bars featured in Southern Living city guide

Southern Living magazine features five Sarasota restaurants and two rooftop bars.

Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Sarasota has so many outstanding restaurants — offering everything from locally sourced seafood served dockside to classic Cuban cuisine in a more upscale setting — that recommending a mere five dining spots seems like an impossible task.

However, that's what Southern Living magazine, which has a long, rich history dating back to the 1960s, did in their recently published article, "The 15 Best Things To Do In Sarasota, Florida."

While the majority of the listicle focuses on our most famous attractions, including Siesta Beach, The Ringling Museum, and shopping on St. Armands Circle, the story also offers suggestions for five popular Sarasota restaurants, as well as a couple of rooftop bars.

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2 Sarasota seafood restaurants make Southern Living's '15 Best Things To Do In Sarasota'

Southern Living notes that while visiting Sarasota, you are never far from the water or fresh seafood, and recommends two local seafood joints: Walt's Fish Market Restaurant & Tiki Bar and Owen's Fish Camp. I totally agree with both of these suggestions, but out-of-towners would also probably love to know about the best waterfront restaurants in the Sarasota area for dining on fresh seafood. Dry Dock Waterfront Grill, which overlooks Sarasota Bay, definitely warrants a mention.

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3 downtown Sarasota restaurants make Southern Living's '15 Best Things To Do In Sarasota'

For downtown Sarasota, Southern Living mentions three restaurants while focusing on Indigenous, which is a smart call. Occupying a cottage in downtown's charming Towles Court neighborhood, Indigenous is where owner Steve Phelps, a two-time James Beard Award semi-finalist for Best Chef: South, serves sublimely tasty cuisine with a focus on sustainable seafood (as well as one helluva burger). Southern Living also suggests visitors try Selva and Boca. Selva? Sure. But honestly, Boca might be the fair city of Sarasota's most overrated restaurant.

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2 Sarasota rooftop bars make Southern Living's '15 Best Things To Do In Sarasota'

In addition to the five restaurant recommendations, Southern Living highlights two rooftop bars: Art Ovation's Perspective Rooftop Pool Bar, receiving just a few words of light praise, and Sage, hailed by the author as "hands down the best spot in town for a proper dusk happy hour." Make sure to also explore Sage's acclaimed cuisine, available in both the historic building's classy downstairs dining room and on its rooftop.

Best rooftop bars, restaurantsfor food, drinks, waterfront views in Sarasota, Bradenton

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. Support local journalism by subscribing.