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Calling all Suncoast foodies! Savor Sarasota returns for its 20th season, June 1 – 20, 2025. More than 50 area restaurants, from Englewood to Palmetto, and of course, Sarasota, are offering delicious and creative prix-fixe menus with two-course lunches for $25 and three-course dinners for $45 per person. In celebration of the 20th anniversary, diners have more than a week to taste their way through the Sarasota area, they have 20 delectable days.
How My Relationship with Food Has Changed with Mounjaro
As a content creator, I attended a sneak peek with several participating restaurants earlier this month at Michael’s Wine Cellar in Sarasota. For years I’ve considered myself a foodie and I even became a certified food judge. But about three years ago, I was prescribed Mounjaro, an injectable GLP-1, to help manage my type 2 diabetes. Because of this, my relationship with food and alcohol changed.
Everyone has different experiences with Mounjaro. With me, the medication’s side effects cause some nausea and over time, it’s dulled my sense of taste, especially with highly processed foods. There are some days when food isn’t palatable, but I still enjoy visually creative entrees and appreciate scrumptious dishes. On occasion, I’ll sip an adult beverage.
Mounjaro calms most of the food noise, I’m not constantly thinking about food. But being on the medication amplifies my cravings for simple, quality ingredients with fresh and bold flavors. I barely finish a full entrée when dining out, smaller meals satiate me. I’m more selective as to what I’ll eat, focusing on dishes highlighting proteins and vegetables, while treading lightly with heavy carbs and deep-fried dishes.
Planning My Savor Sarasota Adventure
Sarasota is a foodie destination, adored by locals and craved by visitors. Although dining out is a different experience for me these days, I’m looking forward to Savor Sarasota.
This culinary season is more than eating a meal in a restaurant. It’s an occasion to connect and catch up with friends and family, taste new flavors, and support locally owned eateries.
Looking at the menus and having sampled dishes from some of the participating restaurants, it’s hard to choose which I’ll be visiting! I’ve narrowed my wish list to seven eateries. A caveat, some of my selections may not seem diabetic-friendly but most everything is okay in moderation.
Although many restaurants are serving two-course lunches for $25, some are offering three-course lunches for the same price. Some offer add-ons. Confirm with the respective restaurant before visiting or be pleasantly surprised with a possible bonus course!
South Sarasota County Area Restaurants
Because I live in South Sarasota County, I’m eyeing these three restaurants first:
Anna Maria Oyster Bar – North Port
14132 Tamiami Trl., North Port, FL 34287
My Lunch Picks: The spicy seafood gumbo to start and ease into the Brussels sprouts (kickin’ sprouts) as the main entrée. They’re served crispy, tossed in ginger-soy glaze and Thai chili aioli. Included is key lime pie for dessert.
Farlow’s on the Water
2080 S McCall Rd, Englewood, FL 34224
My Lunch Picks: To start, I’m going with the poached shrimp and gazpacho because it’s layered in many fresh, bold flavors. It has poached Bay shrimp, avocado gazpacho, compressed melon, whipped bluey goat cheese, fresh huckleberry, pickled onion, and topped with chili crunch almonds and radish. Flavors complement each other for a magical combination.
For the main entrée I’m considering the Caribbean triggerfish served blackened with potato hash, red peppers, scallions, all tossed in bacon honey mustard dressing, with brown sugar caramelized carrots. For dessert, the Fluffernutter cake served with marshmallow fluff, cashew praline butter, and semifreddo sounds perfect.
Pop’s Sunset Grill
112 Circuit Rd, Nokomis, FL 34275
My Dinner Picks: I’ll be pacing myself with this visit so I’m starting with the grilled romaine salad with heirloom tomatoes, candied pecan-bacon, and cucumber drizzled with citrus vinaigrette sounds divine. Not included yet worth the splurge is Papa’s Shaken Colada. I’m not a big drinker but this is a Southwest Florida vacation for the palate. It features Papa’s Pilar Blonde Rum, pineapple juice, and Coco Lopez topped with Papa’s Pilar Dark Rum.
As for the entrée, I sampled the almond and walnut crusted hogfish and the whole dish pops with flavor and is delightful. The fish is topped with tomato, shaved parmesan, Casey Key lime butter, and green onions. This entree is served with coconut rice and garlic butter green beans.
Keeping the tropical theme, I’ll end my meal with the Florida orange crème brûlée for dessert.
Savor Sarasota Restaurants in Sarasota
These four Sarasota restaurants will be worth the drive:
Kolucan
6644 Gateway Ave, Sarasota, FL 34231
My Dinner Picks: Kolucan serves a fusion of traditional and modern Mexican cuisine, resulting in an elevated experience. I’ll start with a cup of chicken tortilla soup. It’s a tomato broth with roasted corn, chipotle peppers, poblanos, onions, and of course chicken. Moving into the main course, I’m going with the cochinita pibil. This is a tender, Yucatan-style roasted pork shoulder in banana leaves with sour orange, annatto seeds, and cinnamon, served with rice, beans, and warm tortillas. Buenísimo! To finish off the meal, it’s the flan de la casa.
If you visit Kolucan, stop by the Frida Lounge and order the tamarind margarita. It’s a refreshing treat.
Lefty’s Oyster & Seafood Bar
428 N Lemon Ave, Sarasota, FL 34236
My Lunch Picks: I could make a whole meal out of Lefty’s seafood ceviche. As part of the Savor Sarasota menu, it’s offered as a first course for lunch and dinner. The fresh seafood is perfectly marinated in citrus juice and cilantro for a refreshing flavor combination.
For the main course, I love a good fish taco, and two blackened Mahi tacos sound divine. Served on flour tortillas, these are topped with cabbage, pico de gallo, and taco crema.
Mattison’s Forty-One Restaurant
7275 S Tamiami Trl., Sarasota, FL 34231-5555
My Dinner Picks: Dining at Mattison’s is always a culinary adventure. The restaurant only serves dinner. To start, the membrillo glazed pork belly and scallop sounds tasty. It’s accompanied by a Manchego cheese arepa cake with sweet summer corn purée, and jicama-apple slaw.
My main course is an international journey on one plate. I’m opting for the seared halibut. The sweet, mild fish is served with a crispy yucca fritter, Cuzco corn and avocado salad, nduja butter, and braised rapini.
And for dessert, although the Bailey’s Irish Cream mousse bomb sounds incredible, I’m choosing the passion fruit panna cotta for something a bit sweeter and lighter, and in my mind, healthier.
Michael’s On East
1212 S. East Avenue, Sarasota, FL 34239
My Dinner Picks: Michael’s On East is a Sarasota staple and because the fine-dining restaurant was one of the initial Savor Sarasota participants, plan a visit during your Sarasota culinary journey. They’re only open for dinner.
My pick for the first course is the South African-inspired Londolozi curried shrimp bisque with tarragon shrimp relish. For the main course, I’d like to taste the French flavors of pan-roasted Scottish salmon in roasted red pepper beurre monté, chive and parmesan acini di pepe, petits pois, thyme-scented roasted grape tomatoes and crispy leeks.
I’ll end this meal a Maine-inspired dessert, wild blueberry crisp served with house made vanilla bean ice cream.
New This Year: Follow the Flavor Trail
New this year is the Savor Sarasota Flavor Trail, a digital passport to guide diners to participating restaurants. Thankfully, it’s not another app to download, but a mobile-powered passport delivered either by email and text and can be saved to your phone’s home screen. Search for restaurants either by name or nearby. View the specially created menus through the passport, too. Diners can check in through the pass at each restaurant and the three top diners with most unique check-ins between June 1 – 20 will win exclusive Savor Sarasota swag.
The top three diners with the most check-ins between June 1–20 will win exclusive Savor Sarasota swag!
Savor Sarasota’s Origin Story
“For twenty years, Savor Sarasota has brought people together around the table,” said Erin Duggan, President of Visit Sarasota County, the county’s official tourism office. She added, “What started as a way to support our restaurants during the summer has grown into one of the most anticipated food events in the area.”
Savor Sarasota began as a way to extend the spring season for local restaurants. When created, June was a slower time for the tourism industry, especially eateries. Twenty years ago, and earlier, some closed for a week, a month or the entire summer because the business levels couldn’t sustain the operations. The Savor Sarasota dining week gave participating restaurants an economic boost. It’s also an opportunity for eateries to introduce new menu items.
Plan your Savor Sarasota culinary adventure on the event’s website where you will find participating restaurants and their menus. Learn more about and register for the Flavor Trail here.
Bon appétit!
