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1 week ago | 
sarasotamagazine.com | Lauren Jackson
O'Leary's, which overlooks the Sarasota Bay mooring field at Bayfront Park, closed after Hurricane Helene brought devastating storm surge that flooded the park and lodged a large boat on the sandy beach in front of the restaurant. That boat was removed in late April of this year.
O’Leary’s finally received its permitting approval from the city in March, and swiftly repaired its iconic thatched huts with new palm fronds and exchanged its old wooden deck for new paver bricks.
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1 week ago | 
sarasotamagazine.com | Lauren Jackson
Marcus Walfridson traveled from Sweden to Sarasota in 2018 to visit an old buddy and quickly came to a realization: Sarasota needed a soccer team.
“I wanted to build something that could be a community asset,” he says.
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3 weeks ago | 
sarasotamagazine.com | Lauren Jackson
Florence and the Spice Boys are at it again, this time at University Town Center. The restaurant, with its Middle Eastern-influenced menu, is the brainchild of husband and wife duo Florence and Steven Schmitt and their business partner, Carl Kober. The UTC location officially opens to the public this Monday, April 28, and this week, it's running an invite-only soft opening.
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3 weeks ago | 
sarasotamagazine.com | Lauren Jackson
The Michelin Guide returned to Florida last week for its annual ceremony to award new stars in the state. Now in its fourth year of evaluations, Michelin inspectors added Pinellas, Broward and Palm Beach Counties to their assessment roster this year, which originally only included the cities of Tampa, Orlando and Miami.
But despite the broader range of eligible restaurants, the Tampa Bay area was not awarded any new stars for 2025.
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4 weeks ago | 
sarasotamagazine.com | Lauren Jackson
99 Bottles owner Mark Tuchman has never shied away from an inventive event. Now, in response to the non-alcoholic trend that has been embraced by millennials and Gen Z-ers, Tuchman is partnering with Tap & Toast Mobile Bar owner Jessica Dell’Amico to host a 100 percent non-alcoholic drinks event called “N/A." It'll happen on Monday, April 28, beginning at 5 p.m..
Dell’Amico and Tuchman met at 99 Bottles, where Dell’Amico has been a longtime regular.
“I found familiarity in Mark," she says.
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1 month ago | 
sarasotamagazine.com | Lauren Jackson
When you walk into Bradenton’s Rainbow Island Chinese, you may think it’s another average takeout spot, with its eight tiny tables and stock photos of Chinese American dishes. Dig a little deeper, though, and you’ll discover a treasure trove of Chinese specialities. Chief among them is a Peking duck that you have to order ahead of time for a Sunday pickup. Call between Wednesday and Friday to reserve your bird, and thank us after you take your first bite of crisp, crackling bronze skin.
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1 month ago | 
sarasotamagazine.com | Lauren Jackson
This conversation is the first in a new monthly Q&A series that highlights Sarasota’s diverse population. “In Their Own Words” is brought to you by Gulf Coast Community Foundation.
When Marlon Brown moved to Sarasota in 2009 to accept a position as deputy city manager, he’d already built a legacy for himself in municipal governance. In Tallahassee, he led the city’s transportation department before becoming assistant city manager.
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1 month ago | 
sarasotamagazine.com | Lauren Jackson
Something is always in bloom at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. Whether it’s a rare orchid, the mangroves lining Sarasota Bay or the bromeliads surrounding the koi pond, diverse fragrances fill the air.
During a fragrance masterclass at Selby Gardens in March, French perfumer Anastasia Sokolow shared the joys of Selby's—and Florida's—botanical aromas in an immersive class filled with essential oils, distillations and a deep dive into Florida’s many aromatic natural habitats.
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1 month ago | 
sarasotamagazine.com | Kim Doleatto |Lauren Jackson |Cooper Levey-Baker |Megan McDonald |Megan Mcdonald
That’s a question those of us at Sarasota Magazine found ourselves asking again and again as we set out to compile a list of the region’s most influential individuals. Does power mean the ability to sway local government? Or does it come from having a huge national following? Does being wealthy make one powerful? Or does real power come from donating to causes important to you? These are all questions we debated, and they each helped shape our thinking in putting together this list.
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1 month ago | 
sarasotamagazine.com | Lauren Jackson
Despite having extensive experience in the restaurant industry, when Rob DiSilvio moved from New York to Sarasota in 2015, he had no plans to buy a taco spot. But in 2020, that’s exactly what he did, purchasing Island House Taqueria on Bee Ridge Road.
