WHO ARE THE SARASOTA Originals?

WHO ARE THE SARASOTA-MANATEE ORIGINALS?

The Sarasota-Manatee Originals organized in September 2003 with a passionate desire to celebrate and preserve our community’s culinary “sense of being”. A group of 24 independently owned restaurants in the Sarasota-Manatee County region became Florida’s first chapter of the Council of Independent Restaurants of America (CIRA). CIRA has chapters in 18 other cities around the US. The Sarasota-Manatee Originals now boast more than 50 active members!

Nowhere is this sense of independence and quality more important than the Sarasota-Manatee area. Within a twenty-mile radius of downtown Sarasota, there are more Florida Trend Award and Zagat top-scoring restaurants than any other area of the state and every one of these award-winners is independently owned.

We’re obsessed with the flavors that define our region and are always looking for ways to incorporate interesting styles of cuisine from around the world into our own brand of Sun Coast dining. We devote our time and energy to providing you with the best dining experience your money can buy. We live here, work here and play here. We’re a part of the community that embraces the exceptional quality of life the Sarasota-Manatee region is known for. We appreciate your business and enjoy being your neighbors.

We promise to serve you only the freshest food available. Our long-standing relationships give us the distinct advantage to offer you meals prepared within hours of harvest from fields & waters close to our kitchens. Many of us have been delighting locals & visitors for twenty to thirty years and have established a culinary heritage that simply can't be replicated in the corporate kitchens of Chicago, Los Angeles or Dallas. Fresher is better and freshest is the best. We are truly fortunate to live amidst such delicious bounty.

From casual beach dining to an exquisite night on the town, we guarantee that the meals you eat are freshly prepared using the best local ingredients combined with the heritage flavors the Sun Coast is famous for. You have our word on it.