Foodies

Sometimes a restaurant is not going to satisfy your eating or epicurean desires. We have taken care of your sourcing in this area. Foodies is all about eating, but not at a restaurant. It might be a carryout, perhaps a unique market or maybe a specialty food store or shop. No matter which it is we have it covered. we're good in this area and you can only make us better by sharing your own outstanding finds in the Sarasota/Bradenton area. In other locations on our website we feature the Sarasota & Siesta Key Farmer Markets, which are a must attend for foodies. All of the locations below are good finds for a special ingredient or food for a meal you wish to prepare or for a carryout that is not fast food and worth the experience. Bon Appétit.

Publix Super Markets are ubiquitous in all of Florida and for good reason, as they are a dependable source of foods for Floridians and all Publix stores are well run and consistent in their products and features. The Publix bakery is a good example of why they are popular along with their produce department and well laid out store floor plan. You will find that you have two Publix super markets that are close to your vacation rental on Siesta Key. They are both located just off of US 41, Tamiami Trail, as you depart Siesta Key from either bridge. From the north bridge your Publix is on Bay Road, which is an extension of Osprey and just before US 41 in the Paradise Shopping Center. From the south bridge you will find your Publix by turning right off of Stickney Road after you cross US 41 into the Pavilion Shopping Center. On our traveling to Siesta Key page on our website we have a link for a very time savings way of shopping for your provisions by creating your Publix shopping list, including specials, before you leave home.

Every foodie knows that when a city has a Whole Foods Market they know that the city understands the importance of good and healthy organic foods. The Sarasota Whole Foods Market is is located in the heart of the city and we encourage all of our Siesta Key vacation rental guests to venture out to see our city and to visit Whole Foods where you will find a plethora of unique and health foods that just are not available at regular super markets. You can check out the special prices that Whole Foods have for the time you are here by visiting this link to find Sarasota and Siesta Key food specials for your special home cooked meal on the balcony of your penthouse condo on Siesta Key. A great time to visit Whole Foods is when you are enjoying the Sarasota Farmers Market, which ends on the north side at the Whole Foods Market location. If you have never been inside of a Whole Foods Market, by all means take the time and stroll through this large super market that is dedicated to the organic and gourmet lovers of food in America.

The best way to describe this shop would be awesome bread bakery. They take their bread making seriously and if you are looking for some cake, pie or cupcakes, don't stop here. We are talking serious bread. This shops bread is sold at all of the local farmer markets in the area and is featured on the bread plates of many restaurants. They take their trade so seriously that the back side of their flyer on types of bread are BREAD CARE instructions on how to cut, store and refresh your bread. They even give you eating instructions. "For best results eat immediately"!

If that unique spice has proved unobtainable you probably have not been to Spice Girls where over 500 organic spices and herbs are awaiting your arrival to taunt your epicurean reaches and end your relenting searching for that rare spice that has confounded your ability to complete your spice desires for that one recipe you so want to try. Spice girls is also a wonderful source for unique teas you will not easily find in a shop. Visit their tea den, make your purchase and head back home to steep. You can also try their juice bar and experience Goji the authentic Himalayan Juice. Let Shannon Collins know where you found out about Spice Girls.

Max's looks very much like a gas station. When you take a closer look you discover that Max's is a gas station. You can even purchase fuel at Max's, use your debit card instead of credit and purchase your fuel at a pretty competitive price, but Max's is not on this page because of their gas. How about a great Gyro at a really good price to go? This is the place. How about fresh feta cheese for tonight's meal? You got it, Max's. Are you craving for authentic baklava or spinach pie? Wow you're hitting on all cylinders because Max's is the in place for all of these great Mideastern comfort foods. I kid you not. They also have fresh salads and of course all of the other stuff that you can purchase at any other gas station market. Treat yourself stop in and meet owner Max Moriazavi, bring home a Gyro for lunch on the balcony for you and the little women. It's about time you did dinner.

Neighborhood Organic and Natural Health Food Store just off of the key is a health food deli where you can eat in or carry out. The Granery sits in a rather non-descript strip mall with tables overlooking the parking lot, but your not going to eat here anyway. Just pick up your already prepared health food meal along with a bottle of your favorite organic wine and come back to the condo to enjoy them on the balcony while you watch the sun set from your vacation propery on Siesta Key. Every Thursday you will receive 10% off of your purchase. Life really does not get much better than this. Organic veggies and fruits, bulk grain, nuts, seeds, and other organic items not found in the average store.

English bangers and much more. Richard & Barbara Posner, British ex-Londoners who have been resident in Sarasota, Florida for 14 years, and highly successful in the restaurant and hospitality industry for much longer. This is a great carry out location to get your dinner and come back to the condo and ------

Finding ice cream around Sarasota or Siesta Key is pretty easy and If you want Gelatto this too can be found in a number of locations. Finding truly great Frozen Custard is a different story and this location on Clark Road is close to your condo on Siesta Key. Sweetberrie's not only has frozen custard in vanilla, chocolate or flavor of the day, but they also make a frozen custard mix called "concrete", which you will find is similar to a DQ Blizzard in looks, but with that very creamy Frozen Custard taste. You can also eat in and order sandwiches or salads to round out your diet or order more frozen custard to help you round out.

Piccolo's carry a full line of imported cheeses, lunch meats, pasta, olive oil, assorted imported olives, giardiniera and fresh mozzarella along with other Italian specialty items. The deli is complete with fresh cooked pastas , cold & hot sand wiches to go, salads and special order subs, deli platters, cheese platter and cookie platters. In addition they have cannolis, tiramisu, sfogliatelle, espresso and cappuccino. Chio!

This Scandinavian shop will be able to take care of your specialty foods needs whether a specialty of Denmark, Finland, Norway or Denmark. From Swedish Gravlaks, Danish Kringle, Norwegian fish and seafood or Finish cardamom braided coffee cake, this shop will have it. The shop also have many gifts and items from all of these countries including Iceland.

Groceries and Specialty Food from Russia, Israel, Ukraine , Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Denmark, Germany, France and more are stocked in this unique deli and grocery store in Gulfgate. From pierogies, to blitzes, sausages and other meat products, seafood, caviar, cakes, bakery, cheeses, breads, beer, wines, dairy and sweets it's here! This store is a great find and they are very helpful at finding and supplying those foods that you will not find at the local markets.

This store will make you quickly feel you have crossed back over the pond and once again in Great Britain. Well stocked with your favorite teas, Branston Pickle, Sandwich Spread, Hob Nob biscuits, Heinz Baked Beans, "ahh!" Bisto Gravy Granules and many other British food specialties. Debbie also has ample supplies of her Cornish Pastry, Shepherds Pie and Jellied Pie in the freezer, which can also order ahead to be served in the authentic Tea Room at the rear of the store. If you are looking for your favorite pudding, scones or shortbreads, you have found the place to get them. There is hardly a reason to go home as you won't get this weather in England.

Your a long ways from Poland and not close to Hamtramck, but your real close to homemade Polish Pierogis, smoked and fresh kielbasa and other sausages along with a store full of ethnic canned goods, noodles (makaron), barley (kasza), flour (maki), frozen foods, beverages, fish products, soups, spices and seasoning. This Gulfgate Polish Deli will gladly take your order in English or Polish. Zapraszamy!

You are checking out the cookbooks in the condo and you find this great Asian recipe in the cookbooks in the kitchen. You check out all of the kitchen ware and realize these great owners of your beachfront vacation condo on Siesta Key have supplied this efficient kitchen with everything you need. But wait, where are you going to get all of the Asian ingredients you are going to need to make this meal happen? This is Siesta Key, not San Francisco where this would be a breeze. Fear not, Noya Brigham has a long established store that is waiting for whatever challenge or Asian country you can throw their way, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Philippine, Viet Namiese, India and Indonesian just to name a few. If that is not enough, they will throw you some challenges if you want to sign up for a Wok cooking class at the store. You really need to spend more time on Siesta Key to work on fine tuning your cooking adventures.

What would you do without a foodie stalking through Sarasota to find the perfect places to find your ultimate ingredients and foods? The name only tells half of the story. This wonderful ethnic food deli and world provision outpost will enchant you upon your first visit. They don't have everything, but I am not sure what might be missing. Raj and Nita Mathur have added an Indian component to this culinary food supplier and deli. Whether it is cheeses from around the world, olives that you did not even know existed, home made sauces, fresh breads, European Vinegars, Italian cold cuts, Prosciutto di Parma, Jamon Serrano, Italian dinners to go, Indian on Thursday, cooking classes, imported wines----I could go on and on, but I won't, you just need to go there yourself.

If you are a fan of BAR-B-Q you also understand the need to search for a roadside barbecue cooker and stand that serves op their own special pork  along with other foodie supplies to compliment this great roadside find. On the other hand if you really want to find the ultimate barbecue supplies to do you own Bar-B-Q we have also included two local farms where you can purchase your pig and create your own barbecue from scratch. You can contact the office manager at Sunset Royale to find out where to put your pit---uhh on second thought you might need to find your own perfect location in the area for your pit. Just to know that the do it yourself or already done for you barbecue is close by and waiting for you, will start to get the juices flowing knowing that good barbecue is close by, no matter how you want to obtain it. The following reviews are from Brian Ries whose article in the Sarasota Herald Tribune can be read in our Sunset Royale News articles.

Alday's

Corner of Bahia Vista and Beneva Road, Saturday's, 809-2589

Although it may be the most ubiquitous name in Sarasota barbecue - with at least two locations operating these days - Alday's is by no means the best of the bunch. Although the pork is cooked right, and juicy enough, the rub seems straight out of a massive tub of garlic salt, tainting the meat with astringent, chemical flavors. Besides that, the meat here - be it pulled pork, ribs or chicken - is barely touched by smoke, tasting more barbecued than tended for hours over smoldering hardwood chunks. The beans aren't bad, though, and they are one of the only stands to take credit cards.

D&R

Corner of 17th St. and Tuttle Ave., Saturdays, 951-0632

If you want to get mugged in the alley by a hulking mass of hardwood smoke flavor, head to D&R. The chicken and ribs must spend days bathing in smoke, the flavor permeating straight to the bones and beyond. Drop a bag of this in your car, and you'll be smelling it for days. It's fabulous. Admittedly, you pay a little in terms of texture - the meat is often cooked so long it can be dry - but that's a price you may be comfortable with. Salve that pain with D&R excellent mustard-based sauce, sweet and spicy with a bit of tang. Pulled pork here is more troublesome, since it is chopped fine and mixed with sauce earlier in the day, which mutes the smoke and makes the texture a bit spongy. Stick with the ribs and chicken.

Perry's

Old Salty Dog parking lot, Siesta Village, 724-1702 

Perry is the all-around king of barbecue in Sarasota. I might prefer a little of this at one place, a little of that at another, but if I want a one-stop shop, I head to Perry. He manages to infuse his meat with a hefty dose of smoke without losing the luscious texture that reminds you of rich pork fat. All of the meat is simply seasoned, which leaves room for a dip and dunk in Perry's trademarked and bottled tomato-based barbecue sauce, which is worth a purchase by itself. Although most of these roadside stands tend to dish up mass-produced slaw and potato salad, Perry's does make a mean mac and cheese that's crusty on top and elegantly gooey on the inside.

Nancy's Bar-B-Q

Occasional Sundays at the corner of University and 301, weekday delivery, 955-3400

We've loved Nancy Krohngold's take on pulled pork for a while now - slathered in an aromatic rub of sweet spices, exceptionally tender and rich meat - but getting our hands on it has been a problem. Last year, Nancy's regular gig selling sandwiches and sides out of a parking lot north of downtown was shut down by the state thanks to the lack of sinks. That's a lesson in why roadside barbecue stands are usually only open on the weekends, when inspectors are off-duty. Along with your pulled pork, you should also try Nancy's gooey and sweet pineapple upside-down cake. I'm always tempted to mash it into my pork sandwich, but maybe that's a bit too much of a good thing.

Unless you live east of I-75, this relatively young barbecue joint is a bit of a drive. Still, it's worth it if you need a big smoke fix out in the sticks. Here, the ‘cue is reminiscent of Perry's - smoky, simple and all-around tasty. Try the beans, but only if you're a fan of pork (and you wouldn't be reading this otherwise, would you?), since he packs almost as much meat into each scoop of the sticky and spicy concoction as he does into the sandwiches.

Below are two local farms that serve up incredible, local pork, two different ways.