Everybody knows downtown Sarasota boasts an impressive roster of restaurants, with a favorite topic of conversation being which ones are the best — a task I happily tackled again back in January.
Now, for Easter weekend, this downtown denizen serves up picks for top brunch spots — all five located in and around Main Street — offering what could easily become a mimosa-fueled crawl for those so inclined.
Some of these places only serve brunch on weekends or Sundays. Others could be your daily brunch destination. Cuisine ranges from European to American comfort food. One spot is beloved for its jazz brunch, best experienced while fueled with an espresso martini.
Presented in alphabetical order, here are my five favorite spots for brunch in downtown Sarasota. And, really, unless you already have a reservation or a relative who works at one of these places, hold off on visiting until after the holiday weekend. Trust me.
C’est La Vie
Details: 1553 Main St., Sarasota; 941-906-9575; cestlaviesarasota.com
A downtown Sarasota dining icon open since 1997, C’est La Vie serves its beloved items — crepes, quiche, salads and sandwiches — daily for breakfast and lunch, in addition to its freshly baked pastries and croissants. Offering indoor and prime sidewalk seating, it’s a brunch lover’s dream.
Cask and Ale
Details: 1548 Main St., Sarasota; 941-702-8740; caskalesrq.com
Cask and Ale serves brunch on Saturdays and Sundays — from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. — but like many regulars, I’m all about the Sunday jazz brunch that kicks off at noon, with live music filling much of the 1500 block of Main Street until 4 p.m. My go-to order is an espresso martini paired with the Croque Ma’am — just sipping and noshing while gifted singer Matt Ragas and his equally gifted band throw down like it’s the 1950s, making folks swoon with swinging hits by the likes of Sinatra.
Clasico Italian Chophouse
Details: 1341 Main St., Sarasota; 941-203-5115; clasicosrq.com
Clasico, with its lush, ivy-like greenery climbing the exterior, is one of the many charms of lower Main Street, ideal for dining al fresco, inside or at the bar, especially for brunch served Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., when you start savory with something like their avocado and burrata toast and then go sweeter than sweet with the must-try Cannoli French Toast, which is even more decadently delicious than it sounds.
OfKors Bakery (1359 Main St.) and OfKors Cafe (1989 Main St.)
Details: ofkorsbakery.com and ofkorscafe.com
Ukrainian couple Alex and Marie Korsykov opened their European-style café, OfKors Bakery, at 1359 Main St. about a decade ago. There is now a second location, dubbed OfKors Cafe, about a mile east at 1989 Main St., on the first floor of the Aster & Links luxury apartment building. How can one brand sustain two locations on the same street? Just try one of their pastries, savory or sweet crepes, quiches or “stuffed bagel” sandwiches. Oh, and at the cafe location, they serve ice cream to go with their excellent coffee, and I’m now constantly craving their affogato, which I boldly Americanized — following expert advice from an employee — with chocolate chip cookie dough.
State Street Eating House + Cocktails
Details: 1533 State St., Sarasota; 941-951-1533; statestreetsrq.com
Sunday brunch at State Street — served from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. — is something every Sarasotan should experience. Cocktails are always on point — from the brunch specialties to their legendary take on the British bramble — matched in creativity and delight by the upscale American comfort food. We’re talking top-shelf renditions of steak and eggs, chicken and waffles, and perhaps my personal favorite: the “naked brunch burger,” which piles a double-stack patty with a sunny side egg, Cabot cheddar, bacon and hash brown — basically everything you want from breakfast and a burger in one gloriously messy bite.
Wade Tatangelo is the executive editor of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and Florida dining and entertainment editor for the USA TODAY Network. Follow him on Facebook, Instagram, and X. He can be reached by email at wade.tatangelo@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Best downtown Sarasota restaurants? 5 brunch spots locals love
Reporting by Wade Tatangelo, Sarasota Herald-Tribune / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
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