From hidden gems to popular waterfront restaurants, Sarasota’s dining scene continues to punch above its weight — a small resort town somehow cranking out big-city culinary swagger.
The same goes for our steakhouses, where everything from an old-school institution to a splashy newcomer serves cuts so good they make you briefly consider canceling your grocery budget.
Over the past few months, I’ve revisited several local favorites — from decades-old neighborhood staples to sleek national imports — ordering everything from ribeyes and strips to a filet so over-the-top (hello, foie gras) it practically demanded its own red carpet.
Here are my five favorites: the Sarasota spots delivering memorable steaks, swoon-worthy sides, warm hospitality — and the kind of meals that remind you why dining out remains one of life’s great pleasures.
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Alpine Steakhouse
Details: 4520 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; 941-921-3798; alpinesteak.com
A restaurant and meat market serving Sarasota since 1975 — and famously seen producing its iconic turducken dish on “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” — the family-run Alpine Steakhouse is also where discerning locals go for excellent steaks in a charming, casual setting with outstanding service.
All the steaks are hand-cut, USDA Prime, and dry-aged 14 days, from the filet mignon to the cowboy steak. But which one should you order? The filet might be the best in town, but do yourself a favor and get the Delmonico. This thick-cut ribeye dates back to 19th-century New York, and Alpine’s version — a 14-ounce prime boneless beauty cooked perfectly (medium rare for yours truly), seasoned just right, and finished with a gorgeous crosshatched char — was once again the star of the night. And at $59, it feels almost like a pricing error.
For starters, consider the platter of house-made knockwurst and bratwurst with sauerkraut and whole grain mustard — or the irresistible house-smoked bacon that just might be the best you’ve ever tasted. But if the idea of a meat plate before steak feels a bit overwhelming, start with Alpine’s signature gorgonzola salad. For sides, treat yourself to the twice-baked potato — rich, creamy, covered in cheese and bacon, and exactly what you want with a great steak (and a steakhouse steal at $4).
Sure, there are much fancier — and pricier — steakhouses in Sarasota, but dollar for dollar, pound for pound, for my money there’s no better steakhouse in the area. Alpine simply delivers.
Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse
Details: 35 S. Lemon Ave., Sarasota; 941-366-7788; hydeparkrestaurants.com
The downtown Sarasota gem — operating here since 2008 and set to grow its footprint with an adjacent expansion, I’m told — is a jewel in the Cleveland-based Hyde Park Restaurant Group, which also has steakhouses in Indiana, Pennsylvania and Michigan. But it’s doubtful any are as popular as ours, especially during happy hour.
Expertly managed by longtime local Steve Novak, downtown Sarasota’s Hyde Park offers premium steaks, including luxury Wagyu cuts that are 100% Japanese strip steak and filet mignon, but the standard ribeye and filet are outstanding, too. You’ll also find an assortment of standout sides, including the must-try Millionaires stuffed baked potato twins topped with aged white cheddar and black truffle.
Happy hour is served in the bar area and at the sidewalk patio seating from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Essential items include the Wagyu beef carpaccio ($13), tuna wonton ($7), grilled sirloin sliders ($8), and perhaps my favorite dining deal I’ve enjoyed this year: the HP burger with fries and a glass of Quill cabernet — all for $25.
Michael’s on East
Details: 1212 East Ave. S., Sarasota; 941-366-0007; bestfood.com
Recently renovated but still retaining its sophisticated 1930s supper club allure — complete with a piano player in the lounge and luxurious atrium seating — Michael’s on East has been a Sarasota fine-dining destination for nearly four decades.
I cherish memories of rubbing elbows — and clinking champagne glasses — with Hollywood stars during Sarasota Film Festival soirees of yesteryear, and I looked forward to taking my wife, Kristin, to dine there earlier this month following the makeover. In a word, the experience was wonderful. As it should be for a meal of one glass of bubbly, two appetizers, two steaks, two sides, and one dessert totaling $300 — or, you know, a decent monthly grocery budget.
Yes, Michael’s on East is a special-occasion destination, and when you go, dine decadent. At least that’s what I did. Most folks have tried — and probably enjoyed — the old meat-and-pastry British standby beef Wellington. Michael’s on East now serves a Filet Wellington Reimagined ($79) that more than lives up to its progressive sobriquet. A beautifully seared prime filet mignon sits atop a flaky puff-pastry base, layered with wild mushrooms and crowned with a rich piece of seared foie gras. The dish is finished with a glossy Madeira demi-glacé that pools around the plate, plus silky pommes purée and a few blistered tomatoes for a burst of color and acidity.
For starters, I highly recommend the baked oysters with caviar and champagne reduction ($23), as well as the crispy calamari laced with crunchy slices of Parma ham ($22). The sides we ordered — truffled mac and cheese ($24) and potato croquettes ($19) — were fine, but you would be better served with the Michael’s on East classic: the angel hair onion rings with house-made ketchup, which appear as an appetizer but would be delightful in between bites of filet mignon.
For dessert, don’t miss the Brownie Ice Cream Stack ($15) — a towering, old-school indulgence that’s impossible not to love. A dense dark chocolate brownie forms the base, topped with vanilla bean and espresso crunch ice creams studded with bits of Heath Bar for texture and that undeniable toffee tastiness. A lattice of chocolate sauce dresses the plate, and a tall chocolate stick gives the whole thing a touch of playful elegance. It’s rich, satisfying, and exactly the kind of finale you want after a special-occasion dinner at Michael’s on East.
Ocean Prime
Details: 501 Quay Commons, Sarasota; 941-404-1024; ocean-prime.com
Downtown Sarasota’s Ocean Prime may be the newest name on this list, but the nationally acclaimed steak-and-seafood showpiece — part of Cameron Mitchell Restaurants (Mitchell also has a home on Siesta Key) — has spent its first year in the Quay turning heads and filling seats with its soaring two-story design and big-night-out energy.
The spot to be is the upstairs bar, where you can enjoy a pleasant view of the channel connecting the Quay to The Ritz-Carlton and The Hyatt while slicing into the deftly seasoned eight-ounce or 10-ounce filet mignon ($59, $63), which I have thoroughly enjoyed multiple times this year, or the 16-ounce ribeye ($70), which I gleefully devoured during a gorgeous late November visit.
Other highlights from visits to Ocean Prime this year include the spicy tuna roll, scallops with braised short rib, jalapeño au gratin, and smoked goat cheese tater tots. Craving a cocktail? Order the Prime Manhattan, which boldly reimagines the classic and finishes with one of those boozy Italian black cherries. And, yes, pair that cocktail with the complimentary truffle popcorn — a savory little snack that’s absurdly hard to stop eating.
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Siesta Key Summer House Steak and Seafood
Details: 149 Avenida Messina, Siesta Key; 941-260-2675; siestakeysummerhouse.com
There’s plenty of fun to be had in Siesta Key Village, whether you’re a tourist making the pilgrimage to world-famous Siesta Beach or a townie like yours truly who enjoys a bite, a few drinks, live music, and some top-tier people-watching while strolling up and down Ocean Boulevard. I’ve loved playing tourist around Siesta Village for more than twenty years, but the only place that delivers a true fine-dining experience — the one I can wholeheartedly recommend — is Summer House. Open since 2018, it impressed me all over again during a pair of visits in November.
Both occasions found us seated at the bar, early in the evening before the dinner rush, with nothing but us, the staff, and the adorable sea creatures populating Summer House’s massive fish tank — a 1,000-gallon, 14-foot-long beauty stretching from the host stand to the bar. And, yes, Summer House, like Ocean Prime, specializes in both seafood and steaks, but during these recent visits we stuck to their hand-cut steaks. We did try one filet topped with a couple of scallops ($87), and that was totally worthwhile. The New York strip ($64) hit the spot and so did the 12-ounce ribeye ($58), but if I’m recommending just one cut, it’s the plain six-ounce filet ($46) — judiciously seasoned (salt-forward but not too much), and cooked to char-perfection on the restaurant’s 1,200-degree Montague grill.
For sides, be sure to indulge in the Wagyu beef fat fries ($10) and the best mac and cheese I’ve had in recent memory: their five-cheese macaroni with a jalapeño-bacon crust ($13). After a meal that rich and satisfying, a stroll along Ocean Boulevard is practically mandatory — followed, perhaps, by a jalapeño-watermelon margarita back at Summer House’s sister restaurant The Cottage next door. Then it’s either an Uber home or a walk to Siesta Beach Resort & Suites on the other end of the Village, the ideal basecamp for anyone embracing their inner Siesta Key tourist.
Wade Tatangelo is Audience Director for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and Florida Regional 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 steakhouse in Sarasota? 5 top spots for premium cuts and sides