Can anyone recommend some restaurants within reasonable distance of Longboat Key. We like both fish & meat, but i know that there are so many around Sarasota that it would be good to have a recommendation.

Near or ON? Euphemia Haye on Longboat is a really good place. And The Colony is excellent -- although I'm not big on buffets, their Sunday Brunch buffet is special, with not-the-run-of-the-mill dishes, and prepared in small fresh quantities throughout the serving.

The best place at St. Armand's in my opinion is Cafe Europa.

Or go north to Anna Maria and eat at Beach Bistro, right on the beach -- really excellent.

There's a whole group of new and different restaurants down on Main Street in Sarasota and many are very good. Main street is not far from the south bridge coming from LBK. Many people also like Barnacle Bill's seafood in sarasota, Michael's on East ($$$), Cafe Baci in south Sarasota.

As Patrick said Cafe Europa is great on St Armands but I also like Hemingways and Tommy Bahamas.

On Longboat Key I like Moore's for stone crabs and seafood, the Dry Dock, Harry's, Pattigeorge, and of course, Euphemia Haye. For breakfast on LBK there's nothing like Isabelle's on the north end of the island.

Enjoy!!

I also like Colony. It's nice for dinner if you can catch the sunset.

Dry Dock is nice as well - facing the bay but a great place too.

I'm not trying to nit pick but is Cafe Europa the same as Cafe L'Europe? If so then I agree with the previous posts on that restauarant and Michael's on the East.

Oops! Mea culpa. Cafe L'Europe it is.

Go to Anna Maria and try Leverocks:
Something wholesome in Sarasota and very reasonable is the Sweet Tomatoes buffet
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Many of the restaurants in Sarasota are very pricy and I am afraid not terrific!

Thanks everyone for your suggestions, I will put them in our holiday file. Happy new year everyone!!

say, what's the resto that has all the dollar bills from around the world pasted on the ceiling?

also in LBK is Chart House, which i like every once in a while.

flopmeister, that sounds like Cabbage Key above Captiva Island. Is there a similar place near Sarasota?