Does anyone have any recommendations for a restaurant for Thanksgiving dinner in the Sarasota area? We will be staying on Siesta Key for Thanksgiving week and have plans to join relatives at their home to celebrate Thanksgiving, but for various complicated reasons, those plans may fall through. Any recommendations would be appreciated. There will be 4 adults and 2 small children (4 and 2)

There's tons of restaurants in sarasota. What price range are you looking in? Chowhound gives good reviews. For inexpensive Amish cooking there's some on Bahia Vista right after you come in to South Sarasota from Siesta. There's some good restaurants on Siesta Key also - one as soon as you come onto the island - name escapes me.
For higher end restaurants there's Michaels on East, Cafe Baci, and a number of great, smaller restaurants on Main Street in downtown Sarasota.

Thanks for the reply. I'm looking for somewhere where we can have as close to a "traditional" Thanksgiving dinner as possible. Price is not really an object. I guess I'm looking for a fairly high-end place serving a Thanksgiving meal and a place where kids would be welcome. In my hometown, several of the large downtown hotels offer this. Any equivalent in Sarasota? Thanks again.

Summerhouse right here on Siesta is a beautiful, high-end place, that I believe have Thanskgiving specials. I never went on Thanksgiving, but had many fabulous dinners there.
Summerhouse - 1-941-349-1100
Ophelia's is another great place right here on the island.
Ophelia's - 1-941-349-3776
You could also try calling the Ritz-Carlton, can't tell you if they do anything special. Go to www.ritz-carlton.com and do a search for the Sarasota hotel to get more info and tel.#
I have to mention my friends place right here in the village. Maximo's fuses Italian with African cuisine, as Max(owner,chef) was born to Italian parents in South Africa . It's a smaller, yet very nice, higher end place. I didn't talk to Max about Thanksgiving so can't tell you what if anything he's doing this year, but he did do the traditional dinner last year.
Maximo's - 1-941-346-7865

Hope you have a wonderful time! Maybe our paths will cross during your visit

AAFrequentFlyer, thanks for all the suggestions. We're looking forward to the trip.

AA's got it right with Summerhouse - a nice, higher end restaurant. They would probably have traditional Thanksgiving dinners or try the Ritz Carlton that will be in Sarasota by Rt 41 and the road out to Longboat Key. On Longboat The Colony may have traditional or Euphemia Haye (also on LBK) I mention these only on the off chance that you don't get what you'd like at Summerhouse or another right on Siesta.

have a great time on Siesta!!

I think the Colony might be a good choice. It is a very nice resort on Long Boat Key that focuses on family vacations although it is a very reknown tennis resort. They have a reputation for good food and wine (family member started Michael's on East, etc.).

LMF