The Best Seafood Restaurants in Sarasota

Sarasota, Florida offers a cultural haven and a beach lover’s paradise. The pristine waters of Sarasota Bay attract as many fishing boats as they do pleasure boats, making Sarasota home to some of the finest seafood in Florida. Head to upmarket Italian venues in Granada for sautéed mussels, dripping in olive oil and just the right amount of garlic. Enjoy nautically themed cocktails and “drunken” octopus salad at one of Florida’s top hotels, right on the water’s edge. The iconic Florida Stone Crab comes in a dozen different ways, while shrimp and grits never go out of fashion. But where are the savviest diners eating out? Welcome to our Tastemaker Lists. Our team has reviewed dozens of places to find the best seafood restaurants in Sarasota, Florida. Book a table tonight!

The OpenTable Team

14 Restaurants

Updated February 26, 2020

Restaurants:	Sardinia Sarasota, Jack Dusty Coastal Cuisine and Crafted Cocktails, Duval's Fresh. Local. Seafood.…
Price Range:	$$ - $$$
Cuisines:	Italian, Seafood…
Neighborhoods:	Sarasota…

Sardinia Sarasota

$$$$

Italian

Sarasota

4.7

1183 reviews

Sarasota’s Sardinia might be a long way from its namesake in Italy but diners who shut their eyes while dining here might find it hard to tell. Sardinia’s menus and ethos revolves around the wood-burning oven which produces dishes from ricotta tarts to perfectly grilled fish. Sardinian food is all about simplicity and letting the ingredients speak for themselves. With this in mind, expect farm fresh ingredients including lots of locally grown produce and wild mushrooms. Seafood fans can indulge in something as light as a mixed seafood salad, or something richer like seafood bouillabaisse. Flavor and authenticity in one beautiful package.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Jack Dusty Coastal Cuisine and Crafted Cocktails

$$$$

Seafood

Sarasota

4.6

1922 reviews

There’s nothing quite like eating a wonderful seafood meal whilst gazing out to sea. Jack Dusty’s is one of the best spots to do just that. As part of Sarasota’s Ritz Carlton, luxury and impeccable service come as standard. The nautical theme is perfect for the ocean-side setting, and the menu honors the coastal position too. This is the perfect spot for a celebration or just to enjoy a spot of luxury. As about raw platters to share, with clams, ceviche, and oysters singly or by the dozen.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Duval's Fresh. Local. Seafood.

$$$$

Seafood

Sarasota

4.6

4552 reviews

With a name like that, what else can diners expect but the best seafood in Sarasota? Perfectly placed in bustling Downtown, Duval’s is famous with locals for both classic and intriguingly modern dishes. Awards our in for the exceptional wine list, the quality of the seafood and even the sandwiches on offer here. A weekend brunch hotspot, with a quirky menu pairing eggs with lobster, crab, shrimp, and of course, a house-special Bloody Mary. Booking essential.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Cafe Amici

$$$$

Italian

Sarasota

4.7

779 reviews

A Downtown institution offering authentic Italian cuisine for many years, Amici is a family run restaurant built on pure Mediterranean passion. That passion extends to the menu, which is full of the finest Italian ingredient like rich gorgonzola, fresh eggplant, and the freshest seafood. Calamari Guazzetto pairs squid with olve oil and a wine sauce. Blue crab joins greens and capers for a zingy salad that’s totally unique. Keep it classic with seafood ravioli in a silky sauce or local littleneck clams and linguine. Ask servers about specials and recommendations, and indulge in some true culinary genius.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

The Capital Grille - Sarasota

$$$$

Steakhouse

Sarasota

4.8

2358 reviews

Sometimes a chain restaurant comes along that’s more than just a franchise. It turns out, Capital Grille has so many branches because its menu is so ridiculously tasty and it offers the kind of high class dining normally associated with exclusive, independent eateries. Right in the UTC Mall, Sarasota’s Capital Grille is conveniently placed but be sure to book, as tables go fast. Start with oysters mignonette, on ice and in the shell. Or how about a jumbo crab cocktail with local lump crab and mustard sauce? For entrees, seared scallops and asparagus are a seasonal treat, while fans of more Eastern flavors can enjoy seared tuna with sesame and ginger rice. So many options in a refined setting.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Ophelia's on the Bay

$$$$

Contemporary American

Siesta Key

4.8

5370 reviews

New American is a term that’s becoming more and more common, but here at Ophelia’s, it means exquisite ingredients cooked expertly and with a sense of invention. Right on the water’s edge, Ophelia’s is romantically placed and the venue for many marriage proposals. Eating out here feels like a special occasion every time. The menu offers delights such as mussels with chardonnay butter sauce, grouper with jasmine rice, or shrimp and scallop gnocchi. A waterfront favorite for over thirty years.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Dry Dock Waterfront Grill

$$$$

Seafood

Longboat Key

4.8

7213 reviews

What better place to enjoy some fresh fish than the heart of Sarasota Bay? Take a boat across the bay to Longboat Key and sit out on the beautifully decked patio, sipping a Shark Lady specialty cocktail. When guests get hungry, they can choose from a range of small bites and appetizers to share, or dive right in (pun intended) with big plates like lobster tacos or salmon linguine. Dry Dock’s team particularly pride themselves on local grouper and fresh red snapper, so be sure to check what the catch of the day is. One of the best placed and most relaxed seafood restaurants in Sarasota, Florida.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Cafe Gabbiano

$$$$

Italian

Siesta Key

4.7

3060 reviews

Elegant and refined, yet with a sense of rustic charm on the menu, Café Gabbiano manages to combine all the finer points of Italian dining. Vibrant and bright in the main dining area, with private dining areas that revel in dark wood and leather, this restaurant has style and substance in all areas. Mussels and Calamari sit comfortably alongside smoked mozzarella, and shrimp is lovingly thrown in squid ink and spicy sauce to create just one of the house pasta dishes. Book a table for their outdoor patio, ask about private dining, or even order a Sunset Basket and take a picnic down to the beach. Idyllic.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

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Chart House Restaurant - Longboat Key

$$$$

Seafood

Longboat Key

4.3

5763 reviews

Longboat Key restaurants are all about great views and great seafood. Chart House has taken both these key aspects and made them even better. The outdoor patio stretches along the side of the dining room, allowing spectacular views across the bay and over to other parts of the Key. Or, stay in the shade and keep cool while enjoying a classy atmosphere and a glass of wine. Pair a drink with sharing tuna tacos for groups of friends, or crunchy coconut shrimp, or simple salmon with a lemon crust. A menu to satisfy even the fussiest seafood fanatics.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Clayton's Siesta Grille

$$$$

American

Sarasota

4.6

1751 reviews

Bright, colorful and welcoming, Clayton’s is an art-inspired place perfect for drinks and seafood after exploring the joys of Siesta Key. A staunch member of the community, this restaurant regularly organizes events to raise money for charity, and everything they do in the restaurant takes the environment into consideration. So, when diners enjoy their Prince Edward Island Mussels in white wine, or bite into pan-roasted scallops they known it’s not costing the earth.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Blue Marlin - Bradenton Beach

$$$$

Seafood

Bradenton

4.7

2519 reviews

Bradenton Beach is a popular hotspot in Sarasota, and Blue Marlin has brought even more flavor and entertainment. The nautical theme in blue and wood is cool and welcoming, and guests are regularly treated to live music, making this a unique and fun spot to enjoy some excellent seafood. Share a few small plates with friends, like seared shrimp ajillo or local steamed clams. Or how about a GLT? That’s a grouper, lettuce and green tomato salad for the uninitiated- a state which won’t last too long at this popular and flavorsome establishment.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

The Crow's Nest

$$$$

Seafood

Venice

4.7

3523 reviews

Right at the northern tip of Sarasota’s Venice is a landmark restaurant that’s kept diners coming back for over 40 years. Beautifully situated right in the marina, Crow’s Nest is absolute heaven for seafood lovers. The raw bar offers a range of oysters and local clams, whilst the more traditional can enjoy a Gulf shrimp cocktail. Clam chowder and seafood bisque warms the cockles, or there’s deep fried grouper or open-faced seafood ravioli for those with bigger appetites. There’s a reason Crow’s Nest has lasted nearly five decades. Book tonight and go find out why.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Connors Steak & Seafood - Sarasota

$$$$

Steakhouse

Siesta Key

4.7

6359 reviews

Connor’s is one of those steakhouses that’s managed to put itself ahead of the pack and stay there. This is definitely helped by the local, quality seafood of Sarasota and a relaxed dining experience that more and more people are looking for. The menu is full of exciting temptations like voodoo shrimp, Cajun grouper and Alaskan halibut in a parmesan crust- not just making the most of the fine, local ingredients on offer but creating new ways to enjoy them with friends and family, whatever the occasion. Book to avoid disappointment.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Fleming's Steakhouse - Sarasota

$$$$

Steak

Sarasota

4.7

1645 reviews

One of the joys of eating out where fresh fish is always available is that even a classic steakhouse transforms into one of the finest seafood restaurants in Sarasota, Florida. Flemings offers everything diners have come to expect- great service, classy surroundings, quality beef and sides- but also some of the finest seafood. Favorites include the Ahi Tuna appetizer, the succulent shrimp cocktail and, of course, lobster tails. A local favorite for special occasions.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

The Best Seafood Restaurants in Sarasota

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