Best of Sarasota

Meet the Winners of the Best of Sarasota 2026

We tallied more than 700,000 votes in 264 categories, the most ever since our contest began in 1991.

8:57am

Mangia!

At Don Luigi, an Intimate Italian Restaurant, There’s No Menu

Chef and owner Luigi Di Iorio crafts each plate based on what looked best at the market that morning, the mood in the room and whatever idea strikes him.

10:51am By Matthew Gutierrez

Gobble, Quack, Cluck

How the Turducken Made Its Way From New Orleans to Sarasota

Alpine Steakhouse sells more than 1,000 turduckens a year.

9:01am By Jules Telfort

Best of Sarasota

Best of Sarasota 2026 Top Vote-Getter: Masō

The intimate restaurant belongs to a collection of neighboring food-and-drink concepts from co-owners Broc Smith and Jeremy Rice.

8:16am By Staff

Best of Sarasota

Best of Sarasota 2026 Top Vote-Getter: Kelly from Hair Art Salon

Located in the heart of downtown, the salon channels “coastal glam meets modern luxury,” a vibe that feels right at home in Sarasota.

10:00am By Staff

Personal Playbook

Sarasota Art Museum’s Virginia Shearer Shares Some of the Items She Can’t Live Without

Shearer is the executive director of the Sarasota Art Museum. These are a few of her favorite things.

8:30am By Megan McDonald

Flashback

Photo: Bird Key Yacht Club, 1960

Joseph Janney Steinmetz captures the tropical midcentury glamour of the club, which was founded in 1959.

9:12am By Megan McDonald

Best of Sarasota

Best of Sarasota 2026 Top Vote-Getter: Williams Parker

8:45am By Staff

In Their Own Words

Project 180’s Antonia “Toni” Rolle Provides Hope and Help for People During and After Incarceration

Since 2025, Rolle has led the organization in its mission to reintegrate formerly incarcerated individuals into the community.

8:44am By Kendall Southworth

Best of Sarasota

Best of Sarasota 2026 Top Vote-Getter: Lexus of Sarasota

Lexus of Sarasota sells 300 cars a month during off months and up to 400 cars a month in the busy season.

8:40am By Staff

Best of Sarasota

Best of Sarasota 2026 Top Vote-Getter: The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota

“Our history is deeply intertwined with the city’s own evolution,” says general manager Mark Sherwin.

8:31am By Staff

Huzzah!

The Sarasota Medieval Fair Celebrates 50 Years

The fair, which first took root beneath the banyans at The Ringling, has found a permanent home at Mallaranny Farms in Myakka City—the only fair of its kind in Florida to own and operate a permanent location.

8:06am By Kendall Southworth

Winging It

The American Kestrel Is the Smallest, Most Common Raptor in America

You can spot them at the Celery Fields and Myakka River State Park.

9:07am By Megan McDonald

Best of Sarasota

Best of Sarasota 2026 Top Vote-Getter: Siesta Beach

The quartz-crystal sand, turquoise water and ever-evolving cast of eclectic sights—including its groovy drum circle—make Siesta Beach both quintessentially Sarasota and a world of its own.

8:30am By Staff