Cooper Levey-Baker has written about food, politics, civic issues, the arts, and music in Southwest Florida for 15 years. His work has won multiple awards from the Florida Magazine Association and the Florida Society of Professional Journalists, as well as an honorable mention from the Julia Child Foundation. Follow him on Twitter: @LeveyBaker.

Weekly Planner

Swiss Dishes, a Musical Brunch and More of This Week's Top Food and Drink Events

Also on the menu: painting at Lucky's Market and a sauce-making class at Publix.

07/31/2019 By Hanna Powers

Hungry Hungry History

For One Scholar, Corn Offers a Window Into Florida's Past—and Present

The history of corn in Florida goes back millennia.

07/30/2019 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Hog U

Special Mattison's Dinner Raises Money for Farmer Scholarships

Next month's Niman Ranch Next Generation Scholarship Dinner highlights the benefits of humanely and sustainably raised livestock.

07/19/2019 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Iberian eats

New Owners Plan Portuguese Makeover for Italian Restaurant

Portugal natives Tito and Liana Vitorino recently purchased downtown Sarasota's Amore Restaurant and a changeover is in the works.

07/11/2019 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Garden and Fun

New Sarasota Beer Garden Opens Today

Siegfried's Restaurant includes two separate areas: an indoor sit-down dining room and a beer garden with long picnic tables and a food trailer out back.

07/02/2019 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Newsmaker

Veronica Brady Is Out to Raise $20 Million to Build Phase One of The Bay

Brady was an early supporter of the Sarasota Bayfront Planning Organization and part of a three-person team that raised $2.1 million in 2017 to pay for the master plan.

07/01/2019 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Grab & Go

Looking for Tasty Takeout? We've Got the Best of the Bunch

Snuggle up on the couch, grab a container and a fork, and dig in.

07/01/2019 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Grab & Go

Looking for Tasty Takeout? We've Got the Best of the Bunch

Snuggle up on the couch, grab a container and a fork, and dig in.

07/01/2019 By Cooper Levey-Baker

All The "Ways"

Cincinnati’s Skyline Chili Comes to Lakewood Ranch

Skyline is a revered Cincinnati institution dating back to 1949.

07/01/2019 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Waste Not

Five Products That Reduce Takeout Trash

Eco-conscious consumers are even bringing their own utensils to the table.

07/01/2019 By Cooper Levey-Baker

The Great Disruption

How Food Delivery Apps Are Changing the Economics of the Restaurant Business

Today, Bite Squad works with more than 170 area restaurants.

07/01/2019 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Grab & Go

10 Can't-Miss Takeout Meals

When we’re too lazy to fix dinner, these are the to-go feasts we turn to most often.

07/01/2019 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Groceraunts

Five Great Quick-Dinner Items You Can Pick Up While Grocery Shopping

We consider these our weeknight staples.

07/01/2019 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Essential Intelligence

Sea Turtle Nesting Season Is Back on Florida's Gulf Coast

Sea turtles have been swimming the world’s oceans for 100 million years, but today their future is precarious.

06/30/2019 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Shack Attack

Shake Shack Has Arrived at The Mall at UTC

Shake Shack now operates roughly 250 locations around the world.

06/30/2019 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Restaurant Review

Lemon Tree Kitchen Serves 'Clean' Cuisine in the Former Louies Modern

You don’t have to be a vegetarian to love Lemon Tree, but the menu is stocked with great vegetarian options.

06/30/2019 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Making Waves

Six Women Shaping Our Region—and Our World

We celebrate six women whose talents and accomplishments are transforming the environment, business, sports and politics here and beyond.

06/29/2019 By Pam Daniel, Susan Burns, Cooper Levey-Baker, and Kay Kipling

Making Waves

Stevie Freeman-Montes Is Determined to Help Sarasota Face Climate Change

“I’m trying to facilitate a process of figuring this out together.”

06/28/2019 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Smoke shop

A New Nancy's Bar-B-Q Is Opening in Lakewood Ranch Next Week. Here Are the Details

The new restaurant will be open seven days a week and will offer a full bar menu, a first for a Nancy's.

06/27/2019 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Lunch-out!!

Downtown Restaurant Element Adds Lunch Service

The new menu includes a smattering of salads and sandwiches, plus heartier fare like pork belly and scallop entrées.

06/11/2019 By Cooper Levey-Baker