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.

Mi Kasa Es Su Kasa

Roll Up to Kasa Sushi, the North Trail's Newest Eatery

Visiting a space that's been an Ethiopian restaurant, a dim sum destination and a KFC. Does Kasa have what it takes to outlast those earlier incarnations?

12/07/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Chomp!

5 Tasty Food News Nibbles

Dinner at C'est La Vie!, a new coffee shop and empanadas delivered to your door. All that and more in our roundup of recent restaurant news.

11/30/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Honolulu Meets Caracas

10 Bucks or Less: Mandoca

An affordable Venezuelan spot that's taken over the old Hukilau Hut.

11/22/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Eating Habits

Culinary Travelers Are Putting Sarasota and Manatee on the Food Map

Here's a look at our tourists' eating habits.

11/22/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Mashup

All Hail the Sushi Burrito

Sushi on my left. Burrito on my right. Bring 'em both together and you're eating all right.

11/16/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Compare and Contrast

The Year's Second Christine Chubbuck Film Opens in Sarasota Nov. 25

"Christine" is the second film released this year to delve into the story of a Sarasota television reporter who shot herself live on air in 1974.

11/14/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Eat This Now

Where and What To Eat This Week - 11/9/16

This week: shakshuka, poultry pie and cactus popsicles.

11/09/2016 By Eat Beat Team

Coasting

Sharp, Colorful Cuisine in a Siesta Key Shack

Buckle up—we're headed to Siesta Key to check out CeviChela.

11/09/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Food Lovers' Guide

Why Aren't There More Local Farmers at the Downtown Market?

The Sarasota Farmers Market has over 50 vendors; only a handful grow and sell their own food.

10/27/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Food Lovers' Guide

Why I Spent a Day Killing Chickens

Cooper Levey-Baker on owning up to what eating meat entails.

10/27/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Food Lovers' Guide

Niche Markets: Your Best Bets for Global and Local Specialties

From local beef to Middle Eastern specialties, our region's got it all.

10/27/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Food Lovers' Guide

Stock Your Kitchen with These Locally Grown and Made Products

Our region boasts milk, honey, bottarga, jellies and more.

10/27/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Notes From the Candy Corn Test Kitchen

We Made It: Candy Corn Bacon, Candy Corn Liqueur, Candy Corn Latte

Can Halloween's most controversial candy improve the flavor of bacon, booze and coffee?

10/26/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Made in SRQ

L-3 Aviation Products Manufactures Black Boxes Right Here in Sarasota

The company produces around 5,000 recorders here each year.

10/26/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Tourism Beat

Visitor Bureaus are Creating Strategies to Ease Drive Time in Season

Think traffic in Sarasota and Manatee counties gets worse every year? You’re not wrong.

10/20/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

No Time to Rest

How This Supreme Court Marriage Equality Plaintiff Went From "Accidental" Activist to Just Plain Activist

"The opponents of equality know they're losing and they're lashing out in every way they can."

10/12/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Going Up

The Coolinary Opens in Second-Story Main Street Space

Main Street's newest restaurant blends high and low with both its cuisine and its design.

10/11/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

We Beefin'?

Your New Source for Local Beef

Meet the Sarasota Beef Company, which sells Myakka City meat directly to customers and supplies it to dozens of local restaurants.

10/05/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Cup, Cup and Away

Made in Sarasota: Tervis Tumbler

The nearly indestructible cup is the ideal sipping device.

09/28/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Who You Going to Call?

Waiting for Bigfoot

A Tampa Bay investigator checks out local Bigfoot sightings.

09/28/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker