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.

Meat Feat

Breaking News: Brick's Barbeque Coming to Southside Village

Mark Gabrick, working with business partner Dick Rivera, recently secured plans to take over a space on S. Osprey Avenue.

05/13/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Party for Your Right to Fight

The Harvey Milk Festival Delivers Art, Theater and Music with an Edge

The Harvey Milk Festival returns for a seventh year, with a run of events that begins Thursday evening and climaxes Saturday.

05/11/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Family Fun Guide

Ask a Kid: Why Do You Love Sarasota?

Young experts answer: "What's so cool about this place?"

05/10/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker Photography by Everett Dennison

Family Fun Guide

Eight Great Sarasota Playgrounds

Looking for a great local playground for the little ones? We've got you covered.

05/10/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Barn Praising

10 Bucks Or Less: Maria's Restaurant

You can find fantastic food at Bradenton's Red Barn Flea Market.

05/09/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Family Fun Guide

Ultimate Family Fun Guide

Make this your best family summer ever, with our guide to top camps, cool adventures, arts, crafts and more.

05/06/2016 By Ilene Denton, Heather Dunhill, Tony D'Souza, and Cooper Levey-Baker

Tourism Beat

An Insider's Guide to Sarasota

Today’s tourists want an insider’s experience.

05/06/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Screeeeeech!

Planning Commission Delays Decision on Food Truck Rules

The board expressed a desire to loosen county regulations, but was split about the best way to proceed.

05/06/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Coming Soon

New Siesta Key Restaurant From Darwin Santa Maria in the Works

The chef hopes to open CeviChela Latin Street Food on Siesta Key later this month, just in time for Memorial Day weekend.

05/03/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Ah ga ga ga ga ga ga

10 Bucks Or Less: Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen

Heaven is a place on earth.

05/02/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Bonnet Rippers

Amish Romance Novels Are a Booming Literary Genre

Sarasota’s Pinecraft stars in an unlikely genre: Amish romance novels.

05/02/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

On a Bender

Binge Drinking is Up in Sarasota County. Why?

A community health assessment released in January by the county health department shows binge drinking is on the rise.

05/02/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

The Feed

Mojo's Real Cuban Opens On S.R. 70; Russian House and Lovin' Spoon Full Close

This month's dining dish from Cooper Levey-Baker.

05/02/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Eat This Now

The 5 Best Things We Ate This Week - 4/26/16

From sculptural Peruvian food to dainty French macarons, here's what we ate and loved this week.

04/26/2016 By Eat Beat Team

Pie High

10 Bucks Or Less: Palermo Pizza

Excellent 'za in a tucked-away South Trail strip mall.

04/25/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Handcrafted Success

JMX Brands CEO Jim Miller Shares His Strategy for Success

Jim Miller's fast-growing JMX Brands uses technology to sell Amish furniture.

04/22/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker Photography by Evan Sigmund

Law & Order

Watch Jim's Small Batch Bakery on The People's Court

Jim Plocharsky of Jim's Small Batch Bakery in Gulf Gate made a surprise appearance on daytime TV.

04/22/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Street Meat

Food Truck Rally Intended to Call Attention to Restrictive County Rules

SRQ's First Food Truck Rally runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. this Saturday.

04/20/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Beef chief

10 Bucks Or Less: BrewBurger's Pub and Grill

Burgers, burgers and burgers at this Venice hangout.

04/15/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Local Motion

Local-Focused Tampa Restaurant Chain Coming to Downtown Sarasota

Boca Kitchen Bar Market is planning to open on Lemon Avenue, just south of Main Street

04/08/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker