Cheers!

Sarasota's Best Bars

Whether you’re looking for a toes-in-the-sand tiki hut, a secretive speakeasy or a big boisterous beer garden, Sarasota has the bar for you.

08/18/2025 By Cooper Levey-Baker, Lauren Jackson, and Kim Doleatto

Wild and Scenic History

Decades Ago, Visionary Sarasota County Commissioners Saw the Value of Protecting the Myakka

Their efforts led to the adoption of Florida’s Myakka River Wild and Scenic Designation and Preservation Act.

07/24/2025 By Susan Burrns

Creature Encounters

All the Wildlife You'll Spot on the Myakka River

You'll see alligators, for sure—but also fish, turtles, river otters, manatees, bobcats, deer and raccoons.

07/17/2025 By Miri Hardy

Wild and Scenic

Kayaking the Myakka River

Our Gulf beaches are world famous, but Sarasota has another great body of water—the Myakka, celebrating its 40th anniversary as Florida’s only “Wild and Scenic River.”

07/10/2025 By John McCarthy

Editorial Assist

Sarasota Magazine to Front Jerseys for Sarasota Paradise’s 2025 Season

With a USL League One debut on the horizon, the rising star soccer club taps a longtime local publication for its most visible sponsorship to date.

05/22/2025 By Kim Doleatto

Savor the Moment

Savor Sarasota Returns on June 1

More than 50 restaurants have signed up for this year's Savor Sarasota, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary.

05/21/2025 By Lauren Jackson

Paradise City

Sarasota’s Pro Soccer Team Is Leveling Up

“My dream,” says Sarasota Paradise founder Marcus Walfridson, “is that the community all hangs out at the games, throwing scarves up in the air and chanting, ‘We are Paradise!’”

05/05/2025 By Lauren Jackson

Best of Sarasota

The Best of Sarasota 2025

A record number of you cast a ballot this year. The result? A comprehensive review of everything you love about living in Sarasota.

05/01/2025

Get Your Ducks in a Row

The Wait for Peking Duck at Rainbow Island Chinese Is So Worth It

Thank us after you take your first bite of crisp, crackling bronze skin.

04/08/2025 By Lauren Jackson

Rescue Mission

Julie Morris and Jim Strickland Are Out to Prove That Preservation and Agriculture Go Hand in Hand

With their 1,300-acre Lost Girl Prairie, the couple want to show that business owners and environmentalists can work together to preserve Florida’s dwindling parcels of untamed land.

03/17/2025 By Lauren Jackson

Buzz-Worthy

Gayle Goodfriend Turned a Decade-Long Hobby Into a Thriving Honey Business

Goodfriend works from a five-acre homestead in Manatee County where approximately 400,000 bees feast on nearby saw palmettos, sable palms and Brazilian peppertrees.

03/17/2025 By Lauren Jackson

Straight Off the Boat

Maggie's Seafood Hauls Fresh Catches to Multiple Markets

Married owners Maggie and Gary Balch sell 500 pounds of seafood at both the Sarasota and Venice farmers markets.

03/17/2025 By Lauren Jackson

Hot Pockets

Empanada Girl Has Grown From a Small DIY Operation Into a Massive Farmers Market Attraction

Every week, Stefania Fochi and her team make nearly 5,000 empanadas in 25 different flavor combinations

03/17/2025 By Lauren Jackson

The Smell of Success

The Owner of Nick B’s Chimichurri Wins Over Customers With an Ingenious Marketing Technique

“This year we sold $700,000 in chimichurri around the country,” says Maria Barrajo. “I just love to sell. I could sell you a camel in Miami."

03/17/2025 By Lauren Jackson

Blowing Minds

Bill Nelms Wants You to Know That Mushrooms Aren’t Just for Eating Anymore

“We sell about 400 pounds of mushrooms a week," Nelms says.

03/17/2025 By Lauren Jackson

Love and Other Drugs

Eight Local Valentine's Day Gifts Your Loved One Will Actually Like

From cheeky candles to pretty lingerie to a psychic trolley tour, there's something for everyone.

02/12/2025 By Megan McDonald

Love Where You Live!

11 Local Neighborhoods Where Everything Is Changing

Our region has grown like crazy in recent years, but growth can look very different depending on your neighborhood.

01/13/2025 By Kim Doleatto, Lauren Jackson, Megan McDonald, and Cooper Levey-Baker

Let's Taco 'Bout It

Casa Masa's Second Location Officially Opens This Weekend in The Landings

Chef Rob DiSilvio's new location has been in soft-open mode this week, ahead of the opening. The new restaurant features an expanded menu and a full bar, with a raft of creative cocktails designed by former Pangea owner Brad Coburn.

01/08/2025 By Lauren Jackson

Year in Review

The Most Compelling Local News Stories of 2024

As the year comes to an end, we take a look back at the stories that defined our region in 2024.

12/30/2024 By Megan McDonald

Year in Review

Our Top Food Stories of 2024

From the closings of the beloved Hob Nob and South Trail Outback to Michelin-starred restaurants and exciting new Asian offerings, there was always something happening in the food scene this year.

12/20/2024 By Lauren Jackson