Fall is when the dining scene down here wakes up. The summer crowd thins, the patios get comfortable again, and the new kitchens finally open their doors. South County is having a real moment right now, with openings from Venice up to the Palmer Ranch corridor, and I have been tracking every one of them. Here is my fall dining radar, straight from someone who eats out on this corridor more than she should.
Venice: The Big Openings
The one everyone is talking about is Salty Neighbor Bar & Grill at 4187 South Tamiami Trail, in the Venice Village plaza where Rib City used to be. It is a veteran-owned, Cuban-influenced neighborhood spot with brisket burgers, Cuban sandwiches and pork chops on the menu, 13 big screens for game days, and a patio for when the weather turns perfect. It was targeting a September to October opening, so watch for the doors any day now.
Two more are worth putting on the calendar. Ristorante Roma, in the former Unique Cuisine space in Venice, is a Roman concept promising handmade pasta, risotto and seafood with an Italian wine list, slated for this fall. And Snook Haven, the beloved riverfront restaurant and music venue on the Myakka River just east of downtown Venice, is in the middle of a major rebuild and pacing toward a fall reopening. Live music on the river again, which is a very good thing for this corner of the county.
Up the Trail: Sarasota Additions
Heading north, Comptoir: The Counter Café at 2805 North Tamiami Trail is the project from French-born chef Gregory Desvenain, a from-scratch café planned for early-morning to late-afternoon hours. It was targeting an early October opening, so it may already be pouring coffee by the time you read this. Two Shores Cafe opened in early September and is already earning its regulars, and Dominick's Family Pizza on Lockwood Ridge Road is aiming for a soft opening around late October, a small family-run room that sounds exactly like the neighborhood spot every corridor needs.
My Reliable Corridor Picks
While the new places find their rhythm, the standbys hold the line. Waterside Place on the corridor keeps delivering, from Freckled Fin's coastal menu to Ford's Garage, and I wrote up the full Waterside Place dining experience if you want the details. The Blue Sunshine Patio at Marina Jacks on the Sarasota bayfront stays booked with live music most evenings, and the Art Ovation Hotel rooftop remains the arts-district perch for a sunset close. My complete list of favorites is in the dining guide.
If you are planning a house-hunting trip, this is a wonderful season to eat your way around the corridor between tours, and I am happy to build the route for you, lunch spots and all. Reach out and tell me what you are craving.