October is when the food calendar down here really wakes up. The patios are comfortable again, the fall produce is in, and the season's first special dinners are on the books. Here is my plan for eating my way through the next week or two, from a farm-to-table fundraiser to the new kitchens I am watching in Nokomis and Venice.
Dinner That Gives Back: The Autumn Harvest Dinner
The one to put on the calendar first is the Autumn Harvest Dinner at All Faiths Food Bank's warehouse on Friday, October 16, a farm-to-table evening prepared by the team from Michael's On East with every plate supporting the food bank's produce programs. It is a wonderful way to spend a fall evening and know your night out is feeding neighbors at the same time. If you cannot make it, the food bank runs volunteer shifts all year, and I talk more about that in my giving-season post.
New Kitchens to Watch in South County
The pipeline of openings keeps running south. Texas Roadhouse is set to open its first Sarasota County location at the new Venice Crossing development in Nokomis, with the center's early businesses expected to begin arriving in 2027. The Breakfast Company is adding its first drive-through in the South County area, Wings Etc. Grill & Pub is serving in Venice, and Capriotti's Sandwich Shop is now open on South Tamiami Trail in Sarasota. My running list of favorites is on the dining guide, and I keep the radar fresh on the blog.
My Fall Market Ritual
Between the dinners and the openings, the markets anchor my week: the Downtown Sarasota Farmers Market on Lemon Avenue and Main Street every Saturday, the Central Sarasota Farmers Market on Beneva Road, the Venice Farmers Market on the City Hall lawn, and the midweek Phillippi Farmhouse Market right along the Legacy Trail. I stock up on squash and greens, grab a honey or a fresh loaf, and usually end up on a patio with the bag in the trunk. A fall Saturday market morning into a slow lunch is still my favorite ritual on this corridor.
If you are coming down to look at homes, this is the season to build a tour day around lunch stops. Tell me what you are craving and I will point you in the right direction, and let's talk about what you are looking for in a community while we are at it.