Page 42 - Fall/Winter Taste Magazine

best burgers are served.
A must are the all-the-way burgers, made with fresh ground
meat on an old seasoned grill. Choose an ice-cold beer from a wide assortment of bottles, or have a frozen mug of fresh beer served from the tap. A selection of sodas, juice and iced tea are also available to go with your burger, hot dog, grilled cheese, garden burger, chili or navy bean soup. During this virus situation they are doing a brisk take-out business so give a call to pick up your favorite burger today.
Attire is casual and bathing suits are welcome! Nothing fancy at Duffy’s, that’s what keeps the customers going there for all those years I imagine. Hours are from 11AM to 8PM and they are closed on Tuesdays. It’s a legend on Anna Maria Island (as was Mom, Pat Geyer). Duffy’s continues to offer beachgoers an island attitude in a ‘character’ surrounding. Stop by and see why USA Today calls it “an institution.”
A few favorite items that have been enjoyed over the years is
the Jalepeño Cheeseburger, Caramelized Onion Brie Burger and Pulled
Pork Carolina-style. Also try the Homemade Pastrami Sandwich,
Smoked Beef Brisket or Roast Beef Sandwich as well. New is the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich and their Mahi Fish Sandwich They also serve a vari-
ety of specials daily that are very people pleasing, do check them out. Wow, not just burgers anymore! Enjoy the casual lifestyle on AMI and there’s no better place for many Islanders and tourists than to make plans to chill at Duffy’s Tavern on Holmes Beach at 5808 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach (941-778-2501). Many thanks for being a Taste Dining & Travel advertiser for over 29 years in every issue!
Many of us love wine (yours truly included) and enjoy talk- ing about, reading about it and of course drinking it. It’s lovely when you are around certain people who have a passion for the juice, a wine connection is always fun. A knowledgeable and entertaining owner is Mitch Soffer of TheWineToBuy.com at 2140 Gulf Gate Drive, Sarasota (941-926- 9463 (WINE). Mitch has been in the business 39 years now and he knows his grape juice.
Mitch is easy to talk to and his store has a great selection of wines from which to choose. The store is full of varied choices from around the world and Mitch can tell you about them all since he tastes between 50 and 100 wines per week. They have recently been awarded three Gold Medals from Winesearcher.com for the best Overall List in Sarasota, Tuscan List and Rhone List. Congratulations! Changes in the wine business? “Everyone has upgraded,” says Mitch. “there is a higher check average on wines, all with very good quality. If I am tasting this week and don’t like what I am tasting, next week the rep is back with another selection of wines that I might just like and buy. It is very good out there as the quality and availability of wines have really improved.”
Mitch says he starting working in the wine business soon after high school 1989-ish. He fortunately had the opportunity to pass go and started to train his palate at age 20 with the help of Gary Fisch from the now famous Gary’s Wine & Market Place in Napa Valley and New Jersey. No Mateus, No Riunite just wines like 1974 Louis Martini
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Owner Mitch Soffer (right) of TheWineToBuy.com with Gary Soffer
Napa Cabernet etc. Next was a
20 year stint in the very aggressive
New Jersey wine wholesale busi-
ness which no college education
could buy you in the wine business. Along with many trips outside the USA to study wine, Mitch says his motto for tasting wine is like Charlie the Tuna, (we don’t want tunas with good taste we want tunas that taste GOOD!) Now 16 years here in Florida the wine consumers here are incredibly knowledgeable about wine and that make their job go very smooth! TheWineToBuy.com offer the highest quality of wines at
Taste Dining & Travel • Fall/Winter • More online at www.tasteweb.net