Page 11 - Summer 2022 Taste Magazine

similar to the original Rosemary as is the cuisine, including some of the favorites with more seafood entrees like Paella, Mahi Mahi Ponzu, Walnut-Crusted Sea Bass and Salmon Finocchio. Save room for the Tomahawk Pork Chop, Osso Buco, Duck L’Orange and more. Lighter selections including a variety of salads are available along with a cre- ative selection of appetizers and desserts.
Enjoy their Sunday Brunch with $10 Mimosas and Bloody Marys along with great foods served. Be sure to enjoy a meal here or just order ahead for pick-up. They are also walking distance from all downtown hotels and offer pre-theater dining. Great staff and food will make your next dinner at Rosemary & Thyme one to remember. Special events and parties are always welcome here and be sure to enjoy their ‘Summer -Thyme’ three course special for dinner for $39. Full service catering off-premises is also available though Rosemary & Thyme, just give a call.
A few doors away is the original Rosemary at 411 North Orange Avenue, Sarasota (941-9557600) and their new eclectic and global breakfast and lunch menu will be available from11am to 2pm daily and 9am to 2pm Saturday. They have reopened recently with a new look and a few selections offered include Shrimp Enchiladas, Seafood Quesadilla in Brie, Jambalaya, Blackened Red Fish, Oysters and other Asian influenced cuisine that will surely please many. Welcome back!
The City Pier Grill and Bait Shop located on the Anna MariaCityPier at100NorthBayBlvd.(941-254-4219)openedlast spring. We have missed this popular attraction that is typically old Florida and so have you apparently as many locals and tourists have flocked to the City Pier for a bit of calm, serenity and now great casual food! They now offer fresh food, ice cream, beer and wine as well as bait and tackle for all patrons of the recently opened Anna Maria City Pier.
Originally built in 1911, and recently rebuilt in 2020 due to damages sustained by Hurricane Irma in September of 2017. The City Pier Grill and Bait Shop was founded in late 2020 after winning the bid- ding process to operate on the Anna Maria City Pier. The owners who were already business partners in Pine Avenue Bait and Tackle each owned other businesses that fit in perfectly with the vision for a Grill and Bait Shop. Brian Seymour has owned and operated The Anna Maria General Store and Deli on Pine Avenue for the last 10 years, Victor Mattay has owned and operated Dips Ice Cream in the City of Anna Maria for over 20 years and Nicholas Graham has owned and operated Graham Slam Fishing Charters and Graham Slam Bait and Tackle locally for almost 10 years.
The owners have focused on quality food at family friendly prices where 95% of their menu items are made fresh in house by father/son manager Chris Powers and Chef Jacob Powers. They are more than a snack shop, just not quite a full service restaurant due to their outdoor seating. Some initial favorites of their guests include the breakfast sandwiches, homemade sausage gravy and biscuit, Blackened Fish Tacos, Cuban sandwich, and fresh burgers. They offer all kinds of chef inspired specials each day as well.
Weather permitting the City Pier Grill has local entertainment each afternoon/early evening on the pier just in front of the Grill. In
The new City Pier Grill & Bait Shop, a great place to visit for casual food, drinks, fishing ...or just hanging out
addition to great food they offer beer, wine, seltzers and more from the grill as well as the best soft serve ice cream, snow cones and more.
Their bait and tackle area has live bait and frozen bait for all your fishing needs. In addition if you want to fish, and don’t have your gear or are new to fishing they rent all the equipment you will need and their bait attendants are keen to assist you with your catches to educate you. They encourage catch and release on the pier as it helps promote the eco-system and keeps plenty of fish in the gulf and bay for many generations to enjoy!
The City Pier Grill is open 7 days a week from 7am to 10pm as is the City Pier which has been approved to house a Mote Marine Laboratory facility here as well in the very near future. There are won- derful, clean restrooms for your use and some of the best views from the Skyway Bridge to the north, Egmont and Passage Key to the west, Anna Maria Island to the south and Bradenton to the east. Wildlife such as manatees and dolphins regularly show up around the city pier and are enjoyed by all daily.
From Sicily to the Gulf of Mexico, wow! The Santagati family moved from Italy to Florida in 2017. With an extensive background in the hospitality business, they opened their first restaurant – Isola Bella Italian Eatery in Holmes Beach at 5904 Marina Drive (941-242-5309) – after falling in love with the location. Their traditional and authentic Italian food has been pleasing the palate of both residents and tourists and recently Isola Bella has been awarded “Travelers’ Choice 2020” by TripAdvisor for being in the top 10% of restaurants worldwide! Terrific! Their expanded outdoor dining area is wonderful and so nice to see repeat customers coming here regularly. They are the #1 in Anna Maria Island for Italian restaurant category voted by The Sun readers. Congratulations, well deserved. Dinner is served here Monday - Saturday 5 to 9pm.
In February 2020, they opened a second restaurant on Longboat Key – La Norma, located at 5370 Gulf of Mexico Drive (941- 383-6262) – where they also added Italian-style pizza to their traditional
Celebrating 30 Years! Taste Dining & Travel • Summer More online at www.tasteweb.net
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