New in Sarasota

Last updated: October 15, 2026.

Sarasota's dining and shopping scene moves fast — more than two dozen restaurants opened in 2026 alone. This is our running list of the newest restaurants, bars, venues, and shops worth knowing about, updated regularly as new spots open (and verified before they make the list).

Eat & Drink

• Chick-fil-A Heritage Harbour (Bradenton, 7283 State Road 64 E., near I-75, north of Lakewood Ranch) — Opened October 15, 2026. The chain's newest Sarasota-Manatee spot, with an opening-day cow-costume free entrée promo. Money tip: download the app for opening-week deals.
• South Siesta Saloon (Gulf Gate, 6523 Gateway Ave.) — Opened October 10, 2026. A country-themed bar: mechanical bull, line-dancing dance floor, and live entertainment, open noon–2am daily. Money tip: Gulf Gate prices beat the beach strip for a night out.
• Mitchell's Food and Wine (Downtown, 1660 Main St., former Lucile Pizza & Wine Bar) — Opened mid-October 2026. Italian-leaning, from the same owners as Lucile (Ryan Boeve and Mark Baldwin): wood-fired pizza, braised short rib brasato, and Florida yellowtail snapper. Money tip: check their site for current specials before you go.
• Comptoir: The Counter Café (North Trail, 2805 N. Tamiami Trail, Indian Beach Plaza, across from Ringling College) — Opened October 5, 2026. A French-style "point chaud": crêpes, quiches, baguettes, kouign-amann, and espresso, from co-owners Cemantha Crain and French-born chef Gregory Desvenain. Money tip: a crêpe and a coffee makes this one of the cheapest good lunches near the North Trail.
• Chicken Salad Chick (Fruitville, 6650 Fruitville Rd., Fruitville Farms center) — Opened September 29, 2026: the first Sarasota County location of the fast-casual chain. Made-from-scratch chicken salad, soups, and sandwiches. Money tip: fast-casual lunch pricing, east of I-75.
• Sorella (Downtown, 1532 Main St., former Yume Sushi space) — Opened late September 2026. An Italian restaurant co-owned by twin sisters Dana and Danielle Malcolm, with pasta and Neapolitan pizzas from an Italian oven, from chefs Giancarlo di Cosmo and Simone Di Marco. Money tip: check their site for current specials before you go.
• Tastes of the Philippines (Downtown, 1987 Ringling Blvd., Courthouse Centre) — Soft-opened September 18–19, 2026, serving over a thousand customers in its first weekend. Build-your-box Filipino fast-casual: garlic fried rice, lumpia, turon. Money tip: fast-casual boxes keep this a genuinely budget-friendly downtown lunch.
• Garibaldi Bar & Grill (Gulf Gate, 6644 Gateway Ave.) — Reopened under new ownership September 18, 2026 (formerly Kolucan Mexican Bar & Grill). The Mexican menu leans into seafood: pulpo zarandeado, grouper a la veracruzana. Money tip: Gulf Gate prices beat the beach strip for the same coastline.
• Salty Neighbor Bar & Grill (Venice, 4187 S. Tamiami Trail, Venice Village plaza, former Rib City) — Opened September 2026. A Cuban-influenced sports bar from owner Edwin Morales: mojo pork, Cuban steak sandwiches, "Cuban Cigars." Money tip: sports-bar pricing with a Cuban menu is a budget-friendly dinner south of the county line.
• Sarasocial (Downtown, 1990 Main St.) — Opened September 2026 in the former Fork & Hen space on upper Main Street. Same kitchen and Southern soul cooking roots (Creole ribeye pork chop, Carolina citrus duck), with new ownership, a new chef, live music, cocktails, and an outdoor hookah space. Late-night bites run until 1:30am on weekends. Money tip: check their site for current specials before you go.
• Baldoria (Downtown, 1528 Main St.) — Opened September 2026 in the former Block 15 Cork & Craft wine bar space. Mediterranean-inspired shareable plates — tapas with Italian and Spanish twists, focaccia sandwiches, craft pastas, pizzas — from the restaurateurs behind My Mamma Italian Kitchen. The standout feature: a self-pour beer and wine wall with 24 taps, plus craft cocktails. Money tip: self-pour walls make it easy to taste without committing to a full glass.
• Whit's Frozen Custard (Siesta Key, Siesta Village) — Opened mid-August 2026: the first Southwest Florida location of the Ohio custard chain. Rotating custard flavors, Whitsers, and cookie sandwiches. Money tip: an easy budget dessert stop between beach and dinner.
• Just Salad (Bradenton/UTC, 5231 University Pkwy, Suite 113) — Opened August 19, 2026. Fast-casual salads with a big-bowl build-your-own format. Money tip: a filling bowl here costs less than most sit-down lunches at UTC.
• Kitchen Social (University Town Center, 257 N. Cattlemen Rd.) — Opened March 2026 in the former Rusty Bucket space in UTC's West District; the Ohio-based chain's first location outside its home state. A chef-driven tavern serving scratch-made comfort food (blackened shrimp capellini, teriyaki ribeye, tacos, pizzas) with weekend brunch. Money tip: the Social Hour runs 3–6pm Monday through Friday in the bar and high-top area — half off almost all starters and pizzas, $3 off cocktails and wine by the glass, $1 off draft beer.
• Alma de España (Southside Village, 1830 S. Osprey Ave.) — Opened in 2025 on the Hillview corridor. Spanish tapas and grilled dishes in one of Sarasota's most walkable dining pockets. Heads up: it's moving to the former Indigenous cottage at 239 S. Links Ave. in Towles Court, targeting a November 1, 2026 reopening. Money tip: tapas spots reward going with a group — order a spread and split it.
• Mimi's Brasserie & Speakeasy (Southside Village, 1920 Hillview St.) — Opened in 2025 as the sister business of Lucky 8, the New Orleans-inspired spot that earned Sarasota's first Michelin Bib Gourmand designation. A brasserie up front with a speakeasy in back. Money tip: check their site for current specials.
• Chophouse285 (Englewood, 285 W. Dearborn St.) — Opened late 2025. A 10,000-square-foot steakhouse with a dry-aging room and wood-burning grill, from local restaurateurs Keith and Laurie Farlow, who opened the iconic Farlow's on the Water in 2003. Money tip: steakhouses are rarely cheap — save this one for the splurge night and do the free stuff by day (see our free things to do list).

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Shops & Markets

• The Red Thread Atelier (Southside Village, 1817 S. Osprey Ave.) — Opened September 12, 2026. A modern needlepoint and craft shop from Sarasota native Vaughn Dorrian, in the walkable historic district behind Sarasota Memorial Hospital — canvases, threads, workshops, and stitch nights. A good rainy-day browse even if you don't stitch.
• IKEA Sarasota (University Town Center, 147 N. Cattleman Rd.) — Opening soon, not yet open. IKEA's sixth Florida store: a 48,000-square-foot small-format location with 5,000+ products on display, 3,000+ items for immediate takeaway, a planning area for design consultations, the famous Swedish deli (meatballs, cinnamon buns), and an as-is section of gently used goods at reduced prices. Delayed from its original summer 2026 target — now targeting fall 2026 (late fall per the latest reports), with no exact date announced. Money tip: the as-is section is the move for furnishing a vacation rental on a budget.

Before you shop or dine, check the coupons page — new deals land there as we find them.

Opening Soon

• Cock & Bull (975 Cattlemen Rd.) — The live-music venue that was The Parrot Live (and before that Big Top Live) returns to its original name, in use there since 2002. BBQ and burger menu, soft opening October 15 with a grand opening weekend October 23–24.
• Pinchers (St. Armands Circle, 300 John Ringling Blvd., former Tommy Bahama) — The Florida seafood chain aims to open its St. Armands location in October 2026.
• Smoke & Fire BBQ (5767 Beneva Rd., at Brew Life Brewing) — The BBQ spot is relocating to the brewery, with a soft opening October 16–19 and a grand opening in November.
• Ristorante Roma (Venice, 200 N. Tamiami Trail, Suite D) — Roman/Italian with handmade pasta, slated for the first week of November.
• Agave Bandido (Venice/Wellen Park, 19830 Wellen Park Blvd., Suite 6108) — Mexican with a hidden "Maya" speakeasy-tiki lounge, expected this fall.
• Alma de España (Towles Court, 239 S. Links Ave.) — The Southside Village tapas spot relocates to the former Indigenous cottage, targeting November 1, 2026.
• Grain & Berry (Downtown Wellen, 6106 Wellen Park Blvd., Venice) — Açaí and pitaya bowls, smoothies, specialty toasts, and vegan flatbreads, slated for an October 2026 opening.
• Tralia Pizza (Rosemary District, 1420 Boulevard of the Arts, Sarasota) — A second Sarasota location for the Michelin-recommended pizzeria, expected by early December 2026.
• Hawkers Asian Street Food (University Town Center) — Announced: the Orlando-founded Asian street food chain is headed to UTC.
• BrickTop's (University Town Center) — Announced: the Nashville-based restaurant, known for sushi, steaks, and American comfort food, is coming to UTC.
• Olivia and On Swann (University Town Center) — Announced: two acclaimed Tampa restaurants from restaurateur Chris Ponte are headed to UTC.
• Zen Dumpling (University Town Center) — Announced: an Asian eatery is coming to UTC.
• Playa Bowls (University Town Center) — Announced: the açaí bowl, smoothie, and juice chain is coming to UTC.

Know a new spot we missed? Email hello@sarasotasavings.com.

Sources: Sarasota Herald-Tribune, Sarasota Magazine, Business Observer.