Restaurants near Gillespie Park

This was a special evening for Valentine's Day with a prix fixe menu. Each dish was wonderfully prepared with the exquisite desserts by Pastry Chef Stephanie Boswell and Chef Erik Walker knows how to make a short rib like no one else. The restaurant continues to impress and we love going here.

Our go-to place for special occasions (last night Valentines) so we’re very fond of this quaint restaurant in downtown Sarasota except last night it was so busy that some items seemed to have slipped through the cracks. The food is always great however last night wasn’t as great. The service was excellent for us but we noticed other tables were not as fortunate. The prices seemed to have been adjusted for the Valentine’s menu (adjusted meaning RAISED), for we each had a meal, (Grouper / Pork Oso-busco) nothing fancy) a glass of wine and shared a dessert with one complimentary basket of bread (NOT even a house salad) and the bill was $175! A bit pricey if you’d ask me.

Ocean Prime has wonderful food and service. Rebecca was awesome! It was our anniversary and we were greeted with a glass of complimentary champagne when we entered. We sat in the outside section that is covered and has screens, ceiling fans and heaters for all types of weather. I’m not sure how warm it would be on a warm summer evening, but it was perfect last night. The noise level where we were seated was fine, but as we left we noticed the noise inside was quite loud. There were alot of people at the bar which probably contributed to that. As a senior, I’m not sure sitting inside would be pleasant for those that may have difficulty hearing. Our view was good but they are beginning to construct a large condo building right next door to the restaurant. So I have concerns about the view while they continue to build and am unsure what it will look like when the construction is complete. And while everything was almost perfect, the price is also out of this world. For 2 people to have a couple of drinks, one appetizer, 2 mains with sides and 2 desserts, and parking, the price was almost $500 before tip. All that said, it was a wonderful anniversary dinner. Thank you Ocean Prime!

We dined on the outside - the street tables set up to accommodate all the Valentines diners and it worked out perfectly. Although very busy we were waited on by David reasonably fast. The food was fantastic. With all the activity in Sarasota we joked we got dinner and a show (some pedestrians were quite amusing) at HP Always a treat and never disappointed ❤️

Indigenous continues to be our favorite restaurant in Sarasota. We have been 5 or 6 times now and it is consistently excellent. Food is delicious and is comes from a variety of sources. Always fresh and tasty. The service is extraordinary. Although we are only seasonal residents of Sarasota, dinner at Indigenous is always a must for us.