Top 5+ best Old Florida-style restaurants in the Sarasota area to kick off summer
While Sarasota has plenty of fancy restaurants with prices to match, let’s kick off summer with the kind of places where you show up in a T-shirt and flip-flops for a cold beer and a perfect cheeseburger combo that won’t break the bank — somewhere with sand on the floor, taxidermy on the wall, or bait buckets out back, and maybe even some live music.
These are five Old Florida-style restaurants in Sarasota-Manatee that don’t care about trends or plating techniques. What they do offer is character — and often characters — plus decades of good food, good stories, and a setting that feels frozen in time (in the best way). Presented in alphabetical order, here are five of my favorite spots to start your summer — no reservations, dress codes, or frills required.
Duffy's Tavern | Anna Maria Island
A cheeseburger "all the way" and an ice-cold mug of Budweiser at Duffy’s Tavern on Anna Maria Island, photographed on Nov. 13, 2024.
A beloved spot for burgers, beers, and good-old-fashioned island gossip, Duffy's Tavern has been owned and operated by the Geyer family since 1971. That’s when Cincinnati, Ohio, native Pat Geyer bought the original Duffy’s — which dates back to the 1950s — “to keep her five daughters off the streets and out of trouble.” All of them — Patti, Pam, Peggi, Penni, and Polli — spent time working behind the bar and grill, with Peggi and Polli most often helming the operation these days. Cash-only and full of character, Duffy’s lives up to its slogan: “World-famous burger and coldest beer in town.” The star is the diner-style cheeseburger — seasoned to perfection and served “all the way” with lettuce, tomato, onion, and a swipe of mayo — paired perfectly with an icy mug of Budweiser.
J.R.’s Old Packinghouse Cafe | Sarasota
Owner J.R. Garraus stands for a photo outside his J.R.’s Old Packinghouse Café at 987 S. Packinghouse Road in Sarasota in 2019, ahead of the restaurant’s 20th anniversary.
Originally opened during Labor Day weekend in 1999 — in a building that owner J.R. Garraus estimates dates back to the 1950s — J.R.’s Old Packinghouse Café is a funky slice of Old Florida, tucked just out of sight from nearby I-75, about six miles east of downtown Sarasota. Now boasting a full-liquor bar and live music six nights a week on its intimate stage, OPC remains best known for its comfort food. Among the culinary creations of South Florida native and trained chef Garraus, perhaps none are more famous than his Miami-style Cuban sandwich, Tampa Bay–inspired blackened Ybor Burger, and jumbo chicken wings.
Linger Lodge | Bradenton
Linger Lodge restaurant and bar, an Old Florida gem established in 1945 along the Braden River in East Manatee and photographed on July 1, 2023, is perhaps best known for the taxidermy adorning its walls.
Established in 1945 along the Braden River in east Bradenton, Linger Lodge is best known for its wild walls of taxidermy — snakes, fish, deer — you name it. Outside, two covered and screened decks overlook the pristine river, where you might spot a live critter or two between bites — including, yes, gators! You’ll also find them on the menu, alongside other deep Southern delights like frog legs, smoked meats, fried chicken, burgers, and Gulf seafood such as grouper and shrimp. And don’t miss the towering Bloody Marys — garnished with everything from fruit and veggies to meat and seafood. It’s basically a buffet in a glass, with a kick — to help you brave the awesomely eccentric surroundings.
New Pass Grill & Bait Shop | Sarasota
While we lost the legendary Annie's Bait & Tackle in Cortez to storm damage, New Pass Grill & Bait Shop on Sarasota’s City Island keeps the Old Florida dream alive — part bait shack, part burger stand, part beer joint, and all charm. Dating back nearly a century, New Pass has been flipping famous burgers since the 1950s, and that’s still what you’ll want to order. This casual spot operates like a concession stand: place your order at the window, grab a seat, sip your beverage while waiting for your name to be called — and then dig in. Go with the classic cheeseburger or level up with the New Pass Famous Angus Burger — both served on a satisfyingly sturdy bun with a side of fries. And really, what’s better than a burger and beer with a view of boats, pelicans, and the occasional dolphin? Just don’t dawdle — the grill opens at the wonderfully early hour of 7 a.m., but shuts down promptly at 6 p.m.
Skinny's Place | Anna Maria Island
Skinny’s Place is at 3901 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, on Anna Maria Island.
Just steps from Manatee Public Beach and the iconic West Coast Surf Shop — in business since 1964 — Skinny’s Place is a beloved burger-and-beer joint housed in a funky, two-story structure dating back to the 1950s. Belly up to the bar or order at the indoor counter — which now accepts plastic — and find a seat inside or at one of the picnic tables planted right in the sand under umbrellas, surrounded by swaying palms and beachgoers in board shorts and flip-flops. The grilled chicken sandwich is quite good, but the essential order is the “Skinny Cheeseburger” — a diner-style burger on a toasted white bun with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles. (“Just say ‘mayo’ or ‘no mayo.’”) Another fun option is the bacon cheeseburger, with the strips cleverly tucked under the melted cheese. And really, no trip to Skinny’s is complete without a frosty mug or two of beer and a side of fries or tater tots — all best enjoyed with your toes in the sand.
Wade Tatangelo is Ticket Editor for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and Florida Regional Dining and Entertainment Editor for the USA TODAY Network. Follow him on Facebook, Instagram, and X. He can be reached by email at [email protected]. Support local journalism by subscribing.
