Trending restaurant interior on Florida's Gulf Coast

Weekly Feature

What's Hot
This Week

The can't-miss new restaurants, beach bars, and hidden gems across Sarasota, Venice, Osprey, Nokomis, and Bradenton. Fresh picks every week.

01 — This Week's Picks

Week of September 8, 2026

01 | Sarasota

Brooklyn Blues

2238 Gulf Gate Drive, Gulf Gate, Sarasota

Brooklyn Blues took over the longtime Thailand Restaurant space in Gulf Gate this summer and reopened it as a neighborhood dinner spot with live music in the works. The August 2026 opening makes it one of the newest kitchens on the Gulf Gate strip, and the room is already drawing locals who missed having a music-forward dining spot close to home.

Why now

Gulf Gate still feels like a secret at the start of September, before snowbird season fills the evenings. It is a good window to be among the first through the door, and the strip is a short, easy drive from downtown Sarasota for a night out.

New OpeningLive MusicGulf Gate
Brooklyn Blues in Sarasota
02 | Venice

Wings Etc. Grill & Pub

415 US 41 Bypass North, Venice

An Indiana-based wing chain picked Venice for its first Florida location, opening in January 2026 and giving the city a proper wings-and-burgers pub on US 41. Think about 90 indoor seats plus a 35-seat patio, a big sauced-wings menu, and the signature Wall of Flame spicy-wing challenge for visitors who want bragging rights.

Why now

Football season and wing night have returned together, and Venice finally has a big-screen pub to show for it. An early-fall patio table is easy to score before the snowbird crowds, and the Wall of Flame keeps the evening interesting.

Wings & Sports PubFirst Florida LocationNew Hangout
Wings Etc. Grill & Pub in Venice
03 | Osprey

Five Nine Grill & Tavern

Blackburn Point Plaza, 1092 South Tamiami Trail, Osprey

Osprey's big food story of the summer: the beloved Bradenton gastropub opened its second location, and its first in Sarasota County, on August 10, 2026. It is a 90 percent scratch kitchen serving Southern comfort from breakfast through dinner, with the Five Nine burger, hot honey chicken and waffle, and a roster of local craft beers.

Why now

Osprey finally has an anchor gastropub of its own, and the first month of a new address is a great time to try it while the room is easy. Come for weekend breakfast or an evening plate and stay for the beer list.

GastropubJust OpenedScratch Kitchen
Five Nine Grill & Tavern in Osprey
04 | Nokomis

Nokomo's Sunset Hut

690 South Tamiami Trail, Nokomis (Dona Bay)

The long-running waterfront tiki bar and grill on Dona Bay refreshed its menu in 2026 and is pulling a new wave of regulars. Lower-key than the beach bars by design, it sits right on the water with hot pub fare, cold drinks, and a prime seat over the Intracoastal for the evening light.

Why now

The September sunsets are the show: warm, long evenings with the sun dropping over Dona Bay. It is the classic post-beach stop after a day on Nokomis Beach or a drive out Casey Key.

Tiki BarWaterfrontSunset Spot Visit Website
Nokomo's Sunset Hut in Nokomis
05 | Bradenton

Flavaz Slice & Spice

3306 Manatee Avenue West, Bradenton

A family-run Jamaican-Italian kitchen that opened in Bradenton in 2025 at a former pizzeria address. Jerk chicken and jerk pork pizza share the menu with brown stewed chicken, oxtail and curry goat, born from a nurse who shared her husband's home cooking at the hospital where she worked. It has become the hidden gem of West Bradenton.

Why now

Two cuisines you rarely see on one menu, done by a family that clearly cares. Early fall keeps the dining room mellow and the oxtail slow-cooked. Do not skip the jerk chicken pizza, the reason locals drive across town.

Jamaican-ItalianFamily OwnedHidden Gem
Flavaz Slice & Spice in Bradenton

02 — Stay in the Know

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03 — Explore More

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Know a Hidden Gem We Should Feature?

Share your favorite spot and we might feature it in next week's lineup. Or get in touch with Michael for personalized Gulf Coast guidance.

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