Indigenous
Indigenous opened in 2011 in downtown Sarasota, showcasing chef Steve Phelps’ intention of supporting as many local businesses as possible – from builders to farmers to fishermen. “We wanted to serve amazing food, as well as be an educational restaurant, teaching our staff and guests to make more sustainable choices when they eat,” Phelps said. “We also wanted to remind them that we have wonderful resources right here in our own backyards to utilize. Sourcing is everything.”
The restaurant’s Mushroom Bisque has a dedicated “cult following,” Phelps said, and is served with truffle oil and rye croutons. The Parmesan Beignets with pears, honey and thyme have also become guest favorites. Actively visiting our farms and farmers every week becomes more important to our menu each day. These relationships locally are the backbone to our story,” Phelps said. “Also, our commitment to responsible, sustainable seafood, as well as my involvement in many conservation programs, keeps our guests eating some of the best fish from around the world.”
Rufa
Rufa’s opening in early October was part of The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota’s revitalization, and the restaurant features the creations of the resort’s executive chef Yann Chupin and executive sous chef Andrew Thompson. Among the beloved dishes are the Al Pastor Chicken Skewers with mango marinade, the Beef Tenderloin Tacos with charred habanero sauce, and the Signature Guacamole with garlic chips and a smoked chipotle flavoring. “We have heard local guests say it’s the best guacamole they’ve had in Sarasota,” the chefs said about the latter dish. Additionally, all purées and syrups at the bar are made in-house.
“When we started drafting the menu, we thought a lot about how Rufa is a migrant bird. We wanted to make sure that the restaurant being in Sarasota would incorporate the local items, because the bird migrates and eats food in different regions,” the chefs said. “We’re tying in the local fruits and vegetables to the travels of the bird and the travels of our guests.”
Bistro at Sarasota Art Museum spotlights the creations of new executive chef Peyton Leffingwell, who hails from Louisiana and adds a touch of New American and French Creole flare to the menu. Chef Kaytlin Dangaran, wife of Bistro’s Cafe Operations Manager John Dangaran, recently passed the culinary torch to Leffingwell. “We like to describe the menu at Bistro as being very simple: soups, salads, sandwiches. Nothing fancy, but we make just about everything in house,” the staff said. “Our focus has always been to use time-honored methods and traditions, along with local, fresh and seasonal ingredients, and to allow them to be the highlight of every dish. We also like to limit our waste as much as possible.”
Bistro first opened in December 2020 with the reopening of the Sarasota Art Museum after the pandemic shutdown. Currently, some of the popular dishes include the Chicken Salad Sandwich with brined, roasted and pulled chicken; the Cedar-Roasted Salmon with cured and roasted filets; and the Salmon Tartine, served on a local tartine loaf from C’est la Vie on Main Street.
Cottonmouth
A “Southern Soul Kitchen” in Bradenton’s Village of the Arts, Cottonmouth is the pride of local restaurateur and chef Dave Shiplett. Shiplett was born in Florida and “raised a southerner,” he said, and he became a cook who took surfing very seriously. He studied culinary arts in California for several years, later returned to Florida, started Birdrock Taco Shack in Bradenton, and opened Cottonmouth in 2020 during a particularly difficult time for restaurants.
“I wanted to go back to my original roots. So I’ve combined my love for music, art, food and hospitality to make Cottonmouth,” Shiplett said. “We opened during the pandemic, so it was challenging, to say the least. Now we have established ourselves as one of the best music venues in Florida.” The menu is equally vibrant. It includes Fried Green Tomatoes with pimento tartar; and Buttermilk Fried Chicken with sweet chili butter, collards, and mac and cheese.
“This cuisine is local so the ingredients need to be local. We hand-pick all our produce and get what we want, not what someone chooses for me,” Shiplett said. “Being in the Village of the Arts an artist community for 10 years has affected me in very creative ways and I love it.”
Arts & Central
Only a little over a year old, Arts & Central on Central Avenue in Sarasota opened in February 2024, featuring a menu packed with local ingredients. Inspired by his family’s dream to open a restaurant, Dan Hensen Jr. and his wife, Angel, moved to Sarasota in 2022 to bring that vision to life. Together with his dad, Dan Sr., the two opened Arts & Central in a historic Sarasota neighborhood, with a team that includes general manager David Gallagher and executive chef Erik Walker (who trained under Michelin-starred chefs in the United Kingdom and Los Angeles).
Signature dishes include the Pork Belly and Octopus with romesco sauce; the Dirty Rotten Fruit Basket with house-made kimchi, mascarpone cheese, seasonal fruit, and fermented honey; a Caesar Salad with little gem lettuce, freshly marinated white anchovies, sourdough crumb croutons, and a dressing with an Australian sheep and goat milk feta blend. “We incorporate the use of local ingredients by means of using several very small and independent vendors,” the staff said. “We source local when available, but many of our dishes also use ingredients from around the country and around the world as it is the ‘best example’ of that ingredient, and thus worth the transport so that our guests have the best experience.”
Offshore Tapas and Wine Bar
Located at the 2006-launched boutique hotel Voco in downtown Sarasota, Offshore Tapas and Wine Bar offers a plethora of sharables. The site has been home to several concepts over the years, including Sol’s Deli and H20 Bistro before transforming into Offshore, according to general manager Shannon May. “Upon rebranding in 2024, the focus to a tapas and sharables menu, along with wine, pairs well with the concept of ‘Voco,’ which means to bring together or call together,” May said. “Food and drinks are the perfect way to do that.”
Offshore chef Bruno Avendano has worked for the hotel for more than seven years. Under the previous chef, he found his signature style by exploring his Peruvian background and blending the flavors with a Mediterranean flare while incorporating American tapas comfort food. Some of the standout dishes at Offshore include Risotto-Stuffed Bella Mushrooms, baked with mozzarella cheese and served on top of a Mediterranean sauce; and House-Made Avocado Bruschetta with vine tomatoes, basil and Parmesan cheese on top of toasted baguettes with a balsamic drizzle.
“The chef is constantly trying new recipes and dishes to be sure they keep our guests and visitors happy. We grow our own herbs on the property, including mint, basil, rosemary and thyme,” May said. “Local produce is imperative for freshness and ingredients. Sustainability is a focus for Voco as a brand, so this is super important to our restaurant.”
So there you have it – a little taste of the latest deliciousness on the Originals roster. Remember, whenever you dine at an Originals member restaurant, you are directly supporting the local visionaries who make our community the vibrant and flavorful place it is.
