21 locally owned restaurants. One afternoon at The Bay Park. Free admission, waterfront views, and enough dishes to make it impossible to pick a favorite.
Event at a Glance
- Date: Sunday, October 25, 2026
- Time: 12:00 – 3:00 p.m.
- Location: The Oval Parking Lot at The Bay Park, 1055 Blvd of the Arts, Sarasota
- Admission: Free (RSVP requested on Eventbrite)
- Food Tickets: $5 increments; most dishes 3–5 tickets
- Payment: Cashless — credit card only
- Parking: Free, first-come, first-served (arrive early)
- Pets: Welcome on a 6-foot leash
If you’ve been looking for a reason to get outside, eat well, and finally try that restaurant you’ve been meaning to visit, Taste of the Bay is it. Every October, Sarasota-Manatee Originals partners with The Bay Park to bring together the region’s best independently owned restaurants for an afternoon of tastings on the waterfront — and the 2026 edition is shaping up to be the best yet.
This isn’t a chain-restaurant showcase or a generic food fair. Every restaurant at Taste of the Bay is a locally owned SMO member, which means you’re sampling from the same kitchens that make Sarasota’s dining scene worth talking about. Think of it as the fastest way to build your restaurant bucket list.
What to Expect
The event runs from noon to 3 p.m. in the Oval Parking Lot at The Bay Park (1055 Blvd of the Arts), Sarasota’s waterfront gem. Admission is completely free — just RSVP through Eventbrite to let the organizers know you’re coming.
Once you’re in, you buy food with tickets on-site in $5 increments. Most dishes run 3 to 5 tickets, so plan to grab a few rounds. The event is cashless — credit card only, so leave the cash at home. Note that food tickets can’t be used for beverages, which are purchased separately.Live music from Kettle of Fish rounds out the afternoon, and the waterfront setting makes this one of the nicer ways to spend a Sunday in Sarasota in October, when the weather is actually cooperating.
Who’s Cooking
Twenty-one restaurants are confirmed for Taste of the Bay 2026. Individual menus will be posted closer to the event, but here’s who you’ll find there:
- 1592 Wood Fired Kitchen & Cocktails
- The Breakfast Company
- Café Gabbiano
- Crow’s Nest
- Duval’s
- Figaro Bistro
- Fins at Sharky’s
- Food + Beer Rosemary District
- Harry’s Continental Kitchens
- Hanami & Tsunami
- Lucky 8
- Marcel DW
- Masō Steakhouse
- Mean Dean’s Local Kitchen
- Michael’s on East
- Miguel’s Restaurant
- Mimi Brasserie & Speakeasy
- Mi Pueblo
- Rufa
- Tamiami Tap
- Tzeva
That’s everything from wood-fired kitchen to steakhouse to French brasserie, all in one afternoon outside. If you’ve been meaning to try half of these, this is your chance to sample before committing to a full dinner reservation.
Getting There & Parking
The primary vehicle entrance is off the 10th Street Roundabout and N. Tamiami Trail. Note that South Van Wezel Way will be closed during the event, so plan your approach accordingly. If you’re walking or biking in, use the pedestrian entrance on Blvd of the Arts (6th Street).
Free parking is available at several nearby lots:
- Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall lot (777 N. Tamiami Trail)
- Municipal Auditorium and Blue Pagoda (655 N. Tamiami Trail)
- North side of Blvd of the Arts
- Rosemary District street parking
- Accessible parking along Blvd of the Arts, in front of the Van Wezel and Blue Pagoda
Avoid parking on the south side of Blvd of the Arts or in the Sarasota Orchestra lots. And yes — arrive early. Free parking at a popular waterfront event in Sarasota on a Sunday in October goes fast.
A Few Tips Before You Go
- RSVP on Eventbrite — admission is free, but organizers ask that you register in advance
- Bring your card — the event is fully cashless
- Buy more tickets than you think you need — it’s easier than going back to the ticket table mid-route
- Food tickets don’t cover drinks — beverages are purchased separately
- Bring a leash — dogs are welcome as long as they’re on a 6-foot leash and non-aggressive
- Watch the weather — the event will be postponed for rain; updates go out on The Bay’s website, Eventbrite, Facebook, and Instagram up to one hour before start time
Why It Matters
Taste of the Bay is a Sarasota food event, but it’s also something a little bigger than that. Every restaurant on that list is locally owned and independent — no corporate backing, no franchise playbook. They’re the places that define what eating in this city actually feels like, and events like this are part of how they stay visible, stay connected, and stay open.
Sarasota-Manatee Originals has been organizing events like this for two decades because the math is simple: when locals eat local, the restaurants that make a city worth living in get to stick around. Taste of the Bay is a pretty enjoyable way to participate in that.
Ready to go? RSVP is free. Find full event details, the restaurant list, and your Eventbrite link at eatlikealocal.com.
