ABSOLUTELY AMAZING DINNER!!!! I highly recommend booking Meliora for dinner. We were met with great customer service and every dish we had was delicious. Because we drove an hour away to eat here, the waiter brought us a cucumber dish on the house. How kind!!!! And let me tell you those cucumbers were good. We started our dinner with the Japanese milk bread: fluffy bread with a homemade butter. Next, we had the gnocchi and squash dish and both were excellently seasoned and balanced. We ended dinner with the duck and it was so so so tender. While we enjoyed the meals, the owner of the restaurant checked in on us and gave us a lot of information on how they cook their food. My husband and I love going to places that are intentional with creating dishes that satisfy the foodie pallet with different flavor combos and thoughtful ingredients! If after every meal, my husband and I look at each other and both say this is amazing, then date night has been an absolute success. We had the Japanese cheesecake for dessert with avocado ice cream! Yummy treat. We will be back loved it!!!! I only took a picture of the bread now fair warning the dishes are small, so you want to order a few items from both the cold menu and hot menu. read more

Adeline - Japanese milk bread - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

This place could be so much better then it was. The host and waitress herself was fantastic and recommended some great dishes, like the Japanese milk bread with the raw scallop. The scallop and marinated tomatoes were so delicious we ordered a second round of both dishes. Sadly the food runners that drop the food are very poor with their delivery. Dishes are rushed and dropped on the table with little to no explanation, Lots of mumbling. The ambiance and decor of the restaurant is very confusing, from walking in to a feeling of grandmas house with all the off colored wood, to sitting in a private dark back room where there is a chefs table. The back room was much more appealing and should flow through the restaurant. The chefs table looks like it was shipped in from a tree in Peru it's that beautiful, but sadly the chef made no interaction with anyone sitting at that table. The whole point of a chefs table in the kitchen is for a finer private experience with the chef himself. A big miss in my opinion from the Chef. The tuna, more like a noodle was poorly executed and wasn't meant to share, and the sauce it was resting in cooked the tuna. The gnocchi was off and tasted like you were eating a chowder soup. The crispy rice was a miss as well, more like a sad salad, along with the cucumbers could have been executed better. The duck was definitely something to remember. Overall it was good but I wouldn't say fantastic as I've seen most of these dishes executed at other chef driven restaurants about 7 years ago, aka the blanched tomatoes. read more

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Most exceptional and experiential dinner last night at @meliorarestaurant . Our server, Sierra, was more of a tour guide steering us through the menu and experience. A+. Co-owner Bruce topped off the evening engaging us in conversation about the history and purpose of Meliora: to serve amazing food in a memorable, unique and interactive way. Mission accomplished! read more

Adeline - Dessert - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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FINALLY. A restaurant worthy of Foodies in Sarasota(and I know there are many of us!). Thoughtful and sometimes unusual pairings of flavors. All the "small, shareable plates" we had were amazing. (Don't go if you're expecting the usual "quantity over quality" offerings in Sarasota. DO go if you like to be treated to buzzy new ideas in cuisine!) Ambiance could use some tweaking-the back room by the chef's table is best, a little more intimate. Thanks for opening in our 'hood! read more

the.best.food.ever. we haven't had food this insane in quite awhile. Visiting from NY and this food takes the cake. Absolutely incredible food. read more

Not many places with this high of quality food, service and wine options! The burger is unbeatable! Love love love

A chef friend of ours recommended this restaurant to us since we were staying in Sarasota for a few days. He said to go twice if possible, and he was 100% right! This absolutely ranks in the top 5 meals I've had in my lifetime and I've eaten at some pretty good restaurants in Europe and the U.S. Every small plate and entrée we had was off the charts amazing in taste and presentation. The flavors were so complex and unique, from the dry-aged red snapper to the lamb pasta, we couldn't stop ordering and eating even after we were full. Even normally simple things like bread (actually Japanese milk bread) or a potato dish were extraordinary. I've never had anything like the raw scallops and I can see why this was an award winning dish. The service was on par with the food, Amanda was super attentive and knowledgeable about everything on the menu. My Spanish wife is hyper critical about restaurants, she's almost always disappointed but she was beyond blown away! Bring friends so you can try everything! read more

Adeline - Fried potato with mushrooms & Japanese milk bread - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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We had a great time dining here. It can get pretty packed so a reservation is recommended. Street parking for free is also available with close proximity to the restaurant. The menu and food is 5 stars. The menu and presentation and flavor combinations are all fantastically well thought out. If you are a foodie or love to try new things this place is for tou. Some of the menu is served cold and some hot. It's a lot of smaller dishes that can be shared and a lot of the menu items are gluten free or can be prepared gluten free. We had 8 courses and every single thing we had was fun to eat and so flavorful. The jerk chicken and cold pork were my favorites and were well seasoned and loaded with spices. The hallway to the bathroom is covered in art that changes every few months and the bathroom aesthetics are on point. You will pay some $$$ to dine here, but it is totally worth the experience. They also have a Chef's Table experience with is limited seating and costs more. I cant wait to come back and try that out. read more

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Excellent meal - beautiful presentation & service from every single employee was professional & made the whole experience just amazing! Definitely an experience that was well worth it! read more

Adeline - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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By far, the best restaurant we have been to, not just in Sarasota, but Florida! This restaurant should be Michelin rated! Everything on the menu is absolutely amazing! The front of the house, owners and chefs...top notch! Great atmosphere for date nights or small group outings! read more

Our favorite restaurant in town. We try and go anytime we have a baby sitter. The menu changes a lot and everything we have tried is creative and worth its place on the menu. We always are excited to come back and are always treated above and beyond. 100% would recommend read more

I really liked the ambiance and thought this was a very beautiful restaurant. It is a bit pricey, so I think I would only go here for a special occasion. I also felt like our server wasn't as friendly/personable as he could have been. The menu had some unique dishes and the food was good. Giving it 4 stars mainly for the food itself. read more

Adeline - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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Thoroughly enjoyed my "special" birthday here. What an amazing experience! It was literally the most delicious and creatively plated dinner I have had in decades! No exageration. The plates that I most enjoyed were the cabbage salad with a light meyer lemon vinegarette and the lamb bolognese. Of course the fresh fruits and veggies with the goat cheese ricotta infused with dill oglio were almost too pretty to eat. Dessert? Of course! The meyer lemon panna cotta in natural coconut shell was ridiculously delish!!! I am spreading the word about your fab food and great service. I will definitely return again and again. read more

Adeline - Meyer Lemon topped Panna Cotta with toasted coconut - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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I wanted to love the food here. It's the type of restaurant that this town needs more of. However, I was a bit disappointed in some of the dishes. What I liked: -Their version of peking duck which was very nicely done. The duck breast and leg confit were cooked perfectly. -Gnocchi - this was by far the best dish we had; the gnochhi was light and airy. Yum! What I didn't like: -The scallops - I love raw Hokkaido scallops in an aguachile. This was not hokkaido. They serve it in a glass container and pour in a broth. 1) the fishy smell before they poured in the broth turned me off a bit. 2) I was expecting a fresh, yuzu type water vs. a broth so it felt off. -Tuna - this was dry-aged. I love raw tuna in any type of sauce having just been to Nobu Newport Beach and Malibu recently. But the sauce was just off. We also had the pork ssam dish - it was just your typical lettuce wrap - I don't know why other diners cited that the flavors popped. Maybe because we live in LA and spend a lot of time in NY, this was not that unusual. The flavors definitely didn't pop for me. Service was good - the only thing I would suggest is to teach the servers how to clean the table. Our main server just uses one of our napkins to "wipe" some sauce that was on the table away. Rather than removing it, they smeared sauce across the table and kind of left it that way through dessert. Kind of expect better. Most of the flavors did not work for me (except the gnocchi and duck), but it's our family's personal taste. Based on the reviews from others, I hope that this place works out because we need more foodie-type restaurants in this town. read more

Beautiful restaurant with creative cocktails and well executed bites. Professional and friendly staff. A tad expensive for the small portions but this is a special occasion restaurant for us vs an "I'm hungry on a Tuesday" restaurant. Ignore the one star reviews griping over missing their favorite waitress or other silliness. Some people need to feel important by complaining. Just go. You'll love it. read more

Unbelievably Amazing this is the kind of place SRQ needs more of! I ordered 5 items all spectacular. Actually going back this evening

Highly recommend checking this place out. For being a picky eater I found the food to be excellent! Went out of my comfort zone and was very pleased! By far the best food I've had in Sarasota. All around fantastic experience! We can't wait to go back. read more

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Best new modern cuisine in Sarasota. Tried about 7 dishes. All were excellent. I'm telling our friends. Believe me I'm a tough customer. My take? Don't hesitate. Note they will be slammed in season. read more

We scored Chef Table seats for a Friday night. The service was fun and very good. My favorite dishes were the tuna, mushrooms, cabbage salad and my husband said the duck was the best presentation and taste he's ever had. This is such a great addition to the SRQ food scene. read more

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This place has put Sarasota's other fine dining spots on notice, in that it's at a level I didn't think I'd see outside of larger cities like Los Angeles. The menu changes often supposedly, but if you have a chance to try the tomato sorbet, it's a great example of what I mean. Everything we had from drinks through dessert was creative, well thought out, and executed perfectly. read more

Adeline - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

2 stars for creativity. And for Caleb, the nice host who seated us. But let's arrange this post in order of The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. The Good - please see above for creativity and the host. The Bad - because we couldn't decide on our cocktail choice when the server (Amanda) came by, she then did not return to take our order for a VERY long time. I wanted to leave and my dining partner was more chill about waiting it out. Maybe the delay was my fault; I was trying to figure out why a glass of Pinot Noir (the ONLY Pinot Noir for me to choose from unfortunately) was $30. For. A. Glass. I'm glad I settled on the $16 Eberle 21 Syrah because their pours are less than 6 ounces. Sad, but better than if I ordered the less than 6 ounce pour for THIRTY!! Once Amanda returned to actually take the order, she blamed us for messing up her schedule. Her tables are "very timed" by seating and when we weren't ready when she was, then she couldn't get back to us. Ummmm Okayyyy? We ordered a few choices from the menus. Hot and cold tapas. Interesting stuff but not anything to write home about. Burnt onion ash? Yes, ashes as in well, ashes. On the cucumber. Probably really cool on a chopped episode but since it's a carcinogen, I will pass. Plus, it tasted like ass. Oops, I mean ash. We shared a total of 5 tapas between us. Freaking over the top pricey for the portions (see above regarding the wine). But all the fancy didn't add up for me. I left hungry, with kind of an upset stomach. Maybe from the ashes or the burned wheat flour in the Japanese milk bread, or the way too smoky mahi fish dip. Whatever the reason, we decided we wouldn't return to this establishment. Amanda took FOREVER and a day to bring us our bill, too. It even irritated my very chill dining partner. I have been a server, I know it's a challenge always and especially now. But she was not interested in our table at all. Reminder to Amanda - don't piss off the customer at the end of the meal! It's your last chance to make good in your efforts. The Ugly - hanging dead fish in the back room. It's stuffy and smells weird but you can "see the kitchen" and "have an experience". Nope Not the place to go. I would not recommend but if you have read this far, you get that :). read more

A hot and new restaurant on Hillview. If your looking for Hugh portions, you will be very disappointed. The menu has Tapas style menu with a large selection of interesting dishes. We had their Gnocchi, lettuce wraps with cold pork. There are many hot and cold dishes to choose from. This chef can cook!!! I'm not a Tapas lover or fancy dishes lover however, I can't take a star away when the food was prepared sooooo exceptionally. I guess I'll have to develop a more exciting palate and come back and try some more. read more

The food was simply outstanding . I enjoyed every bite. the cocktails were likewise fabulous . the rest ...... disaster! I called to request the chefs table and left a message . not even enough respect to return my call . looking back , that should have told me to cancel . the lack of a return call was mentioned when I checked in . no reason for the lack of a return was given , but I was informed that I did the right thing in leaving a message . I guess somehow that was a good reason for the staff not to perform their job duties . The tables were slammed up against each . it was difficult to have a conversation at our table . When all appetizers were delivered all at once , there was not enough room on the table to place them . The wine list was fair at best and the wines were considerably overpriced and some poorly described.example : 2022 ponzi Pinot noir $120 . which ponzu ? they make many .... Tavola, réservé , ?? But for me , the ultimate demise came with the entree . my girlfriend was presented with her entree and mine showed up literally 20 minutes later. I asked to speak to the owner or manager and instead had the pleasure of being told by the person who failed to return my call that is the way they do it . later the manager came to our table without even a hint that we were not pleased with the service . the food and drinks were excellent ! however , dining at this level is more than food ; it's an evening out . it's an experience .our experience was beneath awful . there are many fine dining experiences in Sarasota . many présent amazing cuisine and also care about the preferences of their customers . this place does not . it seems they forget that it's about the experience of the customer who pays the bill . I would suggest staying away from this restaurant . try Sage , micheals on East , kojo, shore .... ANYWHERE BUT HERE ! read more

This was one of a kind experience! Such a nice atmosphere with amazing food and great service. Your restaurant standards will get really high after visiting this place - because everything is just so perfect. You get a plate and you think: this looks really good, you taste it - and the flavor takes you to another level of happiness. 100% recommend!!! Drew, Bruce, and the Crew - keep going, you're doing A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!! Thank you!!! read more

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One of our favorite restaurants in Sarasota, but we will not be going there anymore! My husband called for a reservation yesterday and was told they don't take reservations over the phone. We had tried to make reservations on line, but you must give a credit card number. We will not do that, as hackers can easily steal one's information. We live here in Sarasota all year round and go out for dinner twice a week. We are blessed with excellent restaurants, and Meliora was certainly one of the best! NOT ANYMORE! We will choose Antoines, Bijou Garden, Mediterraneo, Kojo, Bar Hana, or Figaro. Hope you do well during the dog days of summer! read more

Good restaurant for an anniversary. Very different flavors and spices. Would recommend for a special occasion read more

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Really obnoxious welcome, original menu but lack of personality & frankly too expensive for what it was! Will not recommend read more

Excellent service, meal and pleasant atmosphere. Outstanding dinning experience. Can't wait to come back. read more

Food was outstanding Service impeccable Nice atmosphere much needed in sarasota sat at the chefs table and watched the team cooking Truly a great experience read more

Great location ambiance and service. Pleasantly refreshing menu and great wine list. Excellent small plates very tasty bites. Just get there excellent food !! read more

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Well that was good. Service very good. Wine good. Food delicate and very good. Elegant broad based clientele Bar is hot spot Will be back for sure read more

Great atmosphere, service, and the food was amazing. Would highly recommend the Chef's table if you enjoy the craft that creates these great dishes. It's an experience. Also, they made my birthday so special. Will be back for sure. Favorites: gnocchi, scallops, and wagyu but everything was delicious. read more

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Please, please, please try the raw scallops and the Japanese Milk Bread! This place is amazing! Put it at the top of your list.

Very good Italian in an ugly strip mall -- but pricey. Amazing how many good restaurants in Sarasota are in strip malls off of Gulf Gate and on Rte 41. read more

The entire experience was perfect: Presentation; Service; Beverage offerings; And the food excited the palate entirely. If you have a choice you must experience the chef's counter. You watch the kitchen at work and often interact with the kitchen staff. read more

The food is always delicious , beautiful and exciting to experience ! We have eaten at least half a dozen times and every meal surpasses the previous . The service is very accommodating and attentive ! The chefs table is a fun experience that we had this last visit . Overall a wonderful dining experience! read more

Shockingly good for Sarasota, the most foodie meal I've had in Florida. Tapas with an Asian influence. Everything was a hit, I'd come back. Great service, but prices were a touch high. read more

The best sophisticated dining experience in Sarasota, hands down! Scallop ceviche with chive cream, Japanese milk bread, duck bao, and everything else! The staff (Amanda was a super star tonight) get to know you personally. Incredible evening! read more

Welcome to Sarasota Meliora! We had dinner at the "Chef's Table" inside Meliora which was incredible. You are sitting with first row seats to all the action of the kitchen. The menu is a small plate menu with so many different options both "cold" or "Hot" plates, this is a foodie lovers paradise. The presentation, mix of flavors, imaginative sauces, and speed to table exceeded our expectations. The service was friendly, timely and informative, again exceeded our expectations. The staff are pros and not your usual local kitchen dudes serving tourists. The amazing thing we noticed is the calmness and professional organization of how the kitchen runs. The chef is the conductor making sure all his instruments are playing to the same music. If you can reserve the chefs table it is worth it. If not, be assured your meal is carefully put together with talented people in a very clean kitchen. Every dish was interesting and had a story behind it. The Japanese Bread is a must do with the scallops, dip the bread in the sauce and you will be in heaven. The prep work for dinner starts at 7 am and hands off late afternoon to the finishing crew. The duck was incredible, hot chicken very spicy but very good, tuna awesome, crispy rice unusual but again awesome. So many flavors you won't find anywhere in Sarasota and probably not in the Tampa Bay Area. read more

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Highly recommend going elsewhere. They accepted a Saturday night reservation when they were closed for renovations. Not a single attempt at contacting us. Ruined one of our two nights in Sarasota. Spend your money elsewhere. read more