Decided to check out Waffle Monkey on a whim and was very much satisfied. Just as its name…read moresuggests, their focus is their themed Belgian waffles. In addition to a classic Belgian waffle, they also offer a large number of fun sweet and savory options. I went with their churro (cinnamon-sugar, melted butter, and chocolate sauce), and my husband ordered apple pie (apple pie filling, cinnamon-sugar, and whipped cream). The waffles were great. They were warm and chewy on the outside with a slight crisp on the exterior. I appreciated that the toppings were all served on the side, as it made for a customizable experience. My husband also had their homemade sausage roll made with real puff pastry, which he said was amazing. What I also appreciated are the large number of side options. Any waffle can be enhanced with fresh fruit, spreads, proteins, or even a scoop of ice cream. Lastly, Waffle Monkey's servers are kind and efficient. Would recommend a stop here if craving a nice, fluffy Belgian.

This is a really cool spot when you are in Downtown Sarasota. It is such a great environment that…read morewhips up tasty drinks and food. They have merchandise displayed if you wanted to buy anything. The restaurant is colorful and there's so much to look at. The bathroom is clean and very cute! The servers who work here are kind and helpful. All in all, check out Waffle Monkey. This place is pretty cool!

Tracy was our server, we had a really bad experience trying to eat at a café, but got ignored. We…read morewere greeted immediately by a friendly hostess and seated in Tracey's station at a beautiful outdoor patio table. Five star experience from start to finish, great recommendations from the server and all proves to be fantastic. We started with wuevos rancheros, ordered a croissant sandwich with egg cheddar, bacon, avocado, and sprouts, and also a blackened chicken salad. The food is fantastic and it was so good that we ordered a second plate of the rancheros. Thank you for being such a beacon of joy Tracy and thank you for the incredible meal. We will be back anytime we come back to siesta keys. It's off the beaten path, so make sure that you find this hidden gem best meal for sure

Lauren helped us out this morning as we started the day at The Sun Garden Cafe with the Myakka…read moreBenedict and the Max's Bliscuit noyh with SG Potatoes and an added bowl of fruit. The Myakka was eggs benedict sausage patties, tomato, on a grilled biscuit and smothered in sausage gravy. The Max's Bliscuit was a huge buttermilk biscuit, two eggs, cheese, and bacon..the eggs were ordered over-easy but I think that they were just a bit passed that point but Terri said that it was still very good. It's a very bright and friendly decor inside and out...definitely one of our favorite places in Siesta Key Village!

What a delightful little place! We arrived around 8:30 a.m. and although it was already a bit busy,…read morewe were seated right away. We chose a table on their adorable back patio, which was shaded with umbrellas and kept comfortable with fans throughout the area. They offer daily food and drink specials, along with a large menu packed with plenty of great options. Our food arrived quickly, was served hot, and tasted delicious. Overall, it was a wonderful experience, and we'll definitely be back!

If you're looking for the most dry, bland breakfast in Sarasota, this place has unfortunately…read moremastered it. The food had zero flavor, like they forgot seasoning even exists. And the bread? It was toasted so hard it could've doubled as a roofing shingle. Nothing about the meal felt fresh, enjoyable, or worth the price. Sarasota has too many good breakfast spots to waste a morning here. Definitely won't be back.

Stopped in here for breakfast after reading so many positive Yelp reviews. I am adding one more…read more I bellied up to the breakfast bar and ordered a chi tea latte. It was very good-hot with a shake of cinnamon on a good froth. I went with the special homemade corned beef hash with potatoes and two eggs on top. Served with marbled rye toast. At $18.95, it was a lotta food and made right. No canned ingredients. Great spot to have breakfast- a steady crowd was proof of that.

Everyone in Sarasota is friendly ! Ambiance was a quiet noise. Terri's famous cinnamon roll was…read more100% worth it. If you're only get one food item, this is it + a black coffee. Best way to start your day Terri's famous cinnamon roll 10/10: Sweet but not sickly sweet. I was licking up the icing when I had finished because it was that good. There was some cheesecake flavor component to it. Griddle flight- strawberry Nutella, Boston crème, butternut pecan 7/10: Strawberry Nutella is a classic that you can't go wrong with. Boston crème was okay. The vanilla custard on top was delicious. Butter pecan was easily my favorite! Great texture with the nuts.

For Mothers Day,I wanted to try something different and booked Cafe on St. Armand's- where Cafe…read moreEurope use to be. The restaurant is very large offering both indoor and outdoor dining. Inside has 3 rooms; bar area, and two dining rooms. Mediterranean tapas inspired menu- we shared some small plates. The grilled octopus, chicken souvlaki, kefta pita( my favorite) and Moroccan hot honey sliders. Everything was delicious and the drinks complimented the entrees. My Spanish gin and tonic was very different (good) and beautifully prepared. My wife had lemon- lavender tequila and Paloma and both were refreshing. Luis was a terrific server who made some recommendations and knew the menus. A worthwhile find that deserves another visit- especially during happy hours.

Such an enjoyable dinner tonight- out on patio... sun setting, people walking St Armand's…read more Our waiter and waitstaff were friendly, attentive and not pushy. They allowed us to enjoy our meal- take our time with drinks and dessert. The Dubai martini was delicious. Same with the espresso martini- smooth and SO good. One of my favs around. The small dirty martini salad was shared by three of us-kale, green olives- loved it. Mushroom Bisque was outstanding. Creamy, rich (but not overly)- and so tasty. Sicilian Pomodoro was also such a wonderful plate. 4 shrimp topped with whipped ricotta and pasta - loved! Shared the Tarta de Santiago for dessert. Light, sweet- love an almonds cake.

I will always Stan C'est La Vie in Sarasota/Lakewood Ranch. This location is always busy so get…read morethere early if you have your eyes on a specific pastry. Actually, just get there early anyway because the pastry items are fresher/better. There's indoor and outdoor seating. I typically skip trying to park next to it and just go to the garage and walk over. The service is more attentive than a typical French cafe overseas but not as on top of you as a typical place in the US. You can definitely order at the counter in French if you want to and I've had a waiter there flip between English, French, Spanish, and another language (maybe Romanian?) in one order. The sandwiches I've had were all lovely, and had a little side salad that could benefit from a better dressing (they serve an okay vinaigrette though). I've yet to encounter a single bad pastry - the elcairs, mousse cakes, and flaky pastries like chausson pommes are on par with the typical boulangerie/pattisserie in France and don't make me think US adaptation at all. Prices are reasonable.

If you want to be transported straight to a sidewalk café in Paris without leaving Sarasota, C'est…read moreLa Vie is the place. It's a small, quaint spot with an amazing atmosphere, but definitely be prepared to wait if you're coming for brunch it's very popular for a reason! The wait was absolutely worth it, though. I started with a cappuccino, and it was perfection rich, smooth, and exactly what you need to wake up. For food, the savory crepe was outstanding. It had that perfect authentic texture slightly crisp on the edges and soft in the middle. I also tried the cauliflower soup, which was a surprising highlight. It was incredibly creamy and flavorful honestly, one of the best soups I've had in a long time. Highly recommend this gem if you're in the area!

We go here almost every time we visit Sarasota, and it never disappoints. The food is always fresh,…read moregood quality, healthy, flavorful and well cooked. This time, we had the shakshuka and the kale salad. We also had a warm Immune Booster Elixir. It was busy but service was still timely. And the atmosphere is hustling and bustling - we sat near the door.

We found free parking just around the corner. The neighborhood felt calm, quiet, and distinctly…read moreupscale. The dinner menu features four salads, each priced between $17 and $19, with optional add-ons: fish for $11, avocado for $4, or grilled chicken for $6. Entrées range from a vegan beetroot risotto to a wagyu burger, priced between $19 and $28. I ordered the Baja burrito--filled with avocado, red cabbage, carrot, cashew cheese, and wrapped in a massaged collard green burrito. It was tasty, but it's definitely a dish best appreciated by vegans who truly enjoy collard greens. My husband chose the goat cheese salad, a mix of organic greens, goat cheese mousse, pickled shallots, candied pecans, preserved grapes, house-made crackers, mustard pearls, and maple vinaigrette, also $18. The goat cheese was extremely creamy and paired beautifully with the light, airy toasted pieces served alongside. It made for the perfect light entrée. For dessert, he had the pumpkin chia pudding--creamy, lightly spiced, and satisfying without being heavy--so we ended the night feeling perfectly content, not overly full. There was a gentleman playing the saxophone just outside the door, a bit hard to carry on a conversation at times but very adorable when he played happy birthday for a little boy who clapped for joy. Very heartwarming moment. Go and enjoy a very healthy dinner.

We always enjoy the food at toasted Mango and like visiting during the week when it's a little less…read morebusy. We love the mango butter and omelets. They seem to wait on tables as a group so no one really checks in during breakfast. One person seats you and gets drinks, one person takes your order and another person delivers food with the check... but no one typically checks if you need drinks, condiments, etc. we didn't have any refills on today's visit and the table next to us I guess didn't drop off the check with food so they waited 30'minutes before going up to the bar and finding someone to hunt down a check.

The Award Winning Toasted Mango Waffle and Three Cheese Omletet this morning at the Toasted Mango…read moreCafe. Sausage patties and Home Fries as extras. We were in and out in no time, the Waffle was light and fluffy as it should be and the Mango added a nice touch along with the whip cream...did not need any heavy syrup at all. The Omletet was very cheesy and cooked perfectly as well....I'd have added ketchup but got the side-eye for suggesting it. Highly recommend making this a stop if you're in the area! We were in and out in no time as the service from Juana was excellent. The ambiance is bright and very much " mango-themed"...a fun spot for breakfast or lunch!