I've been coming here for 10 years with my wife. Sadly, I doubt we will be returning. I keep reading over and over in the comments that the staff is rude. Everyone from the pizza maker to the wait staff is completely unfriendly and does not greet anyone anymore. The only person that is nice is the guy that brings the cheese and red pepper flakes to the table. We showed up and after we pretty much sat ourselves, we ate some bread (we asked for it 3 times) and an appetizer. At 2:50, we tried to order and our waitress told us the pizza guy wanted to stop making pizza until 4. We eat here all of the time and this was a first. There was no reason given. The pizza maker just didn't want you to make pizza. We asked for the manager and he didn't seem to care and basically said order something else. He said they normally serve pizza but they just weren't today because the pizza maker didn't want to. Oh ok. We should have left but we stayed for meals we didn't want and my wife had a hair in her food. During that time, the pizza maker was hanging outside smoking instead of making pizza. The waitress proceeded to bring us a check and not ask if we wanted coffee or dessert. We told her about the hair in the food and we may as well have said everything was amazing. The terrible experience cost 97 dollars. What a waste. Hopefully ownership changes hands again very soon. read more

Fair at best. Our server was attentive and provided suggestions but the food was not particularly memorable. Location in downtown Sarasota seems to cater to a younger crowd looking for a quick bite and drink read more

Bread and olive tapenade was the only good thing about this place. Had high hopes and was sorely disappointed. Food was average, and I needed a microscope to find the salmon on my salad. Try Classico across the street - way better food, plus a nicer sidewalk atmosphere. read more

Super disappointing. Their service is consistently terrible. Last night was the tipping point. There was a group of 9 of us having dinner, when all of the sudden all our chairs whipped back because a cockroach was crawling down the middle of our table. We don't know where it came from, but we're assuming the bread basket. The server immediately sent the manager over and the only thing he said was, "Well this is Florida and they come in through the open door. It's normal, even though we just sprayed." Not even 20 minutes later, another roach was crawling up the wall next to the pizza oven. Two staff members behind the bar watched it without doing anything. I'm not quite sure when it became "normal" to see bugs of any sort inside a restaurant as I've never seen anything like that happen in my life... but nothing was offered, not even an apology from management. I will never return. I'm absolutely disgusted. read more

Amazing Authentic Italian food and pizza. The owner is always there and the staff is very attentive. Drinks are awesome as well.

Excellent food in Sarasota! The charcuterie plate was delicious, everything we chose was super fresh and accompanied by a few olives, which were so tasty! We can't speak for main dishes but the pizza was awesome! The bolognese was excellent as well... Side note: I'll take an opportunity to complain: if you are inclined to write a review for any restaurant, can you please write about the food and -maybe- the service! I highly doubt anyone is interested about your allergy to cucumbers or the long wait, or how busy a place is on a Friday night in a major city :) read more

One of my favorite restaurants when I come down to Sarasota! The food is delicious, the staff is so nice, and the atmosphere is fun! We typically try and sit outside. Recently we went with a large group. Epicure was great about accommodating and getting everything out as fast as they could (not to mention the restaurant was swamped as it was). Can't wait to come back soon! read more

Very nice restaurant with outdoor seating. Four of us sat outside on a nice day and enjoyed lunch. We had 3 different pizzas and 1 salad. I'd say the Capricossa pizza was delicious. The rest was also very good. Would visit again. read more

A Italian looking atmosphere with Capodimonte Vases. Very accommodating owner with seating and pleasant waiter. Delicious calamari appetizer, fresh not gummy. A party of 6 with appetizer, main and drinks $161. Worth the trip! 5star read more

Cafe Epicure - Seafood linguini in a rose sauce, outstanding! - Italian Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

We had a business dinner for 15. Diego was our server. Everything came out in a timely fashion. Food was very good and everyone enjoyed themselves. I really enjoy their pizzas and the chicken Milanese. All dishes are good. Nice job! Highly recommended. read more

Always a pleasure eating here. I love the outside seating. The food is always good. My favorite is any pizza coupled with a good beer or Cosmo. The wait staff is consistently on task and attentive to your needs. If you're visiting the area this is a definite go for lunch or dinner. read more

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It took an hour and a half to get our pizza. there was a pepperoni on the vegetarian pizza. we had a reservation but a table wasn't reserved. The pizza is great but service was very poor. read more

Sitting outside early evening with a breeze is the best time to go! The olive tapenade you get when you sit down is super delicious. I had the four cheese rigatoni with spinach and it is my FAVORITE. My dinner companion really loved his verde ravioli with a pink sauce. There was seafood inside. - service was a little slow but over all friendly. read more

Cafe Epicure - Rigatoni 4 Formaggi - Italian Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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Four of us went to Cafe Epicure last night. It was disappointing. The atmosphere was that of a cafeteria, the food was not good and overpriced. Bread too stale to eat. Service would be okay, for say an affordable place to grab a quick lunch. read more

Super average not worthy of ever making a reservation. If you happen to stop in you won't hate it it but not mind blowing.

Really great food considerably better than 3.5 stars. The chicken dishes are the highlight. Service could have been slightly better but other than really really enjoyable. read more

Hi friends! Went here early evening during the week with my niece who chose this place. Waiter, Hot Italian guy. Cannot multi task many clients though. Both pasta dishes delivered by the busboy came out piping hot, and yummy. Caprese salad great. I love dogs. Just not next to you eating inside when they are a huge,old, drooling bulldog. Not classy or Sanitary. I suggest Sardinia or Marcellos. Both owners are classy people. Make a reservation it's worth it. read more

Great downtown location. Been here 3 times now. Pizza is a Solid B. Service is fine but each time we have been here at 8 and 9PM - it has taken almost an hour to get a salad and pizza. Kitchen is a HOT MESS. read more

Cafe Epicure - Sausage pizza - huge!! - Italian Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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The burrata pizza and linguine with seafood were both delicious. The atmosphere is lovely and the service was very good. Prices are very reasonable, particularly given the quality of the food read more

This place has changed dramatically for the worse, which is tragic because we've been coming here for decades. Despite this steep decline, we've been returning due to nostalgia and loyalty - until now. The owner turned us away because we only ordered cocktails and dessert after seeing a nearby show. We've ordered just drinks/dessert dozens of times in addition to spending thousands on full dinners and lunches. We are friendly with all of the established staff and speak fluent Italian. Giovanni, the owner, who we've never actually met, likely because we're not quite 40, ran us out despite our gentle request and disbelief. Not even Michelin restaurants we've frequented do this. This policy is neither published on the menu or anywhere on their site, likely made up on the spot by a greedy owner who lacks table side manner. Your staff has let us do just want you ran us off for dozens of times, so likely that policy was made up on the spot because you're desperate to make up profits after being shut down last year due to several major health violations. Aspettatevi molte altre chiamate al dipartimento della salute dopo questa scoperta rivoltante. Vogliamo assicurarci che tutti siano al sicuro. No wonder so many staff members we've loved over the years have left - the owner has terrible ethics and is incredibly hostile. We can only imagine how he treats his staff. This place is now left to tourists that don't expect better of what was once a beloved local establishment. We'll return when the management changes hands - again. A frequent occurrence. read more

The food was good, but definitely not one of the best Italian restaurants I've been too. The gnocchi was the best dish that my group of 6 ordered. Also, it is so loud inside, so holding a conversation with a larger group is not possible. The staff was very friendly though! read more

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Soooo close to a 5. I hate to even say it but the food came way to fast. Seriously pizza just like in Italy. It was so good my husband wanted to order a license plate. Loved the whole vibe sitting out at a sidewalk table. Unfortunately someone started smoking two tables away which was an ambience and air killer. But they allow it so not much you can do. read more

It was late eve. They were make an exception to wait in us. The wine was good. Pleasant staff. Pizza just fine. Nothing fancy but I would eat here again if I was out and about. Their business card gets 5 stars. read more

I live for their amazing pasta bolognese and Capresé salad. Freddy the bartender is both adorable and professional and prompt. Love coming here. read more

Great food. The pizza is unreal! Wife loved the chicken parmigiana. Recommend you stop in.

I had Roberto, the Italian waiter. He was very happy wonderful to talk to someone in Italian! My father is from Italy so I grew up with perfect Italian food and this place did it just perfect!! Finally someone who can pronounce gnocchi and it was also homemade and soft and perfect!! Wonderful espresso martini and antipasto. Husband loved his chicken Caesar salad and the bread service with olive tampenade was amazing! Olive oil on the bread even better!! Thanks and good luck Roberto!! read more

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ALWAYS delicious EVERY TIME!! We sat outside this time and enjoyed all the people coming by. This place is just as good during the day as it is at night! Great service, great food! Will Definitely be back for many years to come! read more

Was excited to go here as an Italian because good Italian food is hard to find and I had heard decent things about it. We ordered a bunch of things to go and got home to extreme disappointment. First mess was they could not even be reached by phone to order after many attempts. We had to go in person, order, and wait until it was done. The Carbonara was prepared incorrectly. It is supposed to have the pancetta cooked but it was raw so it failed to carry flavor into the dish sauce and it was missing the peas altogether?!?!?!? Very limited pasta didn't even fill the bottom of the small to go container- a serious rip off for the price. The Chicken parmigiana was supposed to be good; it was recommended by their staff but it was one of the worst ones I've ever had in over 40 years. The sauce was nasty and the chicken was boring. While there was a decent amount of chicken, it had a very bland breading on it and barely had flavor. It reminded me of diner food to be honest. The other dishes were lackluster at best too. The parking on a Saturday night at 8-9 was a nightmare and not worth the effort to get there. I ended up giving my meal to someone else who ate but did not enjoy it. (Only ate because the portion he got was far too small) I ended up eating the bread that was provided for my meal. That was pretty good so thus the 1 star. Yipes! Thumbs down from all 6 of us today. :( read more

Stopped for mid afternoon lunch and was impressed with prosciutto panini. Establishment is upscale and hip with well stocked glass bar. Will be back for sure. read more

This place has always been my go to every time I visit Sarasota. I get the same thing all the time. Their insalata barbietole. It's mixed greens with beets, string beans and goat cheese. I add walnuts, olives, and a grilled chicken to it and a side of roasted potatoes. Never disappoints. Some times I add a grilled salmon instead. And their berry panna cotta for dessert is amazing. read more

The service was terrible we never saw our waiter. My husband asked for water several timesnever got it. We asked to substitute chicken for veal in the Marsala and they refused. A very unpleasant experience with a waiter who acts like he's doing you a favor by waiting on you. He was also trying to strike a deal of some sort with another customer so completely ignored his table. Sometimes excellent food can not overcome terrible service. read more

Showed up approx 7:30 on a very busy monday night. Joseph(pretty sure he's Joe Girardi) created a table for us, immediately sat us. Between him and our server Farbod, had a great dinner & drinks. In and out with my wife and 5 year old before she lost her shit. If looking for more atmosphere sit in barroom. read more

Decided to try this restaurant with a group of friends (8). We were greeted with the fact that they couldn't issue separate checks and they were only allowed 3 credit cards per table because of their "new system." The waiter was rude and not at all attentive. I realize that restaurants get busy, but that doesn't mean customer service has to suffer. The food was "meh". The general consensus of our group was that we would not be back. read more

Some of the best Italian food we've ever had!! The green ravioli with crab and shrimp in pink sauce was perfectly Al dente and delicious! The penne with cream was simple and comforting. My husband's pizza had the perfect thickness to the crust which was tender and flavorful. Would not hesitate to return or recommend! read more

Wait staff seemed bothered to have patrons. Never circled back for water refills, 2nd round of drinks or desire to provide even the slightest customer service. The salad looked sad at best and the pizza was just okay. I would much rather go to Caragulo's or Mediterraneo for good pizza and at least halfway friendly waitstaff. Will not be going back to Cafe Epicure again, would encourage readers to go elsewhere as well. read more

The bar is modern and very inviting. With covid, I sat on the patio amongst others. The martini was delicious and the vibe was very relaxing as a group of three socially distanced between themselves at the table next to me and appeared to be having a great conversation with their desserts and coffee. I ordered the bolognaise and loved the noodles and sauce. Only complaint was the sauce could have had more meat. Enjoyed the leftovers next day. The service was excellent and will definitely be back to try another dish. read more

Dear friends i recently visited the restaurant to have lunch and sadly i must report that both the service and the quality of the food has gotten worse ..it's too bad because for many years this was one of my most favorite restaurant to dine but now for whatever reason it's not as good as it once was ..so i have decided to try other places on main st. sarasota ...in closing i do not recommend this place anymore ,,,,,,,,buon appetito ! read more

Excellent food, service, and bonus for being open on Christmas Day! Pizza was excellent and the chocolate mousse was amazing. Beautiful decor, very classy! It's a bit pricey (drinks especially) but worth it to check out a pretty place. read more

Stephano was our server throughout the night, and I mean it, 3 hours of delightful dinning. We were 4 celebrating my wife's birthday. As discriminating dinners we liked the outdoor venue, menus and extensive wine BOOK. We chose the fried calamari shrimp and zucchini appetizer with the Burrata cheese plate, paired with several varietal whites by the glass. A bottle of Chianti Reserve accompanied the main dishes. Rib Eye Steak cooked to perfection, Green Ravioli stuffed with crab and shrimp, sautéed Branzino, and a Penne pasta dish. Stephano treated us like family. Cafe Epicure is a must go whenever we are in town. Can't wait to try their famous Pizza! read more

Although I would rate the food a 5 star, this one star rating is specifically due to the absolute negligence of Michael, the bartender and his total disregard to the policy of wearing a face covering while serving customers. At one point I asked our server if there was a reason why he was not adhering to the policy, and if he would ask Michael to put on his mask. With that, Michael became obnoxious, making comments like, if I didn't like it, I should stay home, or he could put his mask over his head. I spoke with the supervisor, Patricia, who's mask was loosely on. She apologized for Michaels negligence and attitude and said she could only speak to him after the shift was over. Seriously, you are in charge and you have someone who is being negligent, and rude and tremendously uncaring about anyone he is serving, and you can speak with him AFTER his shift????? When I asked Patricia for the owners information, she stated she didn't know his name??? How are you a manager and not know who the owner is. Do you think I just fell off a turnip truck? After telling her I was going to call the health department to file a formal complaint, she gave me the owner's first name - Gianni, but stated she knew nothing more. She would not provide me with a phone number, and claimed the only number she had was a cell phone, which obviously I wouldn't expect her to release. I finally received an email address - let's see what happens now. The food was amazing, but given our current normal, I would be very careful. I am considered to be in the high risk category, and have been extremely careful. It's through tonight's experience that I will once again be on alert to ensure I am protecting myself, given there are some who don't take this seriously. Visiting Sarasota was already stressful as one never knows how careful businesses are taking these COVID precautions, but to have someone who represents a well established business act the way he and the supervisor did, speaks volumes on how they are taking their responsibilities to protect this business and their customers. OWNERS BEWARE as these employees represent your establishment. read more