One of the all around best dining experiences I've ever had! This chef compares favorably to some of my best meals in SF, DC, and NY. Each dish was so complex and well balanced. My group had roasted wild mushroom appetizer (I'm a great wild mushroom home chef but these were clearly at another level.) After tasting the mushroom bisque I understand why it's a signature dish. My scallops were delicious as was the cobia and the New Zealand salmon. I think my husband's Papardelle with beef was better than any I've had anywhere! Had to try dessert too. White chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream with caramel and apple chips was perfect for me. All in all, although pricey, very reasonably priced for the quality and style. read more

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Every bite of food was perfect. Service was a 10/10. We love it. The fish was the best any of us has had in a long time. The apps were perfect and the burger was perfection. read more

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This place is so welcoming and the service was great. All the servers were very nice, I felt like a true guest at someone's home. The food is unique and amazing. We had the Pork chops, Fish with pistachio, and a soup appetizer and scallops. All so good. read more

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What a little gem! Housed in a small home in the historical district of Sarasota, how do they produce such delectable farm-to-table food? Menu changes weekly. Whatever is fresh is on the menu. Great service out of a tiny kitchen. Parmesan beignets to start followed by mushroom soup with truffle croutons (to die for), Cobia whitefish (I had the raw appetizer but they cook it also). Swordfish with perfectly roasted Brussels sprouts was shared by all and sunny Shrimp in lemony goodness. See photos for inspiration and be sure to reserve a spot! read more

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Indigenous is a hidden gem! The menu is always changing and the food is always phenomenal! The owner is friendly and takes pride.

Despite the small trendy portions. Quality and flavor needs to pop. $25 cheeseburger was below average. White fish was on some terrible fried rice. Good thing the portions were smaller, less to suffer through on the mosquito infested patio. Still paid and tipped well. One and done. read more

For my money, right now in Sarasota there is no better place to eat than Indigenous. Order anything- its going to be great. Make a reservation, you're going to need it. And be patient and alive to the experience because it's special. In fact, the last night I dined at Indigenous I was sitting at the bar in the back. We had a glimpse of the kitchen and just happened to spot Bobby Flay, the celebrity chef, who appeared to be getting a cooking lesson from the chef at this restaurant. That's how good this place is........I hope that Bobby learned a thing or two. read more

https://www.opentable.com/restaurant/profile/793444?shareReferrer=ios-share I visited Indigenous in July. I've been processing my experience since then hence the delay in my submission. After discussion with my family, it solidified how poorly I was treated and the need to make others aware. I have a health condition that limits my food choices. There were only 5 entrees on the menu none of which could accommodate my dietary restrictions. I asked to make a modification to the most suitable dish. Our server rudely and in a very intimidating manner refused. I shared my experience on open table. Please see above what I wrote and the restaurant's response. It was beyond shocking. read more

Indigenous earned it stars last night. Everything lived up to all the reviews. Cool cozy atmosphere inside and out. Great spot for a date or night out with friends. The food didn't disappoint either. We started off with the Mushroom Bisque...Fantastic. I'd come back just for the soup. We also ordered the Beignets...ok, probably will try something else next time. For entrees we order the Yellowfin Tuna ...Excellent and the Cobia...very tasty and well prepared. We ended our great evening with the Twix bar dessert..very good as well. The only thing I'd love to see changed would be the addition of Spirits to the Wine and Beer list. We'll definitely be back. Is recommend reservations, seating is limited. Great Food Great Atmosphere ! read more

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Creative dishes with excellent, complex flavors. There is a lot of attention to detail. These are not simple dishes. Our favorites were the pork chop and mahi mahi. I've never had a pork chop cooked so perfectly before. We'll definitely be back in fall or winter. In the summer it gets pretty hot in the front enclosed room. Perhaps you can ask for a different table if you have any conditions making you sensitive to heat with no breeze. Must also point out that the wait staff were attentive and friendly. read more

Starting off with what seems to be a recurring theme of some other reviewers the front of house was scattered and the one hostess was extremely rude. I called and made a reservation and upon showing up the hostess couldn't find it. I had confirmed on the phone the date and time with her but she wrote it down for the following weekend. We were celebrating my moms birthday so luckily one of high tops outside was available and we were able to still dine out. I understand online reservations aren't every restaurants thing but transitioning to a system like Yelp, OpenTable, or resy would for sure ease these problems. If going really make sure they write down the reservation correctly or you may be out of luck. I really should take a star or two away for how bad the first 20 minutes of the experience were but the food was just too good to not justify a 5 star rating. We started with the Parmesan beignets and the lemon pickled shrimp and corn at the waiters recommendation and both were delicious. The shrimp and corn had the perfect amount of spice and the beignets with the honey and pears were just the right about of sweet. I had the swordfish with the crab sauce and semonlina pudding which was heavenly. I would eat that every week if it was an option because it was that good. The crab sauce was so good I practically didn't a drop on the dish when I was done. The fish was cooked perfectly. The burger was also well worth the money and the potatoes cooked in duck fat were next level delicious. Honestly one of the best meals if not the best meal I've had out in the Tampa Bay Area in a very long time. We finished with all of the desserts all which were very good. Honestly nothing was a disappointment when it came to the food, wine, or our server. It was just a shame we could've missed out eating here because of front of house issues. read more

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Indigenous is a hidden gem. We've been coming to Sarasota a couple of times every year for a few years now and I can't believe we've never eaten here. Both the outdoor and indoor seating are very cute. It's basically a little house that was turned into a restaurant. This place has a small menu which focuses on fresh, in season, sustainably sourced ingredients. We almost managed to try everything on the menu in the 2 times we ate here within the week and every single dish was perfect. From the appetizers - The Parmesan beignets are a MUST. The mushroom garlic toast, the pickled peppers, the mushroom bisque, and the cobia crudo were all so good as well and I'd have trouble leaving any of them out. The portions aren't huge so you can order 3-4 starters for a group of 4 and be okay. For dinner, my wife and I both had the cobia lo mein dish which was awesome. We also tried the flounder, the baked shrimp and scallops, the pork chop, and the mushroom pappardelle - every single one delicious. I don't think you can go wrong with anything on this menu. Our waitress Katie and the rest of the service was attentive and provided great food/wine recommendations. An absolute must try if you're looking to be on the adventurous side instead of sticking to the typical steak and seafood restaurant in Sarasota. read more

always loved it here ...but recent visit was disappointed with burger (used to be magical!) server & staff were great read more

Cozy area (tables are close together), delicious food! Photos of July 2021's menu...wild mushroom bisque, green curry fish dip, wild mushroom & lentil bolognese, Parmesan beignets, peanut and green tomato salad, red grouper, and baked shrimp and scallops. read more

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What an amazing dinner! We got three appetizers the fish dip, pork, and mushroom bisque. The bisque was fantastic! Then we ordered two entrees pork chop and the flounder. We sat outside on the porch. It was a perfect night! read more

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What a gem. I'm usually skeptical about small menus but this place executes this perfectly. We were highly impressed by the 2 appetizers (fish dip and Parmesan beignets) and 2 entrees (swordfish and burger) we ordered, so I can assume that everything else on the menu is top notch as well. I was very pleased by the quaint yet beautiful atmosphere, and the service was just right -- our server was there when we needed him but never overbearing. He did a great job explaining the dishes, and also gave great wine suggestions. Their menu stays fresh and is always changing, so we will certainly be back to try more! read more

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The Chef gets a 1 star. I like that the menu changes weekly. I was very cautious to make sure I checked the menu early in the week of our reservation to make sure there was something I could eat. I have several food allergies. I found a pork chop that only needed to have the sauce not served. I thought that would be an easy request. At first, the chef refused to serve the pork chop without his hollandaise sauce. I'm sure it would have made the pork chop that much more special, but I can't eat eggs without being really sick. Our server really went to bat for me. I was told he'd accommodate me this one time, but to not come back. I recognize that as a chef he is creating masters of art. But give me a break, to not accommodate a food allergy? All five or so menu items included ingredients I'm allergic to. Trust me, we will not be back. There are so many nice restaurants in Sarasota that would have served the pork chop without a sauce. Geeesh. read more

Went here for my son's birthday with him and his fiancée, my husband, my daughter and son and law, and our 10 month old granddaughter. I was worried about taking such a young child to an upscale restaurant like this, but everything worked out perfectly. They put us at a table that was essentially in its own room just inside the front door. They have booster seats not high chairs but it worked fine. Everyone was very kind and the service was great. The food was even better. The beignets were just as good as everyone said they were. I had cobia which was prepared with a lemongrass Thai seasoning and it was incredible. Husband had the scallops which were excellent, daughter got red snapper which she loved, 2 others got the pork chop- son said it was the best pork chop he ever ate. There wasn't anything that wasn't wonderful. No room for dessert and also no time for it with the baby getting spunky. We are going back this month for my husbands birthday! Btw there is street parking for free down the street. Sorry no photos- I was too busy enjoying the food and the company! read more

A great choice for some unique dishes near downtown Sarasota! The mushroom bisque and pear beignets are 2 of their signature dishes that cannot be missed, but the seasonally changing crudos and desserts are always creative and delicious too. The always-changing fish, pork chops, and other dishes are perfect for adventurous eaters, but for those looking for classics there are always their delicious burger and generally a pasta dish of some kind. The staff is welcoming, helpful, and knowledgeable about the menu, with plenty of great recommendations. Make sure to make a reservation for groups, especially on Fridays and Saturdays, but for single diners the bar is always a good option! read more

Indigenous Restaurant - Toasted white chocolate mousse - New American Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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Wow! We are visiting friends who live near Sarasota. As foodies we often frown about going to someplace in a tourist center. That frown turned into the biggest smile ever! We were wowed from the first nibble of their green curried fish paste. We swooned over our entrees! We might have to fly back to Sarasota just to enjoy another great meal, with super service at Indigenous! read more

A lovely little old house with the rooms turned into intimate dining spaces and nice outdoor seating for nights with good weather. Excellent wine selections, great menu. Mushroom bisque is a must and I'm not even a big mushroom person. Grateful we have this spot! read more

Anniversary dinner. All knew and didn't really do anything about it. Flavors, original dishes and combinations but lacking a zest of something. Had the Parmesan beignets and extremely grease; thank goodness for the pear and honey. Had the pork chop. Promised potatoes where about 5 thin pieces and broccoli mixture lack salt or more quick. The mushroom bisque was good, too much for one serving as is extremely thick but flavors were good. Not sure if I'll are the drive again there and if I'll recommend against other places in town. Only recommend will be for unique combinations but bring your own salt and pepper. read more

Truly spectacular. Food was so tasty and the atmosphere young and hip. Hard to get a reservation though. read more

Indigenous Restaurant - New American Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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Food was very okay. Not horrible, but nothing special. I had the red snapper and it was fairly tough. The best thing I ate was the Caesar salad. read more

Food and service was good. Prices were a little high. ESpecially the wine by the class price. Lowest cost was 17$ a glass.

The food was beyond spectacular and presented wonderfully. Katie our server could not have been more attentive to our every need and she was extremely knowledgeable about the menu and the history. The ambience of the quaint home and how it was laid out just made you so comfortable like you were eating in a friends home! Great dining experience, can't wait to go back! read more

A very nice evening We went to Indigenous with friends last night, and all agreed this was an excellent choice. All of us enjoyed both the food and the service. While the menu is short, it contained interesting choices. The two specials for the night were Swordfish for the Hook to Table offering, and Cobia for the Plentiful and Abundance offering. We started our meal with their Wild Mushroom Bisque, a boldly flavorful soup that I absolutely loved. One of my favorite foods are mushrooms. What a start. I remembered this bisque from a previous visit and looked forward to trying it again. What I had this time exceeded my high expectations. Following the bisque, we shared an order of Parmesan Beignets, so light and airy. We liked this appetizer so much we ordered another. For my entrée I had the Cobia special. Cobia is farmed and is one of the top sustainable fish available. My fish was firm with a mild flavor and came with a lumpy sauce. The lumps were made with Farro pasta, a texture that seemed familiar, but I didn't know what Farro pasta was until now. I read it isn't really a pasta but a grain and it is a healthy substitution for pasta. Not only did I have a good meal, but it was also good for me and a good choice for the world. I did want to mention another diner had the My Uncle's Burger, a sandwich that has had both good and bad reviews. His opinion was very good, unique, and not at all dry. Service was great, our server pleasant, knowledgeable, and patient as we asked many questions. The meal was nicely timed. Our only real issue was right the beginning of our visit when we were not seated in the dining room but instead in another building. The restaurant has both indoor and outdoor seating, and because they kept the feel of the Towles Square neighborhood and renovated rather than replacing houses, seating is separated. Anyway, my wife was disappointed we were not in the main dining room, even though we made reservations a week ago. She had asked for indoor seating but didn't realize she also needed to specify what room she preferred. The restaurant was apologetic, but we were still seated in the auxiliary room. I should also mention parking, they have none. A couple of neighboring businesses allow patrons to park in their lots, we learned after the fact, and there is some street parking. read more

Indigenous Restaurant - New American Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

we came here for the new year's eve dinner and it was delicious! the staff was very kind, the restaurant had wonderful ambiance, and it was an overall great experience. the butternut squash fritters, corn chowder, and chocolate torte were favorites at our table! read more

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They've gone to carryout only during the co-vid crisis. They have a special menu and we ordered the cobia dinner, their delicious burger and two salads. They brought it out to the car and loaded it into the back seat for us with no physical contact. It took us about 20 minutes to get home and everything was still warm and tasty. I also appreciate that they used foil and paper containers - no Styrofoam. Kudos to them for their new business model! And we were touched by the "thank you" from the chef. I hope the community comes out in support of this great restaurant. read more

Indigenous Restaurant - From the side of the to-go bag. - New American Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

After seeing that Bobby Flay had visited and made the claim that Indigenous was the best restaurant in Sarasota we had to give it a try. Started off a little rocky, our reservation was for 8:15 and we showed up at 8:10 and checked in and the reception was the attitude of "how dare we show up 5 minutes early and try and be seated" after being seated we started with a bottle of the Groiss Gruner Veltliner and it was a very crisp and tasteful Pinot. Unfortunately it took 45 minutes before we saw an appetizer. Was surprised to see such a high end restaurant not serve any kind of complimentary bread or starter while waiting on appetizers. The wild mushroom bisque was a 10/10 and the Lionfish Crudo was 7/10. We had both specials of the night the Red Snapper and Cobia. The Snapper was a 10/10 and the Cobia an 8/10. After was Dessert and we went with the Pickled Blueberries, over captain crunch shortbread with lemon cheesecake and this was the best dessert I've had in my entire life 12/10!! I would recommend this restaurant if you want a fine seafood dining experience but to say it's the best in Sarasota is a stretch. Chateau 13 still holds the top spot for Restaurants in Sarasota in my book. read more

Fresh delicious food with chef able to adjust some dishes for allergies Flavor bomb amazing read more

Fabulous meal tonight! (And every time we've visited). Parmesan beignets and roasted mushroom appetizers. Then a very large pork chop with a fabulous broccoli, potato, bacon and garlic hash. Wendy had the broiled scallops with a cornbread and lemon butter dressing. Exceptional service on top. Best place in Sarasota. read more

A house turned into a restaurant setting in a residential neighborhood. Great setting to match the excellent service and great food. I had the grilled local mushrooms, the Cobia and to close out an espresso and Oatmeal Cookie Ice Cream. Everything was prepared perfectly and tasted delicious. Even the espresso with the hard biscotti and rock sugar stick was perfect. One of my new places to go in Sarasota. read more

Indigenous Restaurant - New American Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

We had a wonderful evening! Very nice comfortable atmosphere. Service was excellent (thanks Katie :-). Wine and beer were great. Overall, the food was very good, unique and interesting, perfectly cooked. However, I took off a star because we found it to lean a little too salty. The smoked fish appetizer was delicious, perhaps salty by definition, but it was served with vegetables that had been dipped in brine so they were also salty. A salty dip would best be served with unsalted crackers and vegetables. The scallops had Parmesan breadcrumb topping, which was salty from the cheese, but I think the scallops were also cooked in salted butter which made the whole dish too salty. I tend to eat minimal salt but my friends eat salt pretty freely, and they also thought the scallops were too salty. With less salt the dish will be perfect :-) overall we enjoyed it very much and will be back! read more

I had an incredible dinner last night in Sarasota. If you haven't checked out Indigenous, you are really missing out. We made reservations for 5:30 when they opened and we were seated immediately. Our service was outstanding throughout our visit. We started with a few glasses of wine along with a few appetizers. The menu is small, but I had heard great things so that did not concern me. We ordered the parmesan beignet, truffle mushroom bisque, and the black garlic bibb salad. The apps and wine came out quickly and the food looked great. Our server informed us that the beignets & bisque have been on the menu for 7 years since they opened, but everything else rotates. One bite in and you could understand why. Both of these items were truly phenomenal. The beignets were so light and airy yet full of flavor. The truffle mushroom bisque was perfectly rich with incredibly balanced flavors. The salad really surprised me as well with the fennel, manchego, and sumac. The flavor combo worked remarkably well. For our main dishes, my parents both went with the fresh cobia over a corn & zucchini fritter with dill butter, and I went with the burger & duck fat fried potatoes. We finished our appetizers as the main dishes were delivered and everything looked great. My mother took one bite and fell in love. She said the cobia was incredible. I tore into my burger and it was very good. The sauce was a bit sweeter than expected, but still very good. We were all happy with our meals and finished them off with a smile. After our meal, I remembered a dessert menu and an item that caught my eye. The olive oil lemon cake with blueberry compote, lavender crumbles, and white chocolate ganache sounded like a very interesting flavor combo. We ordered a slice and it came out looking amazing. The presentation was striking. The flavor combo worked very well and finished off a perfect meal. Overall, our visit was top notch. I regret waiting so long to check this location out. My mother actually said it was one of the best meals she has had in Florida in 30 years. That really says a lot and I would agree with her that it was exceptional. I would highly recommend making a reservation if you are ever down around downtown Sarasota. read more

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Ooh my goodness! My brother who is a former chef recommended this place to me and every single item I tasted was absolutely amazing!! I can't wait to go back. Even the cappuccino was delicious. Every person in my party was thoroughly impressed. One of the best places to eat in Sarasota thus far. Bravo to the team for their execution of the wonderfully orchestrated menu. read more

Indigenous Restaurant - Everglades baked sun shrimp ! What a delightful dish! - New American Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

Parmesan beignets are out of this world amazing! One of my favorite restaurants in Sarasota!

The Mushroom bisque and the Cobia dishes were my favorite, the layers of flavors were outstanding. I was not super impressed with the dessert or appetizer. They were ok. The hostesses and bartender were super friendly and accommodating. If you can get a table it's a must try ! read more

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During our short stay we decided to have a fine dining experience in Sarasota, city that's known for good food. A quick search on Yelp lead us to this place. We didn't have any reservation but we were lucky that we got there early and they gave us one of the high-top tables which was not in the covered area. Well that was better that what I expected. The first thing that I loved about this place was the fact that they are located far away from the crowded part of the town. It's a small restaurant in a residential neighborhood with a group of friendly staff. The theme and the location are both lovely and very quiet. Everyone was dressed formal but us. Lol As for the food, their menu is very small and you got only a few options. However, they said they change the menu often. We ended up ordering the fish of the day, the smoked fish (appetizer), the beignet and the panna cotta for the desert. I would give 4 stars for the food. The smoked fish appetizer with Parmesan and the toast was great and I loved it. The fish entree was 'Cobia' and I never had it in the past. The fish itself was delicious but I didn't like the choice of the sides. The Parmesan beignet was awesome but kinda sweet as an appetizer. ( I ordered it as for my desert. Lol) and the panna cotta was just okay. I guess 4/5 is fair. Btw, they don't have a full liquor menu. So no cocktails. Only wine and beer. read more

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My husband and I were celebrating our anniversary and it was our first time dining at Indigenous. Our waiter was excellent! I am giving this restaurant three stars because some of the seasoning was more of a reach than creative. The sauce on the swordfish was too smokey and over powered the dish. The basil ice cream was delicious but would have been better served alone rather than on top of the oatmeal fudge brownie. Many selections of fish on the menu. No poultry on the menu and only the burger was the meat entree. read more

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