Best food in the Sarasota Bradenton area . The food here was fantastic. Every dish we ordered was simply delicious. The shrimp in coconut milk, the beets salad, the burrata- all tasty appetizers. The spicy rigatoni was just right- right amount of zing, flavorful, cooked just right. The branzino was flavorful and fresh and delicious. We had a Greek white wine which was so good - didn't expect it to be so good. Can't say enough good things about this place. The chef, and the owners came out to chat with us - so friendly and attentive. Keep everything just the way it is. Don't try to ' improve' anything - especially the tasty food ! We look forward to coming back soon to try more dishes. Thank for the delicious meal. Wish you great success ! read more

What should have been a special date night turned into a very disappointing experience. My fiancé and I arrived promptly for our 5:45 reservation. Despite half the tables being available, the waitress/hostess attempted to seat us directly next to the front door, at a table in the middle of the restaurant. When I asked to sit at one of the several empty two-top tables along the perimeter, she responded with an unwelcome attitude and almost rolled her eyes out of her head. Not a great start, but we shook it off. Our server, Michael, promptly and warmly greeted us. He was friendly and is very good. All of the food was mediocre at best. Were we at the same restaurant that has all of the glowing reviews?! The octopus appetizer was the standout, yet it was still underwhelming and a small portion for $23. The butternut squash soup was average, lacking depth and richness despite its appealing description. Usually, my fiancé and I order different entrees, but we both chose the rigatoni after reading glowing reviews. One had overcooked and dry chicken; the other had three shrimp I didn't like, so I gave them to my fiancé. The pasta was light on sauce and flavor, and it was quite spicy without enough seasoning complexity. We also tried the white chocolate tart, which sounded tempting but fell flat--how can dessert be so disappointing? I had high expectations based on the reviews and the price, but the experience was a major letdown. Our bill was $190 for two, including tip (included two glasses of Pinot Noir at a reasonable $9 each). What was supposed to be a memorable date night turned out to be a major letdown. read more

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There wasn't a single thing about this place I could complain about. Our server Joanna was great. She was funny, friendly, and very helpful. Every cocktail we had was great. They make a version of a paper plane that was really good. The octopus was perfectly cooked as were the muscles. Finally, the mains were phenomenal. The Bolognese sauce was authentic. The pork chops and boneless ribeye were cooked perfectly. After 3 years in Florida, we finally found a place that can cook Italian food like I'm used to. read more

I had a great experience here. The Sea Bass was great, we had the beets app and the octopus, lamb chops, gaspacho, and cheesecake. It was so small and intimate. I loved. Our server was great. read more

Fantastic! Aziz was amazing! Everyone! The food was wonderful! Thank you chef! It's a beautiful place.

Wine happy hour was delicious, pasta not homemade, bolognese ok I make better was hoping for home made pasta. The Octopus was delicious. Cacio de Pepe was like buttered noodles and all small portions. Service was impressive and restaurant was beautiful. read more

Wonderful service from beginning to end. Comfortable and inviting space. And delicious food and drinks. Started with bread and a Caesar salad. Then, the sea bass with mushroom risotto and my husband had the filet over polenta. The filet melted in your mouth. We had a group of 10 people and our server, Aziz, was very attentive and on point. Thank you for a great experience. read more

Sofra - Italian Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

New Favorite Alert! We just had the most delicious dinner and we're still talking about it! From the cozy ambiance to the absolutely mouthwatering dishes, everything was very good, and fresh ingredients! ‍ My husband had the spicy rigatoni with shrimp--creamy, bold, and packed with flavor. I had the steak tip special over fluffy mashed potatoes with the most savory gravy and a crispy parmesan crown--SO good. And my cocktail? A strawberry lemonade with Grey Goose and fresh purée--light, refreshing, and dangerously smooth. To top it all off, our server Sierra was fantastic--warm, attentive, and so knowledgeable. She made the whole experience even better! We absolutely LOVED it and will 100% be back read more

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Every dish we had was out of this world!! The shrimp appetizer is heavenly and the combination of ingredients were wildly unexpected but so good. The cheesecake is one of the best I've ever had!! The entire place has been renovated and the vibes were immaculate. Sierra was our server and so knowledgeable about every item on the menu and even the sources of the ingredients. PS: she makes the sangrias and they are one of the best sangrias I've ever had. read more

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The food was fantastic. I got the roasted beat salad and my spouse got the ceaser salad. He said there were no anchovies and that was a little disappointing but the beet salad was very good. We then had the filets and they were so perfect and tender and the chef nailed the sauce. It was perfect. We had dessert and it was good but nothing I'd get again. No reason other than I would just try something else. The drinks need improvement but over all this was a very nice restaurant and I hope they have tremendous success. We will definitely be back. read more

The food was terrific. Our group loved the Bolognese, the Spicy Rigatoni and the Seafood Risotto. The peppers appetizer was really good. Everyone was so nice. Sarah was our server and she was very attentive. Lovely. We will be back! read more

Food was OK. Fairly small portions. Service was attentive but very pretentious and snooty. Why bother telling us who the chef is as soon as we sat down? Setting was very noisy. There are many better restaurants in the area with more reasonable prices and welcoming service. We will NOT be going back. read more

My boyfriend and I were optimistic to try this place but were so disappointed. I'm not sure if we're just used to our delicious cuisine in Miami but it was the blandest tasteless food I have EVER had. Our bill came out to be over $100 and it hurt to pay so much for unauthentic terrible food. I will say the service was great. All the waitresses were kind and attentive. read more

Had a wonderful dinner at Sofra. Food and service was excellent. Sarah was our server she was very friendly and attentive. Recommend highly.

We went with a group food was very good and maybe because of the larger group the wait staff was a little confused, one in our party got the wrong meal and was questioned as to if they actually ordered correctly, not something that I think you should do. One of the items on the menu was at a lesser price then we were charged, now it was only a $2.00 difference but still, they were not aware that their system was wrong. While they thanked us for bringing it to their attention and offered to give the money if I wanted to come in, I elected not to take drive for $2.00, also look for the price for sharing I guess I missed that on the menu. They can do better. read more

The first time in, the beautiful ambiance made it hard to pay attention to anything else. The staff very promptly greeted us, all with smiles and a great attitude. The steak excellent. OMG. the charred Brussel sprouts are out of this world. The Chef(s) , manager or owners greeted us table side to double check that everything was on point. It sure was! MUST dine here if you are looking for a fantastic experience. More than just food,it was an experience read more

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I cannot say anything better about this restaurant. The service was immaculate, food was incredible, drinks exceptional. I will recommend this place for any date night no matter the day of the week. We got the branzino with mushroom risotto and the special which was a red pesto linguine with shrimp. For drinks we got a smoked old fashioned and a aperol spritz. As an appetizer we opted for the "side dish" Brussels. Please give them your support so we can keep this place alive! read more

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The dinners were delicious as always! Daniel our server was amazing!!! So informative, kind and professional. The musician made the evening so relaxing! read more

The food and drinks were lovely! My family of 8 came in and everything was perfect. Would definitely recommend the cacio e pepe and lychee martini. The server was also the sweetest read more

Sofra - Italian Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

I went to Sofra last night. It was one of the best meals I've had since moving to Florida 3 years ago. Food was delicious, great cocktails and service was amazing!! Thanks Sierra. Between my 2friends and I we had the pork chops w Korean bbq and rice- delicious, Bronzino with risotto -unbelievable and the filet which comes w polenta- I am not a polenta fan so had the Brussel sprouts which were Sooo good. Will definitely go back. Nice to have a fine dining restaurant in Bradenton read more

Food, service, ambiance were all excellent! Spicy rigatoni and cacio e Pepe were every bit as good as I'd hoped, and the shrimp appetizer with coconut milk was delicious. Only reason I didn't give 5 stars is drink prices are elevated compared to other places in the area, but they've only been open 8 months so hopefully as they get established and make some money they revisit drink prices. Highly recommend, as the happy hour drinks were extremely well priced and were also very good read more

The food was amazing and service was great. The waiters and waitresses were really nice. I also really liked the environment, it was quiet and cute. Over all great place to stop with family or just by your self. read more

Food wasn't great, wasn't bad - just so so. Decor - a mixed bag. You walk thru kitchen to restrooms. Didn't feel very welcomed (for a new restaurant). Better places to eat. read more

Ate at Sofra last week. I don't know if there's such a thing as casual elegance, but if there is, Sofra has it. Everything from the ambiance, to the service, to apps to entrees were excellent! Even the bread was warm and fresh. The burrata, tomato and pesto was the best I ever tasted. Thin, toasted baguette slices for the cheese, tomato, and pesto was perfect. The Orecchiette with pulled brisket was amazing! I highly recommend this new restaurant in Bradenton (wine selection was very good too!) read more

This place is a hidden gem. The decor is beautiful and the food is fresh and delicious! Our servers, Phoenix and Sierra were both superb. Drinks were also a huge plus. Please take a leap of faith and check this place out! read more

What a great find! Excellent food, service and atmosphere! They have some fantastic cocktails and have locally produced spirits! I have had several of the entrees and there were all top notch. The chef really brings the flavors out! You will not be disappointed. read more

Service was outstanding and my steak was cooked to perfection. Everything was fresh and we enjoyed the relaxing atmosphere.

Very limited menu, food was overpriced for the quality. Nothing special, perhaps we were there on an off night.

Delicious dinner and excellent service! We even had some beautiful live background music. Overall a great experience. Highly recommend!!

Great food with even better service! You should visit there soon! The ambience is outstanding. Great selection of food and drinks!

If I could give it 10 stars I would! Food was absolutely amazing. Drinks were fabulous and our service was spectacular. Please treat yourself and visit Sofra! read more

The food and service was great. My family and I really enjoyed the experience and the ambience was great. Will be coming here again in the future. read more

delicious food!very good service! Respectful service!perfect place very comfortable, very nice, everything in its place! very respectful staff! read more

It was a great experience! Food was amazing! The owners are so nice and friendly. Very clean facility. Would definitely come back!

Food was unique and full of taste. Healthy option of Octopus feta mix was perfect. Swordfish special was cooked to perfection and beautifully presented. The other adults raved about their traditional dishes special twists and full carb experience. The Sofra touch was infused into each which is cool. Desserts were authentic, big portioned finishers! We made early reservation noting that there would be a child. They were fully ready and overly accommodating with menu options and the kid kit and made that part less stressful than 95% of other locals. The staff was very well trained, described things perfectly, and everyone actually smiled. Each interaction with was above and beyond in comparison to similar priced options in the area. Excited to go back when the weather is cooler and we can dine outside. The room we are in will be perfect for meeting, large parties/family, or corporate functions. Owner doing everything right. Easy drive from the island. This is not an easy town so get behind this!!! read more