Arts & Central — Restaurant in Sarasota

We've been wowed!

Arts & Central has been on our list of new places to dine after opening in February (we usually like to give new restaurants a little "run" time before we try them) and they checked all the boxes all the boxes for us.

We had a reservation and were warmly greeted by the hostesses. The restaurant was not overly crowded on the Wednesday night in June we visited and rather then sit at a table we opted to sit at the bar overlooking the kitchen operations (it's always a great way to see what we might want to try).

The restaurant venue has a great layout with seating inside and out (covered). The bar is inviting and looks to seat around 20. Tables are spaced well and the chairs comfortable. Table linens and stemware nice. Also the ambient noise level was good for conversation.

There's lots of light in the main dining areas and roll-up doors on the outside walls that when open give the restaurant an open air feel. They were closed when we were there. The kitchen is open air and there's 6-8 bar stools where we sat where you can watch the kitchen operations (not sure if they are open seating).

Our waiter (Martin) was prompt, engaging, cordial and attentive throughout the meal and we started with the house Manhattan ($12) and Old Fashioned ($14). Generally at those prices the pour is smaller and we were pleasantly surprised at the large rocks glasses, big cubes and portion when they arrived tableside. The Old Fashioned came smoked and we let the smoke infuse for a while longer giving the drink a really nice flavor. Both were very good.

There's a lot of good choices on the menu and we started with the the Brussel Sprouts (that we could share). The sprouts were cooked with dried cherries and almond slivers in a bourbon molasses flavored sauce. Overall great flavor and nicely cooked. A little crispier would have made them outstanding but we still liked them.

For dinner I chose the Faroe Island Salmon (med) served with grilled zucchini, fingerling potatoes and salad mixture that looked like garnish but had an excellent flavor with a hint of oil and red wine vinegar (not sure, but good). The presentation was good and the food warm. The salmon (perfectly cooked) had an excellent flavor complimented by the chimichurri that came on the side.

My partner ordered the Shrimp and Linguini. Again nice presentation, warm and tasty. Shrimp were plentiful and the linguini had a interesting green tint and good flavor with a slight kick. Turns out that cook it with a little chimichurri sauce.

The last thing we tried were the Sticky Rib Fingers. Cooked in a home made BBQ sauce with garlic, ginger and sesame and served with 6 ribs these were very good. I'd recommend them for sharing!

During our meal we met the cooks (because where we were seated), Dave the GM (hostess stand), and George the Sous Chef who came out and chatted with us. Each of them and the entire staff were approachable and welcoming. Most of all they appear to care about their customers and making the restaurant the best it can be. For me, someone they met for the first time, it left a strong impression and made for a most memorable evening.

Special shout to to...

Sarasota has some fantastic restaurants, but Arts & Central takes the top prize. We went for dinner on a chilly night so we couldn't enjoy the truly wonderful outdoor seating, but the interior is simply gorgeous. Although all the tables were occupied, as was the bar, we were truly surprised at how quiet the noise level was (so refreshing!). The restaurant is filled with thoughtful details; hooks at the bar and high tops for the ladies' purses, menus that feature art from local artists (they told us they change the menu art monthly), really fun lighting, spotless rest rooms, and warm inviting décor.

The menu (you can see it online) is fun, adventurous, inspired, and filled with great temptations. We started with the loaded hummus salad with beetroot and my wife and I couldn't get enough of it despite the fact that it was large enough for two to share with plenty left over. My wife commented that it would have been plenty for her as an entrée.

She had the trout and RAVED about it; I had the filet mignon and I found it to be among the very best I have ever had. It was served with a terrific peppercorn sauce over a delicious caramelized onion tarte and it was topped with a perfect mixed green salad.

We shared a dessert that was an elegant twist on s'mores, and the accompanying coffee was uniquely delicious (wish I could find out where the source it).

Our server, Moses, had apparently only been on board for a month but he was super friendly, attentive and always on-point.

I just can't say enough about Arts & Central, I really do think we Sarasotans have a really fresh, superb new spot. I am looking forward to coming back to try lunch as well as the outdoor dining. They also have a private room that looks like a wine cellar and appears to be able to seat perhaps 20 people or so for private parties and I will keep that in mind for any occasions that might come up.

I don't write many reviews, and I tend to be very critical, but I just couldn't find anything to...

If I could give it a 10, I would. The entrees are nothing short of fabulous. Overall, the food is deliciously creative. The desserts are wonderful particularly the cookies and milk. The chocolate chip cookies are the best I’ve ever eaten. The chocolate and herb dessert is out of this world. The restaurant is gorgeous. The bar is beautiful and the seats around the kitchen is a novel idea. The staff is clearly well trained and extremely passionate and knowledgeable. Can’t recommend Arts and Central enough. UPDATE : I personally do not leave a lot of reviews because the system is somewhat corrupt. In that I mean that for the most part, when people are happy with the service or product, they don’t leave reviews. However when they are upset about one thing no matter how trivial, they can’t post a review fast enough to blast the company. This is a lovely restaurant. The owners took their time to evaluate every detail. I can understand if one doesn’t care for a dish to mention it in your review but is that reason to leave a 1 or 2? You go back and try another dish. There are several dishes I’m not crazy about that others love. I happen to be a picky eater. The owners were careful in their selection of silverware and glasses. High quality. Do reviewers mention that? No. How about that the place is beautifully different? How about the fact that the staff goes out of their way to provide great service and make their customers happy. I know you can’t please everyone but chill out. To criticize the hand heaters and paper towels is ridiculous! They tried something different and it didn’t work. So what? All I know is that Arts & Central is one of the finest restaurants in the SRQ and Bradenton area. It wreaks of quality unlike some of...