Diners' Choice: Best Value restaurants in Sarasota / Bradenton

OpenTable

Updated March 05, 2025

Looking for the best value restaurants in Sarasota / Bradenton? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Bruschetta Fine Italian Cuisine

4.8

4.8 (69)

$31 to $50

Italian

Gulf Gate Estates

About the restaurant

At Bruschetta Fine Italian Cuisine , our history is rooted in family and tradition. Our recipes have been passed down for generations, and we take great pride in using authentic ingredients and techniques to create the flavors of Italy. From our humble beginnings in a small kitchen in Rome to our bustling restaurant today, we've always stayed true to our roots.

Top review

Kurt

Dined on Feb 18, 2025

Amazing authentic Italian cuisine and atmosphere....

Dolce Italia

4.9

4.9 (644)

$31 to $50

Italian

Sarasota

About the restaurant

Dolce Italia was established in 2010 by Tiziana Di Costanzo who came from Ischia, an island in the Gulf of Naples. Using a combination of classic Italian dishes, family recipes passed down for generations, and warm hospitality, Dolce Italia has built a reputation in Sarasota as a destination for anyone seeking great food and ambiance. In 2015 Matthew joined as manager of the front of house and is now a managing partner of Dolce Italia. The kitchen staff trained by Tiziana from the beginning are still with the restaurant with Maria being the capocuoco.
Some of the specialities Dolce Italia has become famous for are the Napoletan Eggplant- a tender sautee eggplant with fresh tomatoes crowned with ricotte, the Trenne Dolce Italia- the signature pasta dish with creamy tomato sauce, fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, and mushroom.

Top review

JeffreyRVIP

Dined 6 days ago

One of our favorite Italian restaurant in Sarasota. Beyond the amazing food, the atmosphere is warm and inviting. The staff are always friendly, attentive, and make us feel truly welcome. We will definitely be coming back

Cest La Vie

4.7

4.7 (142)

$30 and under

French

Sarasota

About the restaurant

C'est la Vie Downtown! Authentic French Bistrot. Serving Classic French cuisine in a rustic provençal atmosphere. Only downtown location is doing dinner.
We also offer a spacious outdoor dinning garden terrace with a beautiful shady oak tree and illuminating string lights.
Our Artisan bakery and the quality of our pastries will have you feeling like you are in the heart of Paris.
Opened since 1997 by Christophe and Geraldine Coutelle, we collected over the years many awards from Best French Restaurant to Best french bakery. Located on Main street - Downtown Sarasota.
Come and join us for a delightful evening.

Top review

susan

Dined on Mar 2, 2025

So glad we found this gem while vacationing in Sarasota. Went on a Saturday night and only made the reservation that afternoon. We were given the choice of outside or in, and chose outside. It was a beautiful March evening for us Bostonians and the scene on the street was lively. Cool cars cruising Main St and lots of people strolling the sidewalk. Shared escargots with baguette. I ordered traditional buckwheat crepe with cheese, leeks, and tomato - came with crisp salad. A chilled glass of chardonnay (good pour) was perfect. Husband had lamb shank came with lentils - very healthy portions. He said it was probably the best lamb shank he ever had. They have a french bakery onsite and we bought almond croissants for Sunday morning breakfast - they were delicious!

Marcel DW

4.8

4.8 (131)

$30 and under

Contemporary French / American

Sarasota

About the restaurant

Marcel is Sarasota's newest and most popular dinner spot. It is an elevated European Bistro that specializes in unique dishes with a French influence. Our menu and portions are designed for guests to try a variety of items, and sharing is encouraged. Our standout dishes are the snapper ceviche, the Cacio e Pepe, Mortadella toast, sweetbread gratin and the Beef Bourgignon, which you must try!

Top review

Mary Beth

Dined 4 days ago

A favorite of ours! Excellent service. The menu is outstanding with a great variety. Everything is thoughtfully prepared. Highly recommend.

La Dolce Vita Authentic Italian Cuisine

4.9

4.9 (385)

$31 to $50

Italian

Sarasota

About the restaurant

For Valentine’s Day, we are offering a special prix-fixe menu at $95 per person. You can see the menu in the appropriate section.

We welcome our guests to an authentic Italian restaurant: here we offer traditional cuisine, with a modern take on northern and southern Italian recipes. Mauro, the chef, and his wife Tina, have an huge amount of experience behind them.
Mauro is from Naples, Tina was born in a little sicilian town near by Enna.
He began to learn everything about the southern cuisine by his experience in Naples since he was a child, from “Polipetti alla Luciana” to “Paccheri ai frutti di mare”. Furthermore he moved in Milan and he had the chance to learn the northern cuisine, from “Risotto ai funghi porcini” to “Polenta grigliata”, one of his favourite specialties!
From an ancient sicilian tradition, Tina learnt everything about the desserts by her grandmother and her mother, from “Millefoglie” to “Cannoli cake”.
We hope you enjoyed reading about us.

Top review

Mike

Dined on Mar 6, 2025

Food was good and service was excellent. We will come again.

The Italian Grill

4.8

4.8 (75)

$30 and under

Italian

Osprey

About the restaurant

The New Italian Grill Restaurant serves traditional Italian favorites & wood-fired pizza pies in a casual, family-friendly atmosphere

Top review

Kathy

Dined on Jan 9, 2025

Great Italian food!!! Service was friendly and attentive!

La Norma Ristorante & Pizzeria

4.8

4.8 (800)

$31 to $50

Italian

Longboat Key

About the restaurant

Welcome to La Norma, a charming family-owned Italian restaurant that brings the heart of Italy to your table. Join us for homemade dishes, fine wine and live music on our patio. At La Norma we pride ourselves on using only the freshest ingredients to create authentic Italian cuisine. Our homemade dishes and handcrafted pizzas are made with care and our fine wine list is carefully curated to perfectly complement our genuine flavors. Whether you're in the mood for a romantic dinner or a festive gathering with friends and family, our warm and welcoming atmosphere is the perfect backdrop for a memorable dining experience. Come discover why La Norma is the go-to choice for Italian Cuisine on the island.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined 2 days ago

We had a lovely outdoor dinner. Service was very cordial, food was fantastic. The veal and pasta were delicious!

Discover more

Experience

A Taste of Tuscany: Exclusive Wine Tasting

Experience

Homemade Gnocchi Masterclass

Experience

Arancini & Prosecco Cooking Experience

Rumours Wine Bar

4.7

4.7 (125)

$31 to $50

Wine Bar

Englewood

About the restaurant

Rumours Wine Bar was brought to life from a vision that began back in 2019 in our living room. Dana had recently resigned from her Wine Sales position and wasn’t sure what she wanted to do next. She had always dreamed of opening her own Wine bar so we created our logo, our name, and our brand and simply followed our heart. We opened as a retail store in January 2020 and pivoted when the Pandemic started by creating an online store and offering curbside pick-up and delivery. In September 2020, we passed our final inspections and received our beer and wine license for “on-premise” consumption as well as a restaurant license. We have not slowed down since. We have won numerous awards from our local community including 2022 and 2023 "Best Local Cheers Bar." Our mission at Rumours Wine Bar is to simply embrace intellectual stimulation linked to wine in a relaxed and friendly environment.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined on Feb 8, 2025

Wine Club tasting was great. Pairings of food with wines were spot on. New owners are keeping the vibe that Rumours is known for.

The Park Grille

4.8

4.8 (287)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Sarasota

About the restaurant

Discover the crown jewel of the University Park Country Club, The Park Grille, where you can indulge in gourmet dining while enjoying stunning views of the 9th and 18th greens and a serene, shimmering lake. Celebrated by Sarasota Magazine as the "Best of the Best Restaurant with a View," The Park Grille's renowned Sunday Brunch Buffet has also been honored by Sarasota Magazine, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, and SRQ Magazine readers.

Dining Options:
Lunch: Open to the public daily from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm. Please note that Mondays feature a lunch buffet only.
Sunday Brunch Buffet: Available every Sunday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.

**Dinner service is exclusively for MEMBERS.**

Dress Code:
To ensure an elegant dining experience, proper attire is required. Blue denim, cut-offs, tank tops, and workout attire are not permitted in the dining room.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined 5 days ago

Absolutely lovely Brunch! The selection was a perfect combination of breakfast and lunch choices. The food was delicious and unlike most Brunches the food was hot! Our server Madison was attentive and very pleasant. Highly recommend.

Paris Bistrot

4.8

4.8 (1520)

$31 to $50

French

Lakewood Ranch

About the restaurant

From France to Florida … Family owned and operated since 2008, enjoy authentic French bistro fare like Beef Bourguignon and Pork tenderloin in a black pepper and Cognac sauce directly from Grandma's recipe book. Small and cozy modern place, ideal for sharing a delightful moment with friends or an intimate and romantic dinner.

Alexandra & Jean-Christophe (JC) will be glad to welcome you every week days for Lunch-Dinner and Breakfast-Lunch-Dinner Saturday and Sunday.

A large wine and Champagne list or a nice traditional French dessert as “creme brulee” or multiple sweet crepes will finish this authentic French experience.
You can also enjoy no more than 80 different items : crepes sweet or savory, sandwiches in freshly baked baguette, quiches and traditional French salads everyday at breakfast and lunch time.

Top review

Jane

Dined 3 days ago

As usual, an excellent dinner. Staff is friendly and attentive, and the ambience makes one feel like they’re in Paris.

Explore Diners' Choice best of Sarasota / Bradenton

Explore more Diners' Choice lists