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Cest La Vie, Sarasota, FL

Cest La Vie

4.7 (153)
$30 and under
French
1553 Main St, Sarasota, FL 34236

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM

About this restaurant

  • Charming
  • Great for outdoor dining
  • Great for brunch
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.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Fine Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    French
  • Hours of operation
    Mon, Tue 7:30 am–6:00 pm Wed, Thu 7:30 am–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 7:30 am–9:30 pm Sun 8:30 am–9:00 pm Dinner Wed, Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–9:30 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Olivier Orion
  • Neighborhood
    Sarasota
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Additional
    Beer, Cafe, Corkage Fee, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Wine

What 153 people are saying

Cest La Vie reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.9Service
  • 4.5Ambience
  • 4.6Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Tampa / Central Florida West

    Great for outdoor dining

  • Sarasota / Bradenton

    Best Value

  • Sarasota / Bradenton

    Great for brunch

  • Sarasota / Bradenton

    Great for fine wines

  • Sarasota / Bradenton

    Great for outdoor dining

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Cest La Vie offers an authentic French dining experience with "nuanced, delicious food" and "excellent service." Enjoy signature dishes like scallops with a seafood cream sauce or a traditional buckwheat crepe. The ambiance is "charming," with both indoor and outdoor seating. It's a "gem" in Sarasota, perfect for a lively evening.
153 Reviews
  1. jayne VIP

    Tampa35 reviews

    2.0

    Dined on April 27, 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Potatoes at dinner were obviously reheated , possibly several times. The chicken was so tough it was inedible. The waitress made no effort to take the uneaten sandwiches off the bill, offer a substitute or seem honestly apologetic, and neither was management.

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  2. Stuart VIP

    Tampa8 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 26, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent bistro food, with attentive service at a very fair price. We dine here often because of the quality of the food, the friendliness of the staff, and the outdoor al fresco ambience. Highly recommend it.

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  3. Bob VIP

    Chicago9 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 5, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Like we were on a trip to Paris. Authentic, attractive decor. Nuanced, delicious food. Scallops with crab topping served with a finely blended, savory seafood cream sauce were special.

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  4. Helen

    Washington DC1 review

    5.0

    Dined on March 30, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We ate at both locations many times and each time was as good as the first. Great service, very pleasant staff. Feel good atmosphere!

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  5. OpenTable Diner

    Greater Boston1 review

    5.0

    Dined on March 22, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Great food. Delicious escargot and mussels. Anis was a very friendly and attentive waitress.

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  6. Micki VIP

    Chicago18 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 21, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    The restaurant is so charming, as was our server. Caesar salad and mussels were delicious. Paninis were excellent. We will return.

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  7. RoseS

    New York City6 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on March 21, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Great little restaurant downtown. Food was delicious.

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  8. thomas

    Louisville8 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 16, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Wonderful French cuisine. Excellent service. Bon appetiti!

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  9. David VIP

    New York City203 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 15, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always a great experience dining at this restaurant. Prices are in the market range for restaurants on main street in Sarasota.

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  10. mike

    Philadelphia12 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 15, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Have tried both lunch and dinner at C’est La Vue and each visit was a pleasure. Delightful ambiance, great food, excellent service and good value. Definitely check them out, you won’t be disappointed.

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FAQs

Cest La Vie is rated 4.7 stars by 153 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Tampa / Central Florida West
  4. Sarasota / Bradenton
  5. Sarasota

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Google Map for Cest La Vie

1553 Main St, Sarasota, FL 34236

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    Sarasota
  • Hours of operation
    Mon, Tue 7:30 am–6:00 pm Wed, Thu 7:30 am–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 7:30 am–9:30 pm Sun 8:30 am–9:00 pm Dinner Wed, Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–9:30 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    French
  • Dining style
    Fine Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Olivier Orion
  • Additional
    Beer, Cafe, Corkage Fee, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Wine
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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