St. Armands Circle is home to delectable food, from the top seafood restaurants on Lido Key to delicious Italian food. If you’re searching for restaurants in St. Armands Circle, FL and are in the mood for Italian cuisine, these three restaurants are definitely a must-try.
Le Colonne Restaurant
Le Colonne makes homemade pasta daily, and the difference is amazing. Each dish is designed to tantalize your taste buds. The restaurant offers real Italian dining, and all the dishes are packed with flavor. The family-owned business offers customers a true Italian kitchen experience.
A large selection of wines is available.
Fresh ingredients and homemade everything allows you to step into an Italian kitchen right in the middle of St. Armands. Open daily from 11am to 10pm, the restaurant has served famous visitors from across the country.
Located at 22 S. Blvd of the Presidents, the restaurant offers outside seating and balconies that offer a truly romantic evening. Beautiful lighting and intimate seating make this the perfect restaurant for couples that want to enjoy a romantic night out on the town.The dress is casual, and be sure to check out the house specials when you sit down to eat.
The lunch menu includes the traditional pranzo, which offers appetizer options, including bruschetta, cozze della casa, sliced mozzarella with caprese and smoked salmon. Salads include mushroom salads, chicken salad, salad of the sea and others.Three or four soup choices are available daily.
Homemade pasta dishes, chicken dishes, and seafood dishes are also available. If you want something a little lighter, they also serve sandwiches and pizza for lunch (cooked on a wood-fired oven).
Dinner does include a much larger appetizer menu with options for two. Pasta, pizza, chicken and seafood dishes are available at dinner time. There are no sandwich options available for dinner.
Desserts include traditional Italian dessert options, including New York Cheesecake, chocolate cake, cannoli, and tiramisu. There is also a dessert of the day option, which changes frequently.
If you’re craving fresh, homemade pasta, Le Colonne may be the best restaurant in the area.
Venezia
Venezia is located at 373 St. Armands Circle and is open daily from 11am to 10pm. Open since 1966, this is one of the most popular Lido Key restaurants. During the warmer months, there is outside seating with beautiful landscaping and flowers for a romantic evening.
Venezia’s walls are filled with local art to add a splash of color to your dining experience.
Perfect for couples who love Italian cuisine, Venezia’s menu includes options for:
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Take-out
A lot of guests will bring food from Venezia back to their Lido Key vacation rentals, especially when they want to enjoy an evening near the pool.
The lunch menu includes dozens of appetizers and salads to pick from. Sit down with a side of seafood scampi or mozzarella in carrozza. Pizza crostini, eggplant caparese, and calamari are other popular appetizer options. Standard salad options and seafood salads are also available.
A large selection of pizzas are available, from margherita to vegetarian options and smoked salmon pizza. Pasta dishes include gnocchi, angel hair pasta, penne chicken arrabbiata, mushroom linguini, and several more.
Dessert is offered along with a kid’s menu. The dessert options include tiramisu, cheesecake, and chocolate cake. Apple pie and lemon cake are available, too. You can have checks split if you’re meeting a friend or family member at Venezia for lunch or dinner.
At Venezia, the portions are large, the pizza is superb and the bar is fully stocked.
Speaks Clam Bar
Speaks Clam Bar is located at 22 S. Blvd of the Presidents and is open daily from lunch until dinner. Friday and Saturday hours are from 11am to 11pm. Sunday hours are 12pm to 10pm, and the restaurant is open from 11am to 10pm the remainder of the week.
Happy Hour is 3pm to 6pm daily and will be held at the bar only.
Speaks Clam Bar may sound like it’s all about seafood, but they are known for their fresh pasta, which is made by hand daily. The pasta has a superb flavor and a delightful, consistent texture.
Lunch specials are available daily starting at $9.
Cheese ravioli, spaghetti and meatball, chicken Milanese, shrimp scampi and chicken parmesan are available. Starters include calamari fritti, shrimp arancini, baked clams, eggplant Napoleon and a variety of other seafood options.
Spinach salad, caprese salad, spinach & fried calamari salad are available as well as a slew of others.
Baskets and soups are available along with lunch bowls, pasta, and sandwiches.
Dinner includes many of the dishes above as well as a shell bar which is a great option if you like oysters, and clams. Chowders are available for dinner as well as the local favorite Maine Lobster rolls.
Baskets include Shrimp, Bubba and Cod Father.
Baked stuffed shrimp, pan-seared corvina, grilled garlic lobster tails, and pesto grilled shrimp are a few of the many seafood items on the menu.
Pasta dishes include penne alla vodka, spaghetti and meatballs, cheese ravioli, linguini Bolognese and broccoli rabe are available, too. Land items include an array of chicken dishes. Fresh sides are also available.
Multiple sauce options are available. You can choose to have your sauce sweet, or you can choose a medium or hot sauce if you want.
Craft beers, cocktails, wine, and garden-to-glass drinks are available. The drink list is massive, so it’s a great place to sit back after a long day with good food and drinks.
Gluten-free options are available if you have gluten sensitivities.
Book Your Lido Key Rental
Luxury vacations are more than a beautiful house. Splurge with some of the best rentals in Lido Key.
We have Lido Key vacation rentals near St. Armands Circle that are perfect for a once-in-a-lifetime luxury vacation. You’ll be close to everything that St. Armands and will also be close to downtown Sarasota.
Other Things To Do in Lido Key
Italian restaurants are not the only fun thing to do in St. Armands. While we do have some of the best food options in town, there are a lot of fun activities nearby. A few of the fun activities that you can join in on are:
- Kayaking: Sarasota has several kayaking tour companies that will allow you to rent a kayak and go out on the water with friends or other parties. Kayak adventures are affordable and cost less than dinner for two.
- Beach: Lido Beach is an adventure in itself. Sit on the beach, enjoy outdoor activities, or take in the sun. The sprawling beach is filled with picturesque sunsets for everyone to enjoy.
- Fishing: If you like to fish, there are fishing charters in Siesta Key (it’s just a two-mile drive away) that will bring you out for a fishing adventure.
- Parks: Nature and wildlife areas surround St. Armands Circle. Visit a local park or go bird watching. If you rent a pet-friendly accommodation, you can also bring your dog out for an adventure.
- Theaters: Asolo Repertory Theatre, Florida Studio Theatre, and Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe are theatres that have immersive programs, budding actors and an array of concerts for people of all ages.
- Museums: Multiple museums are in the area, including the Ringling museum, which is the most popular. The mansion offers beautiful gardens, a courtyard, and a lily pond on the manicured grounds.
St. Armands offers tourists a laid-back location to come and enjoy everything Florida beaches have to offer.
You’ll find some of the best restaurants, museums, and theatres in Florida in St. Armands.
Luxury Vacation Rentals Near St. Armands
Our Lido Key vacation rentals are a short walk or bike ride from the beach. Incredible amenities await, including:
- Heated pool
- Boat ramp access
- Property manager service
- Professional linen program
