Hospitality group renovates Cafe on St. Armands, a Sarasota staple since 1973

blue building with outdoor patio seating
Photo via Cafe on St. Armands (FB).

During the 1970s and ’80s, when Sarasota was a sleepy art town, Cafe on St. Armands encapsulated the verve of European elegance and class. Many chefs who operate renowned restaurants around Sarasota got their start here, including one who now runs Euphemia Haye and recalls that he wasn’t Chef Ray at Cafe on St. Armands—he was “sautee Ray.”

It makes sense that so many Sarasota chefs would incubate at the cafe. “Cafe on St. Armands was really the only happening place [in the ’70s and ’80s],” says Eleni Sokos, managing partner of Oysters Rock Hospitality Group. Since Oysters Rock acquired Cafe on St. Armands in 2022, they’ve significantly renovated both the interior and the menu, retaining the restaurant’s reputation while catering to more modern demands.

various foods on different colored plates
Photo via Cafe on St. Armands.

Cafe on St. Armands is a destination restaurant

The hospitality group renovated two dining rooms and added a bar in the center of the space, replacing the smaller bar near the front entrance. “The bar is really the showpiece of the restaurant,” says Sokos. Though a seemingly simple redesign, the new bar has turned Cafe on St. Armands into a destination restaurant, encouraging larger groups to gather, whereas the previous concept was more formal, French, and subdued. “That wasn’t the energy we wanted,” adds Sokos.

Sokos tells That’s So Sarasota that the concept shift “insulates against [economic] volatility.” Since acquiring the restaurant, the hospitality group has had to rebuild three times due to hurricane damage. In addition to damage costs, hurricane season typically slows business, but as a destination restaurant catering to large groups and loyal clientele, they are better prepared to offset those losses.

food featured on a plate on the left. Salad featured on a plate on the right with a fork sticking into it.
Inspired Mediterranean cuisine. Photos via Cafe on St. Armands.

Inspired takes on Mediterranean cuisine

A look at the menu reveals how the hospitality group has enticed loyal customers. Boasting Mediterranean-style cuisine with cosmopolitan twists, the menu offers signatures like Pulpo A La Grecia, a char-grilled octopus prepared in a style common in northwestern Spain but featuring Greek flavors. Another popular dish is the Roasted Duck, inspired by Moroccan cooking styles: prepared with a pomegranate and honey glaze, served over sweet potatoes and apricot, and complemented by raisin and date chutney.

If you order the Roasted Duck, consider the Smoked Date Old Fashioned as a pre-meal cocktail. The notes of date in the drink wonderfully complement the duck’s sauce. In the mood for another classic? Try the Pepperoncini Martini, which replaces the usual olives with pepperoncini, offering a delightfully balanced twist on the standard recipe.

Follow Cafe on St. Armands on Instagram.

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