Sarasota Bars and Breweries
By Carson B. · Updated November 6, 2026
For craft beer downtown, go to 99 Bottles. For a brewery trip, try Big Top, Calusa, or Sun King. For cocktails, Mimi's speakeasy or State Street Eating House. For a proper pub, Delany's in Lakewood Ranch or Fat Rabbit on Main.
Craft breweries
Big Top Brewing is Sarasota's circus-themed brewery on Fruitville, with room for families and dogs. Calusa on McIntosh, Sun King on Mango, and Good Liquid at Waterside each have their own following. Farther out, 3 Bridges in Venice, Sun Lab in Bradenton, and Corporate Ladder in Palmetto are worth the trip.
Cocktails
Mimi's hides its speakeasy behind the dining room. State Street Eating House pairs drinks with New American plates, and 1592 does cocktails with its wood-fired food. Rufa at The Ritz-Carlton adds a bay view.
European brasserie warmth meets 1920s speakeasy glamour
Craft cocktails and shareable bites with Sarasota Bay views
Pubs and neighborhood bars
99 Bottles is the rotating-taps room on 2nd Street, which USA TODAY has ranked among the country's best beer bars. Fat Rabbit and The Gator Club hold down Main. Delany's is a proper Irish pub, Allswell at Waterside is the Prohibition-era gastropub, and TAP 72 on Clark is the neighborhood sports bar.
USA TODAY's 4th best beer bar — rotating world craft taps
Questions
Does Sarasota have good breweries?
Yes. Big Top, Calusa, Sun King, and Good Liquid are all in or near town, with more in Bradenton, Palmetto, and Venice.
Is there a speakeasy in Sarasota?
Mimi Brasserie & Speakeasy on Hillview Street has a cocktail room behind the dining room.