Food and Dining Eat Here Honored with Golden Spoon Award

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Apparently the Beach Bistro’s Eat Here offspring do not fall far from the award-winning tree. When checking that the Beach Bistro was still enthroned in Florida Trend’s “Golden Spoon Hall of Fame,” owner Sean Murphy was thrilled to discover that his two Eat Here restaurants on Anna Maria Island and in Sarasota were both winners of the “Best New Restaurants in Florida” award.

Eat Here Tacos, photo by Matt Allison

“It was an amazing thrill. It took me back to the Bistro’s first Golden Spoon Award. To be recognized by Florida Trend is particularly gratifying when there are so many online selection processes that are subject to bias and abuse. Florida Trend still has a great deal of authority and culinary integrity. Chris Sherman is one of the few truly passionate and qualified restaurant critics that is still writing.”

The Golden Spoon recognition for Eat Here follows on the recent announcement by ZAGAT that the Beach Bistro was awarded “Best Food” status for the Gulf Coast. The Bistro has consistently garnered some of the highest scores for food and service in Florida and was selected by ZAGAT for inclusion in its small guide to the “Top Restaurants in America”.

Describing the difference between his Bistro and Eat Here operations, Murphy explains that both concepts have unique atmospheres geared toward different sort of events.

“At the Bistro we are trying to honor your special occasion by giving you one of the best dining experiences that you have ever had,” said the famed local restaurateur. "The Eat Here concept is meant to be less sacrosanct and more frolicsome than the Beach Bistro’s. The two Eat Here restaurants on Anna Maria and in Sarasota had won ‘Best New’ kudos by local newspapers and magazines in their neighborhoods, but the statewide Florida Trend recognition was a particular endorsement of all the creative work that the Eat Here service and chef staffs have accomplished over the past year. The ZAGAT and Florida Trend recognition helped bring Christmas early for us.”

A third Eat Here location opens in Siesta Village on Siesta Key this month. The Eat Here restaurants serve more casual and lighter versions of Beach Bistro culinary creations. The Chef staffs are, however, trained by Bistro Chefs to focus Bistro methods on more accessible products and create dishes at pricing for more casual, every day dining. The Eat Here bars offer classic and creative cocktails and family-crafted beers and wines.

Eat Here AMI is located at 5315 Gulf Dr., Holmes Beach. Ph: 941-778-0411. Eat Here SRQ is located at 1888 Main St., Sarasota. Ph: 941-365-8700.

Restaurant Review: Eat Here