SRQ DAILY Nov 25, 2025
Tuesday Dining and Food Edition
"The dining experience will still be about trust, leaving your evening in the hands of the chef."
In October, SRQ Daily covered the soft opening of Zoto Sushi, an izakaya (Japanese-style bar) in Sarasota’s University Town Center. Now the Michelin-starred team behind Zoto is bringing a new level of Japanese fine dining to UTC with Yugen Omakase, a 10-seat reservation-only chef’s counter slated to open in December 2025. Yugen promises an intimate chef-to-guest experience within a hidden dining room adjacent to Zoto. Led by Jacob Portillo, the design embraces Japanese minimalism with dark, moody tones balanced by warm white oak wood for a serene, immersive atmosphere. The menu has been designed by Zoto’s executive chef Atsushi Okawara.
Omakase is a Japanese dining experience where diners entrust the chef with their meal. The phrase translates to “I’ll leave it up to you” and allows chefs the opportunity to showcase their creativity while using the freshest ingredients available for a curated dining experience. Yugen will feature a multi-course kaiseki menu focusing on hot and cold Japanese dishes that celebrate seasonality, technique and artistry. Considered the pinnacle of Japanese fine dining, kaiseki showcases a diverse range of cooking methods (grilling, steaming, simmering, frying and raw preparation) and creates an entire sensory experience.
“Kaiseki allows me to showcase the full spectrum of Japanese cuisine, beyond just sushi,” says Atsushi Okawara. “The dining experience will still be about trust — leaving your evening in the hands of the chef.”
The beverage side will be overseen by sommelier Benjamin Coutts, who has curated an extensive wine and sake program with a focus on Japanese craftsmanship, and beverage director Daniel Lugo, who brings a fresh and eclectic approach to Yugen’s cocktail program.
Guests can sign up for an invitation to preview week by joining the waitlist at yugenfl.com. You can also follow the eatery on Instagram for updates, sneak peeks and opening announcements.
Yugen, 190 N. Cattlemen Rd., Sarasota, 941-359-9517, yugenfl.com. 
Whether you're Naughty or Nice, the Watershed Hospitality Concepts family of restaurants has the gift sure to please everyone on your list! From Nov. 20 - Jan. 2 get Bonus cards on your purchase of $50 or $100 Gift Cards. Our GC's have no expiration date and are redeemable at all four of our restaurants; Downtown SRQ: Lefty's Oyster & Seafood Bar, Cask & Ale, Pie On Main or in Siesta Key Village, Blase Martini Bar!
Coastal Orthopedics, a full-service provider of comprehensive orthopedic surgery, sports medicine, spine care, diagnostic imaging and physical therapy service, recently announced that it will serve as the orthopedic partner for the 28th annual Bradenton Runners Club Turkey Trot. Held on Thanksgiving morning, the three-mile fun run and walk will start at 8 a.m. at the south entrance of Robinson Preserve in Bradenton. New to this year’s event is a Kids one-third of a mile Turkey Trot for children ages 5 to 10. The Bradenton Runners Club is asking race participants to recognize the efforts of two local charities, the Food Bank of Manatee and Turning Points, by making donations when they register for the race. Monetary donations can be made online or in person on race day. The Food Bank of Manatee will also be on-site at the race to collect canned or non-perishable food donations, while Turning Points will be collecting donations of sneakers, tennis and running shoes on race day. Additionally, a diaper drive will be held at the event in support of the Bradenton Run Club’s newest sponsor, One More Child.
Every child deserves a chance to grow, heal, and thrive. The Florida Center for Early Childhood’s second annual Wonder Gala, on Friday, December 5 at The Ora, is a night that makes those possibilities real. This powerful celebration honors the courage of children and families who have overcome immense challenges—and the compassion of a community that helps them succeed. Guests will experience moving narratives, the inspiring “Wonder Wall” of portraits, a gourmet feast by Michael’s On East, an open bar, and powerful performances by rising vocalist Allison Nash and Soul Sensations—sure to fill the dance floor. More than an evening of elegance, the Wonder Gala is a call to hope—where generosity transforms lives and dreams take root.
A young student at The Florida Center's Starfish Academy offers a joyful "thank you" to the community that helps children thrive.
The Book of Mormon, winner of nine Tony Awards® including Best Musical, is pleased to announce a lottery ticket policy in Sarasota playing at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall December 9-14, 2025. A limited number of tickets will be available at $25 each. Lottery participants must register through Lucky Seat. The wildly popular lottery for the Broadway production has attracted as many as 800 entries at some performances. The producers of The Book of Mormon are pleased to offer low-priced lottery seats for every city on the National Tour. Entries will open through Lucky Seat on Wednesday, November 26 at 10 a.m. and collected through Friday, December 5 at 9:30 a.m. Drawings will begin at 10 a.m. and will continue throughout the day as needed. Winners will have a limited window to purchase and claim their tickets. Please note, lottery seats may be located anywhere in the theater. If you accessible seating is required, use the accessible seating checkbox and dropdown menu to indicate your needs.
RIAA-certified Gold and holiday favorites a cappella group Straight No Chaser are back for another festive fall with their “Holiday Road Tour.” Straight No Chaser will be sharing the joy, “dad jokes,” and songs of the season with families around the country. The “Holiday Road Tour” comes to the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall on Monday, December 29 at 7 p.m. Tickets are on sale now. Future updates on shows and productions can be found on the Van Wezel’s website and through social media on Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.
Every Wednesdat at 6 pm a 5k Fun Run starts and ends at 99 Bottles. Course runs through Downtown Sarasota and along the Bayfront, all skill levels, all fun. Each time you finish a run, you must get yout card punched to get an attendance credit and receive 99 bottles prizes. All runners are expected to obey all traffic laws, be courteous to other runners, pedestrians, cyclists, animals, etc.on the route and to know your limits - running and/or drinking!
99 Bottles, 1445 2nd St Sarasota, FL 34236
Cask & Ale on Main Street lifts a toast & taps a toe to our fabulous Brunch every Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 - 3:00 with live Jazz during Sunday Brunch from Noon - 4:00. We offer a diverse chef-prepared menu with a full spread of Brunch delectables + our rotating Chef's Special menu, bottomless Mimosas and a wide selection of craft cocktails. Cask & Ale Liquor Locker owners enjoy the benefit of reservations for tables, holidays or special occasions! Continue the good vibes to make the most of your weekend. Voted Best Cocktails by SRQ Magazine!
Cask & Ale, 1548 Main St, Sarasota, FL 34236
If you are oyster curious or just craving the fresh coastal seafood & hand-crafted cocktails from your new Rosemary District favorite, join us at Lefty's for our daily Happy Hours Monday - Friday from 4 pm - 6 pm and our Late Night Happy Hours every night from 9:00-Close. With seafood offerings from the Steamer and Buck-A-Shucks on oysters plus our extensive wine, specialty and seasonal cocktails and draft beers, Lefty's has your recipe to get happier and explore our menus. Join us every day for Lunch, Happy Hours or Dinner and for our downtown neighbors and Hospitality industry colleagues, we'll have live music and keep the light on for you on the weekends!
Lefty's Oyster and Seafood Bar, 428 N Lemon Ave, Sarasota, FL 34236
A gala performance by Summer Intensive dancers from around the world.
Sarasota Opera House, 61 N Pineapple Ave, Sarasota, FL 34236
There's much ado about something in this whip-smart, laugh-out-loud new romantic comedy from Lauren Gunderson. Lady Disdain is a fast-paced, razor-sharp riff on the deliciously dramatic world of Fantasy Romance novels (yes, those ones-you know them, you love them). Beatrice and Benedict, rival audiobook narrators with voices made for swooning and tempers made for sparring, are locked in a battle of wits, words, and wildly inconvenient attraction. Asolo Rep proudly presents this world premiere from one of America's most celebrated and funny playwrights.
Asolo Repertory Theatre, 5555 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota
The sharp-witted, glamorous, incomparable Eartha Kitt commands the spotlight. But backstage in her dressing room, in the quiet between songs, she peels back the glitz to reveal Eartha Mae: a girl from the South Carolina cotton fields, orphaned by her mother until an audience adopted her. Told through both story and song, Urbanite Theatre’s first-ever musical production unearths the complex truth behind the icon.
Urbanite Theatre, 1487 2nd St, Sarasota, FL 34236
Matthew Aucoin’s “Music for New Bodies,” created in collaboration with acclaimed director Peter Sellars, is a bold operatic meditation on humanity’s shifting place in the natural world. Premiered in 2024, this one-act visionary operetta fuses the poetic texts of Jorie Graham with visceral soundscapes for five singers, an 18-piece chamber orchestra, lighting, and electronics. Aucoin crafts a work that is at once urgent and transcendent, while Sellars’ visionary staging brings the music into striking visual focus. Presented in a historic collaboration with Artist Series Concerts, this Sarasota premiere at the Sarasota Opera House invites audiences to imagine new forms of life, connection, and transformation.
Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave., Sarasota
ArtCenter Sarasota continues its Centennial Season with Medium Mutiny, a juried exhibition selected by Ed Swan Jr. that celebrates boundary-pushing works challenging tradition through bold experimentation in form, material, and concept. Solo exhibitions include Living by the Water by Cat Tesla, whose serene, abstract paintings reflect a journey of healing and transformation inspired by Florida's landscapes. A new body of work by Anja Palombo, blending her deep love of nature and art history into expressive visual narratives. In Architect as Artist, co-curated by Morris Hylton III, Sarasota-based architects including Carl Abbott, Jerry Sparkman, and Javi Suárez present multidisciplinary works that blur the line between design and fine art. This group exhibition honors Sarasota's architectural legacy and highlights the creative synergy between structure, space, and artistic vision.
ArtCenter Sarasota, 707 N Tamiami Trl, Sarasota
Delight once again in the inspiring performances of Pinky's Players, Venice Theatre's Community Engagement Program that partners with adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to develop and share their artistic talents.
Venice Theatre, 140 Tampa Ave W, Venice, FL 34285
Two of Sarasota’s finest step into the spotlight with a program that basks in the magical sounds of their ancient instruments. Accompanied by strings and harpsichord, Sarasota Orchestra principal oboe Bobby Nunes and principal harp Phoebe Powell each perform a concerto for their instrument by baroque master G.F. Handel. The two also join forces for Debussy’s enchanting Album of Five Pieces for Oboe and Harp.
First Presbyterian Church, 2050 Oak Street, Sarasota FL 34237
The Sarasota Art Museum partners with the Jazz Club of Sarasota to present live jazz on the second Thursday of every month on the Marcy and Michael Klein Plaza. Enjoy a beverage or food in the Bistro and extended hours in the galleries and shops! Concert begins 5:30 pm.
Sarasota Art Museum, 1001 S Tamiami Trl, Sarasota
Delight your senses with A Taste of Art, where fine cuisine meets live creativity! Every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday evening, local artists demonstrate their craft live at Chaz 51 Steakhouse, offering diners a front-row seat to the artistic process. The restaurant also features a rotating gallery of local artwork available for purchase. Come for the steak—stay for the inspiration.
Chaz 51 Steakhouse, 549 US-41 BYP, Venice, FL 34285
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