SRQ DAILY Feb 17, 2026
Tuesday Dining and Food Edition
"We have more variety now, more to offer.”"
Mellisa Louty’s grandmothers were bakers. Frank Imbarlina’s uncle ran one of Pittsburgh’s famous restaurants. Between them, that’s generations of cooking, and it shows. At Two Chefs, newly opened on Tamiami, “it’s like baker and butcher,” Imbarlina says, “but we’re both chefs.” She turns out quiche and ciabatta; he fills pot pies and smokes fish. Everything, from sausage to biscuit, is high-quality and made in-house.
For two years, they sustained their following through catering and cooking classes while scouting for the right space. “The last place was like an afterthought,” Imbarlina says, of their renowned Hillview spot. “This place is intentional.”
Two Chefs is what they envisioned: a market and bistro with creative wiggle room. The dining room is bright and open, white tables framed by local artwork. Breakfast and lunch reflect where they’ve trained, what they love. Imbarlina’s pâté de canard—learned in New York kitchens in the ‘90s— is a rustic galantine with chunks of duck liver, whole breast seared then sunk into the terrine, accompanied by Louty’s balsamic strawberries. The grilled chicken sandwich on her golden, pillowy brioche bun packs a delicate crunch with smoky chicken, satiny mozzarella and nectarous bacon-onion jam. Other standouts include the Shrimp Club and the Charcutier’s stacked with salami and soppressata. Mornings, French toast arrives buttery-thick with pear-ginger marmalade; Eggs Benedict features Imbarlina’s Canadian bacon and Louty’s hollandaise.“We have more variety now,” Louty says, “More to offer.”
The market proffers prepared dishes from Lasagna Bolognese to pot pies like Shrimp Creole and Beef Burgundy, alongside rotating scratch soups. House-made delicacies—Rohan duck confit, Faroe Island gravlax—signal serious craft. Local goods like teak cutting boards fill the shelves, while two bakery cases, Louty’s canvas, entice with muffins, danishes, cakes and scones that have already “started a craze.” Hands-on classes sell out within a week. “People want you to teach them something,” says Imbarlina. “They really love it.”
“The Bistro is just going to get busier,” Imbarlina says. “But one of us will always be on the line… Which I think is cool.” It’s more than cool; it’s an intentionality worth seeking out.
Two Chefs Market & Bistro, Market: Tues-Sun 8am-6pm, Bistro: Tues-Sun, 7:30am-3:30pm, 4141 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. 
Pictured: Cured Meats at Two Chefs. Photo courtesy of Two Chefs.
This elegant dinner party will feature an extravagant multi-course meal with expert wine pairings, a champagne cocktail hour, and live music under the stars.
7:30pm Dinner in the Museum of Art Courtyard, Attire: Floral-Inspired Cocktail, Complimentary Valet Parking Provided, Tickets $350 per attendee, $2,800 for a reserved table of 8, RSVP requested by March 3.
Get ready for one of Sarasota’s favorite monthly happenings — the 3rd Saturday Limelight Pop-Up Market at The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime! Saturday, Feb 21st from 10am–3pm, the outdoor courtyard transforms into a vibrant, funky marketplace bursting with creativity, doggies, and live music. A dozen guest vendors join the Bazaar’s 40+ local artists, makers, and curators to offer one-of-a-kind treasures — from handmade and vintage finds to funky art, clothing, and gifts you won’t find anywhere else. When hunger strikes, Hamlet’s Eatery, the onsite food truck, will be serving up delicious bites — from savory handhelds to vegan-friendly favorites — all made with local love. And it’s not just about shopping! Tenderheart Charities will be there with adorable, adoptable pups looking for their forever homes — guaranteed to steal your heart. So grab your friends, bring your pup, and soak up the good vibes! The Limelight Pop-Up Market is your go-to spot for local flavor, live tunes, and feel-good fun under the Florida sun.
Saturday, Feb 21, 10am–3pm, The Bazaar on Apricot and Lime, 821 Apricot Ave, Sarasota, free admission and free parking, friendly dogs welcome.
Continuing its centennial year celebrations, Art Center Sarasota presents four dynamic exhibitions on view March 5 through April 18, 2026. Exploring themes of family, cultural legacy, belonging, and spectacle, the spring exhibitions reflect both intimate personal narratives and the broader creative forces shaping the Sarasota community today. The public is invited to a free Opening Reception on Thursday, March 5, from 5 to 7 p.m. All exhibitions are admission-free and all artwork is available for purchase.
Solving homelessness requires more than temporary shelter. It requires permanent housing, consistent support and a community willing to turn compassion into action. To inspire that action, Second Heart Homes will host its 5th annual “Hands Up for Homes Art Auction” on Friday, February 21, from 5–8 p.m. at Art Avenue, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail in Sarasota. Hosted by Art Avenue, this annual event blends art, music and philanthropy in support of Second Heart Homes’ permanent supportive housing program. Guests will enjoy wine, sushi from Tsunami Sushi & Hibachi Grill and live piano music throughout the evening.
Join us for a luncheon and conversation with superstar aerialist and "King of the High Wire" Nik Wallenda about his exciting work and its parallels with Alexander Calder's artwork. Calder was fascinated with the circus and studied aerialists at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1925, arriving at the principles of balance and motion to result in the signature kinetic movement of his mobiles. The event will include a plated lunch. Space is limited. Tickets $125
A gala performance by Summer Intensive dancers from around the world.
Sarasota Opera House, 61 N Pineapple Ave, Sarasota, FL 34236
Get ready to move this summer with Sarasota Contemporary Dance and guest teachers in sunny Sarasota for a week-long dance intensive, unlike any other! You have three weeks to choose from-or do all three!
Sarasota Contemporary Dance, 1400 Boulevard of the Arts Suite 300, 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
Catch the first glimpse of the newest performances being made in the Sarasota-Manatee area. Now in its third year, the HAT’s MicroWIP (Micro Works-in-Progress) presentations provide local creatives with a platform to advance new work. This evening features ten-minute max excerpts of freshly made performances and represents the museum's commitment to supporting local artists. By presenting works-in-progress, we offer a semiformal way for artists to experiment with new ideas.
Historic Asolo Theatre, 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota, FL 34243
Eleven-year-old Winnie Foster yearns for a life of adventure beyond her white picket fence, but not until she becomes unexpectedly entwined with the Tuck Family does she get more than she could have imagined. When Winnie learns of the magic behind the Tuck’s unending youth, she must fight to protect their secret from those who would do anything for a chance at eternal life.
Rise Above Performing Arts Centre, 3501 S Tamiami Trl, Sarasota, FL 34239
A huge influence of Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, Johnny Cash and Jimi Hendrix, Sister Rosetta Tharpe was a legend in her time, adding fierce guitar and swing to traditional gospel music, becoming the Mother of Rock n Roll. Marie and Rosetta chronicles her first rehearsal with a young protégée, Marie Knight, as they prepare to embark on a tour that would establish them as one of the great duos in music history.
Asolo Repertory Theatre , 5555 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota
The Images of Dance showcase features dancers from The Sarasota Ballet Studio Company and the Margaret Barbieri Conservatory.
Sarasota Opera House, 61 N Pineapple Ave, Sarasota, FL 34236
All levels of Sarasota Cuban Ballet School dancers and the Gulfcoast Studio Company featured in classical and contemporary works.
Riverview Performing Arts Center, 1 Ram Way, Sarasota, FL 34231
The Elizabeth M. Eaton Memorial Pipe Organ, installed in the SCF Neel Performing Arts Center, will be on full display for this special performance of orchestra and organ music. Featuring local acclaimed organists and the Pops Orchestra, this concert will delight all who have asked to hear this amazing instrument.
SCF Neel Performing Arts Center, 5840 26th St W, Bradenton, FL 34207
The Zota Quartet returns with a new, exciting program and a unique special collaboration. This ensemble, comprised of award-winning Perlman Music Program alumni, hail from around the world and Florida. They are committed to sharing their music with the next generation and celebrating the beauty and art of great music.
Church of the Palms, 3224 Bee Ridge Rd, Sarasota, FL 34239
Back by popular demand, Jazz Mass for a New Humanity, a groundbreaking work by Via Nova’s artistic director, Steven Phillips, sets the traditional texts of the mass in conversation with sacred writings from many traditions, along with poetry by Maya Angelou, Wendell Berry, and others. Performed with a first-rate jazz ensemble and acclaimed vocalist Maicy Powell, this stirring program entertains, uplifts, and inspires.
First Presbyterian Church, 2050 Oak Street, Sarasota FL 34237
Birthday Offering, Choreography by Sir Frederick Ashton, Music by Alexander Glazunov, Designs by Andre Levasseur. Checkmate, Choreography by Dame Ninette de Valois, Music by Arthur Bliss, Designs by E. Mcknight Kauffer. Summertide, Choreography by Sir Peter Wright, Music by Felix Mendelssohn, Designs by Dick Bird.
Sarasota Opera House, 61 N Pineapple Ave, Sarasota, FL 34236
Hailing from Siberia, classical saxophonist Valentin Kovalev is an ebullient and highly eclectic performer whose unique style was developed after studying in Russia, France and the United States. Valentin gave a sold-out debut recital at Carnegie Hall during the 2023- 24 season. Joined by Joseph Holt on piano, Kovalev’s program includes music by Bach, Rachmaninoff, Bizet, and Piazzolla.
Sarasota Yacht Club, 1100 John Ringling Boulevard, Sarasota FL 34236
Assassins closes the season with a haunting, darkly satirical look at those who sought infamy instead of glory—challenging the idea of the American Dream and who gets to define it.
The Sarasota Players, 3501 S Tamiami Trl Suite 1130, Sarasota, FL 34239
In celebration of our Centennial, ArtCenter Sarasota proudly presents the North County Spring Art Show, featuring artwork from over 1,500 K-12 students in Sarasota's public and charter schools. Organized by Angela Hartvigsen and Debra Markley, this cherished annual tradition showcases the creativity of young artists, many exhibiting in a gallery for the first time. The exhibition includes special award ceremonies for both elementary and high school students, with over $20,000 in scholarships and prizes. It's a joyful reminder that the future of art is already in motion.
ArtCenter Sarasota, 707 N Tamiami Trl, Sarasota
A magical and deeply moving musical that celebrates the power of storytelling, the love between father and son, and the extraordinary hidden in the everyday. As Edward Bloom’s fantastical life unfolds—featuring witches, giants, mermaids, and more—his skeptical son embarks on a journey to separate myth from memory. What he discovers is a story far richer than he ever expected. Based on the beloved novel and Tim Burton film, Big Fish is a whimsical, emotionally rich production filled with humor, heart, and unforgettable stagecraft.
Manatee Performing Arts Center, 502 3rd Ave W, Bradenton, FL 34205
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