Food Glorious Food
In the mood for something good to eat? Choices abound
Venice area restaurants offer delicious fare daily, so it’s up to you to decide what you are in the mood for. Is it breakfast or lunch First Watch or Louie’s Bistro, coastal casual at Paradise Grill, or grab-and-go from Two Chefs on Hillview? Maybe try them all – you know you want to…
Paradise Grill: Tiki Fun and Casual Gourmet
When Mary Beth Hanson first saw the location for Paradise Grill (paradisegrill.com) she thought it would look so much better with a Tiki bar. Seven years later that Tiki's seen a lot of music, dancing and, of course, food. The Grill’s rich and varied menu of causal fare ranges from tacos to flatbreads; burgers to salads, steaks, fish, and seafood,” says chef Nick Keene. There are also 15 dinner and two lunch specials daily.
First Watch is a Hometown Eatery
Hurry up and get…everything on First Watch’s fall menu, like butternut squash bisque, caramel crunch cinnamon roll, and pumpkin pancakes which, according to VP of culinary strategy Shane Schaibly, will always return. Plus, there’s always the regular menu (hello million-dollar bacon). Shane reminds us that, with 400+ restaurants nationwide, First Watch (firstwatch.com) remains a homegrown operation. "We have so much pride in what we do, and we love being local and from Florida,” he says.
Louie’s Bistro for Breakfast & Lunch
Louie’s Bistro (louiesbistro.coffee) is a breakfast/lunch eatery in Wellen Park featuring family recipes and southern-style dishes (hello, Poppy’s biscuits and sausage gravy). “Food has always been a passion in our family,” says Jennifer Pope who also owns Venice Island Coffee with husband Corey. Breakfast choices include fresh baked quiche, Jennifer’s lox & bagel, and the Corey breakfast sandwich. For lunch choose from a variety of yummy sandwich, wraps, and salad selections.
Grab, Go, Eat: Two Chefs on Hillview
Two Chefs on Hillview (twochefsonhillview.com) is Frank Imbarlina and Mellissa Louty putting their gourmet specialty foods together in one retail space to offer everything from soup selections, baked goods, charcuterie items, Bootsy’s pot pies, and bagels with home-smoked fish spreads. There are also grab & go breakfast sandwiches featuring Frank's charcuterie bacon and Mellissa’s baked from scratch brioche rolls and pastries.
Fins at Sharky’s is Upscale Casual
Justin Pachota describes Fins at Sharky’s (finsatsharkys.com) as a steak restaurant that also does great seafood. The president of Venice Pier Group explains that at least five cuts of Angus Prime beef, plus a bone-in pork rib eye (his favorite) are cooked in a Jospor oven, which is a smoker and a grill. And nothing beats the view. “Every table at Fins offers an unparalleled, panoramic waterfront scene,” says Justin. Sunset never tasted so good.