My family very much enjoyed our dinner at Meliora! Every plate was delicious, especially the duck, tomatoes, gnocchi, raw scallops, and desserts! The service was also amazing! I would highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Roasted Duck Bao, Gnocchi Parmesan, Raw Scallop
Patrick Mertens
Wonderful at the chef’s table; next trip to Sarasota we will return. Japanese milk bread was very special. Sliced raw scallop and beet salad were also very good.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Roasted Duck Bao, Japanese Bread, Raw Scallop, Chefs Table
Michael Lai
Absolutely hands down one of the best meals I’ve had all year. Highly recommend the gnocchi, the raw scallop appetizer, and the tartine appetizer. And for the rest of my life, if someone asked me what I’d want for my last meal, I’d say “give me the gnocchi at Meliora”. I cannot emphasize how much it stood out despite everything else being so good already. On my first bite, I had to close my eyes and stop chewing so that I could comprehend how amazing it tasted and how light the texture was. Throw everything you’ve ever described as “pillowy” in the trash because this gnocchi should be the only thing in the dictionary under that word. While the drinks are pricey and the meal overall was higher than average for a night out, it is 100% worth it. We were swept off our feet.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Gnocchi Parmesan, Raw Scallop
Kelli Eggen
I made a reservation for my friend Laura’s birthday and we had an excellent experience. They went above and beyond by seating us at the chefs table. The chef explained the dishes to us. The environment was great, prices weren’t bad and service was excellent. Highly recommend! I love that there’s a restaurant like this in our Hillview neighborhood.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Tuna, Raw Scallop
Dennis DeAquino
Incredible food every time.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mark VandenBroek
One of the best restaurants in Sarasota. The staff is very friendly, the food is great, and the atmosphere is comfortable. It's a regular stop for us. Enjoy!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Arjun Kaul
One of the best restaurants I have ever been to in my life. Fusion cuisine, maximized. These dishes have a flavor from every part of the world - and not just a basic flavor, but something special. Tapas style dishes, best served in courses. The bar serves a cheeseburger that you can't order when you sit in the dining area - you must sit at the bar only if you want to order the cheeseburger. Drinks are eclectic, dessert is fantastic. Service is the best, hands down. This is the business you try to emulate, no matter what industry you're in. The experience is unforgettable.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Gnocchi, Tuna, Marinated Tomatoes, Raw Scallop
Nicole D'Andrea
Phenomenal. My husband and I consider ourselves foodies and this did not disappoint. We booked the chef’s table on a whim and the entire experience was divine from start to finish. We tried 5 dishes (and 2 desserts) and each was fantastic - we tried ranking them on the drive home but couldn’t because they were all 10s. Standouts were the lamb and raw scallop, but if you like spice, the jerk chicken was to die. We visit Sarasota a few times a year, and Meliora is now permanently on our list. THANK YOU!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Miguel Elasmar
Superb culinary experience. Dishes were creative and unique without resorting to abstract pretentiousness.Service was top notch, knowledgeable about the whole experience down to the ingredient but also kind and welcoming which in my experience is the first aspect that lacks once the dishes are elevated to this degree. Not here.Prices were remarkably fair for the amount of dishes and quality of the food. Obviously this is not a dinner on a budget - but you leave satisfied in every sense, including the financial.A solid option for fine, adventurous, sharable dining in Sarasota. Would absolutely recommend. PS: get the duck…
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Gnocchi, Roasted Duck Bao, Japanese Bread, Gnocchi Parmesan, Raw Scallop
Gregory Ried
Meliora exceeded expectations. We went in expecting the ultimate foody experience and were blown away by the unique dishes and flavors. Kristian our waiter was superb. There was not a dish that we weren’t impressed by. Certainly one of the best if not the best in Sarasota.
This is without a doubt the best restaurant in Sarasota. We had a birthday dinner tonight with a friend and the food was absolutely phenomenal. Every single dish was great - and we tried 10 different ones. As a world traveler I have eaten in some amazing restaurants in various countries - to finally have such a talented chef in Sarasota is such a blessing. I am in food heaven.
Great selection and we'll thought out and prepared
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Roasted Duck Bao
Michael McDaniel
Chris was an absolutely amazing server. The food was incredible. They took time to explain how their menu works and made sure to try and find food based on our taste. They are smaller plates and it’s good to try several things. It’s not your typical American style, so go in adventurous. The wagyu was insanely good and the tuna dish was incredible and you have to try the Japanese milk bread. We got the jerk chicken and they were honest that it was actually authentic Jamaican jerk spices and it was hot. We love spicy so it was so tasty but it was hot and they try to make sure people know ahead of time but it tasted so delicious and if you like spicy, you gotta try it. They changed out silverware and plates between different courses which was really cool, but even more so understood which foods would be better to have in what order so you could appreciate the flavors. Very attentive to our needs. One of the owners, Bruce was walking around talking to guests and was super personable but also would take guests some of their plates which was cool to see everyone willing to lend a hand. The drinks were great. I couldn’t help but laugh at some of the reviews we saw because it was like they didn’t do any research on the kind of restaurant it was. Complaining that portions were small at a small plate restaurant is like complaining that they had pizza at a pizzeria. Oh well ignore that nonsense, the experience was incredible and they were packed tonight. We will definitely be back. If you haven’t been, you gotta go. Great experience.Parking: It wasn’t too difficult to grab a spot. Took me all of 2 seconds. But it’s also a typical Sarasota street, sometimes it will be packed and sometimes not. Just luck of the draw. Either way, wasn’t a problem.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Japanese Bread
J H
My wife & I had 4 very very small plates of food 2 cocktails and 2 glasses of wine. The $170 bill was excessive for such small portions. It's our second time there & we particularly noticed many less customers this time compared with a year ago. Perhaps others have realized this place is really to expensive for what it offers. We won't be returning nor would we recommend it as there are many better places to eat in Sarasota whith just as good with food & u don't leave feeling hungry. Nigel & Mary from Harbor Acres
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 2
Patrick Dickinson
This place blew our minds it was so good. We consider ourselves experienced eaters and were blown away by Meliora. It hits all the right notes, great combination of creativity using traditional ingredients. Service was excellent and the space has a great collection atmosphere. If you love food, you will love Meliora.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Gnocchi, Roasted Duck Bao, Japanese Bread, Fried Potato, Snapper Crudo, Raw Scallop
My family very much enjoyed our dinner at Meliora! Every plate was delicious, especially the duck, tomatoes, gnocchi, raw scallops, and desserts! The service was also amazing! I would highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Roasted Duck Bao, Gnocchi Parmesan, Raw Scallop
Wonderful at the chef’s table; next trip to Sarasota we will return. Japanese milk bread was very special. Sliced raw scallop and beet salad were also very good.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Roasted Duck Bao, Japanese Bread, Raw Scallop, Chefs Table
Absolutely hands down one of the best meals I’ve had all year. Highly recommend the gnocchi, the raw scallop appetizer, and the tartine appetizer. And for the rest of my life, if someone asked me what I’d want for my last meal, I’d say “give me the gnocchi at Meliora”. I cannot emphasize how much it stood out despite everything else being so good already. On my first bite, I had to close my eyes and stop chewing so that I could comprehend how amazing it tasted and how light the texture was. Throw everything you’ve ever described as “pillowy” in the trash because this gnocchi should be the only thing in the dictionary under that word. While the drinks are pricey and the meal overall was higher than average for a night out, it is 100% worth it. We were swept off our feet.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Gnocchi Parmesan, Raw Scallop
I made a reservation for my friend Laura’s birthday and we had an excellent experience. They went above and beyond by seating us at the chefs table. The chef explained the dishes to us. The environment was great, prices weren’t bad and service was excellent. Highly recommend! I love that there’s a restaurant like this in our Hillview neighborhood.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Tuna, Raw Scallop
Incredible food every time.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
One of the best restaurants in Sarasota. The staff is very friendly, the food is great, and the atmosphere is comfortable. It's a regular stop for us. Enjoy!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
One of the best restaurants I have ever been to in my life. Fusion cuisine, maximized. These dishes have a flavor from every part of the world - and not just a basic flavor, but something special. Tapas style dishes, best served in courses. The bar serves a cheeseburger that you can't order when you sit in the dining area - you must sit at the bar only if you want to order the cheeseburger. Drinks are eclectic, dessert is fantastic. Service is the best, hands down. This is the business you try to emulate, no matter what industry you're in. The experience is unforgettable.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Gnocchi, Tuna, Marinated Tomatoes, Raw Scallop
Phenomenal. My husband and I consider ourselves foodies and this did not disappoint. We booked the chef’s table on a whim and the entire experience was divine from start to finish. We tried 5 dishes (and 2 desserts) and each was fantastic - we tried ranking them on the drive home but couldn’t because they were all 10s. Standouts were the lamb and raw scallop, but if you like spice, the jerk chicken was to die. We visit Sarasota a few times a year, and Meliora is now permanently on our list. THANK YOU!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Superb culinary experience. Dishes were creative and unique without resorting to abstract pretentiousness.Service was top notch, knowledgeable about the whole experience down to the ingredient but also kind and welcoming which in my experience is the first aspect that lacks once the dishes are elevated to this degree. Not here.Prices were remarkably fair for the amount of dishes and quality of the food. Obviously this is not a dinner on a budget - but you leave satisfied in every sense, including the financial.A solid option for fine, adventurous, sharable dining in Sarasota. Would absolutely recommend. PS: get the duck…
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Gnocchi, Roasted Duck Bao, Japanese Bread, Gnocchi Parmesan, Raw Scallop
Meliora exceeded expectations. We went in expecting the ultimate foody experience and were blown away by the unique dishes and flavors. Kristian our waiter was superb. There was not a dish that we weren’t impressed by. Certainly one of the best if not the best in Sarasota.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
This is without a doubt the best restaurant in Sarasota. We had a birthday dinner tonight with a friend and the food was absolutely phenomenal. Every single dish was great - and we tried 10 different ones. As a world traveler I have eaten in some amazing restaurants in various countries - to finally have such a talented chef in Sarasota is such a blessing. I am in food heaven.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Roasted Duck Bao, Gnocchi Parmesan, Marinated Tomatoes, Raw Scallop
Great selection and we'll thought out and prepared
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Roasted Duck Bao
Chris was an absolutely amazing server. The food was incredible. They took time to explain how their menu works and made sure to try and find food based on our taste. They are smaller plates and it’s good to try several things. It’s not your typical American style, so go in adventurous. The wagyu was insanely good and the tuna dish was incredible and you have to try the Japanese milk bread. We got the jerk chicken and they were honest that it was actually authentic Jamaican jerk spices and it was hot. We love spicy so it was so tasty but it was hot and they try to make sure people know ahead of time but it tasted so delicious and if you like spicy, you gotta try it. They changed out silverware and plates between different courses which was really cool, but even more so understood which foods would be better to have in what order so you could appreciate the flavors. Very attentive to our needs. One of the owners, Bruce was walking around talking to guests and was super personable but also would take guests some of their plates which was cool to see everyone willing to lend a hand. The drinks were great. I couldn’t help but laugh at some of the reviews we saw because it was like they didn’t do any research on the kind of restaurant it was. Complaining that portions were small at a small plate restaurant is like complaining that they had pizza at a pizzeria. Oh well ignore that nonsense, the experience was incredible and they were packed tonight. We will definitely be back. If you haven’t been, you gotta go. Great experience.Parking: It wasn’t too difficult to grab a spot. Took me all of 2 seconds. But it’s also a typical Sarasota street, sometimes it will be packed and sometimes not. Just luck of the draw. Either way, wasn’t a problem.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Japanese Bread
My wife & I had 4 very very small plates of food 2 cocktails and 2 glasses of wine. The $170 bill was excessive for such small portions. It's our second time there & we particularly noticed many less customers this time compared with a year ago. Perhaps others have realized this place is really to expensive for what it offers. We won't be returning nor would we recommend it as there are many better places to eat in Sarasota whith just as good with food & u don't leave feeling hungry. Nigel & Mary from Harbor Acres
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 2
This place blew our minds it was so good. We consider ourselves experienced eaters and were blown away by Meliora. It hits all the right notes, great combination of creativity using traditional ingredients. Service was excellent and the space has a great collection atmosphere. If you love food, you will love Meliora.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Gnocchi, Roasted Duck Bao, Japanese Bread, Fried Potato, Snapper Crudo, Raw Scallop