In my opinion, this is the best restaurant that Sarasota has to offer to true food enthusiasts. The menu is clean and smart and really interesting.
Chef Phelps is clearly a fisherman with a conscience and an amazing palette.
When I sat down to dinner I was intrigued from the first moment.
The service was perfect. The menu reading, although clearly fish heavy, was engaging. I had so much fun studying each offering, thinking about where Phelps acquired all the ingredients and what thought process he used to arrive at the final dish. Reading it made me want to ask more questions, and I did.
The waitress answered everyone of them, with confidence.
We sampled the menu starting with the parmesan beignets. They brought me back to my grandmother's kitchen. When I was a child she would make "greasy balls" for us. They were anything but greasy. But rather they were perfectly deep-fried light and airy puffs of dough. Sometime they'd be sweet, rolled in honey. Other times she'd make them savory, with an anchovy stuffed in the middle and there'd be a dish of her fresh braised pork tomato sauce for dipping. Phelps achieved this perfection with his Parmesan rendition and I thank him graciously for the memory.
I followed up with the Black Kale Ceaser. The texture of this salad along with the balance of acid against the anchovy was wonderful. It chewed like a tender piece of meat and I wanted to keep the experience going until it was all gone. Delicious and refreshing.
For my main course I ordered the Everglades Fish Bake. Tender morsels of locally caught snapper fillet with garden vegetables, herbs, some citrus, white wine.....clean and so fresh. You can only match this meal if you go fishing on a gulf reef yourself and prepare it on the boat!
I finished with a dish Cornbread Ice Cream paired with a snifter of Cognac and a cup of coffee. The texture of the ice cream was rich and smooth, the flavor of sweet corn milk with maybe a touch of honey or agave. Creamy and delicious.
It was a perfect end to a perfect meal.
Thank you Chef. That was amazing!
This place had the coolest ambiance. It appears like your driving into a neighborhood until you notice the inviting lights glowing from their patio area. The service is outstanding and all of the employees work well to make your expierance seamless. Our server was Micah and his attentiveness, food knowledge and personality was phenomenal! Not only did he recommend the most amazing meal but he helped us choose the perfect wine to complement it. The food presentation was amazing and the quality of the farm to table ingredients was apparent in it's flavor. The rotating manu will always keep your taste buds happy!
Gabriela Urevitch Gallas
+5
Wow! What a place, atmosphere, staff and of course food. From the moment we pulled in we knew we were in for a treat.
We were welcomed and seated immediately. The staff was professional, extremely accommodating, thorough, patient and caring. The food was to die for. The four of us returned every plate clean, we truly enjoyed every dish we ordered, from appetizers, to dessert.
I've known Chef Steve and his wife Kim for over 5 years and I can't say enough good things about them as people. Experiencing the labor of their love and Steve's passion - food, only made me regret I waited this long to dine at Indigenous. It's definitely a place we'll visit again and recommend wholeheartedly to friends and family.
Indigenous is a true gem, tucked away, yet in the heart of downtown Sarasota. If you have the opportunity to visit, don't hesitate for a moment.
We came here for our big date night on our Honeymoon on November 2nd, sat outside, and couldn’t have asked for a better experience. The restaurant is rustic and fun; the image that is intended works perfectly without going over the top. Our waiter was knowledgeable, friendly, and passionate about the food and the ideals of the restaurant. He handled his section like a pro, always making time to talk with us and answer any questions we had. We had time between our appetizers and entrees. The staff took care of little things- our water was always full, empty plates were cleared, and new silverware was given to us between courses. And then there was the food. Amazing. Simply fantastic. We had the Mushroom Bisque, Beignets, pickled peppers (and stuff), and the pork shoulder as starters. The jerk relish with the pork is something I’d put on everything if I could, even if it doesn’t go. The Beignets were light and fluffy, sweet but also a touch of salt. He bisque, a thick delicious, heaping serving, hot and full of flavor. If I only had one critique, it would be that we got it all at once and it might have been a little better to get them spaced. However, it was all absolutely delicious. Then for meals, we had the Snapper special and the Char special. Insane. It was obvious that this is a passion, not just a job, as everything was carefully prepared, the plating was beautiful, and it was all fresh. I was very impressed when our server mentioned that the Snapper takes a little longer to make, but that didn’t stop my Char from being hot when it arrived. It was an ode to perfect timing, something that doesn’t happen often in restaurants. We left no room for dessert but would have loved to try the Bread Pudding or the Tahini ice cream. If we’re back in the area, we’ll make sure to save room next time.
Thank you to Chef and the staff of Indigenous for making our Honeymoon date night a success. We drank, we ate, and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We’ll be suggesting you to whoever we can if they are going to be in the Sarasota area.
Fantastic restaurant! Wonderful service, creative and so very tasty food in a lovely setting. If you go soon, order the Lemongrass Shrimp --- an amazing dish. Everything here is done thoughtfully from the selection of the best ingredients to the wine list. Whoever trains the service staff should be congratulated. On top of all this, the prices are more than reasonable. Just go now!
One of the best restaurants we've been to in the Sarasota area. Small menu, but I'd rather have a few dishes done exceptionally well then many dishes done ok. Fantastic, friendly and knowledgeable staff. The bartender was very helpful in assisting us in our wine selections by allowing us to sample a few different ones. Overall, a great experience. This restaurant now tops my list of spots to bring my out of town guests and clients.
Chef Steve is very passionate about the food he produces. The appetizers, desserts, and the main courses are all amazing. I've eaten at Indigenous 6 or 7 times and would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone who appreciates some dadgum good food. Every time we go to Sarasota we make reservations to enjoy really good and fresh food.
If I could give Indigenous 10 stars, I’d do so...phenomenal food - innovative, fresh, delicious...had a unique ceasar salad, creamy soup with char, snapper, and rock fish, and Arctic Char prepared perfectly...Micah is an outstanding server...and the genius chef Steve even took time to come check on us and make sure we were pleased!! We were more than pleased!!! New favorite restaurant in Sarasota!!! ���
We enjoyed our evening at your restaurant. I think we sampled almost everything on your menu! The layers of flavor in every dish told a story! We were celebrating our daughters birthday. Our Server was Amanda! Very engaging and knowledgeable of your food! We will be back! Bravo Chef!
Had a fantastic meal last night! Ribs well incredible, tender, cobia cooked perfectly, sauces were full of flavor. Atmosphere great on a clear, cool evening. The only thing that would improve it would be a full bar vs beer/wine, but I get it.
What an amazing experience.
Sarosta continues to impress me.
Make sure to get the pickled peppers and order from the Wine list!
The service and food here are inviting ,warm and intoxicating .
Great food, great service. this is a place that rivals the best of the best!
Indigenous is my favorite restaurant in Sarasota, by far. I typically order "the Hook to Fork" or "the Plentiful and Abundant", which are names for the daily fish specials. The different preparations of these daily specials always amaze me. The caesar salad that is currently on the menu is awesome. We had the peanut butter mousse for dessert, which was delicious.
My first time visiting and will not be the last. The place is located inside a former bungalow home. I couldn’t decide on what to try and the waiter Micah asked me of wanted to be surprised and I said “sure why not”. Well he brought to the table the one piece of meat I have always disliked; lamb. But it was made into shredded beef and one taste and I was hooked. The Parmesan Beignets were delicious to start off. You will not be disappointed.
Michael was fabulous!
Yellow Edged Grouper was to die for! Overall experience was great. Highly recommend!
So excited to dine at Indigenous. We were met by a friendly hostess and seated in the cottage quickly. The atmosphere is super, dark with neat lighting.
We ordered the beignets and mushroom bisque as starters. The beignets were interesting light puffs of fried dough. We did not have a lot of honey, thought the pears added the sweetness we felt were needed. The bisque was outstanding. This set the tone for the rest of the meal. Our server Gary, was friendly, but he knew some other diners at the bar area and we did not receive the service we expected for the cost of the experience. He was fine, but not exceptional, this was a tad disappointing.
Our meals of Queen snapper and Pork Chop were delivered after quite some time, and we both felt the food was warm but not hot. Strange, since it was not overly busy in our area. The dessert was orange honey pie and vanilla ice cream with apple cider drizzle. The ice cream was super where as the pie was, well, not a pie, or cake, or described custard. It was dry and not to our palate at all.
So, our first experience here was fine, not great and not exceptional. The wait staff may want to visit Cooper's Hawk, where the staff is so well trained. It showed at Indigenous that it is not what the meal price dictates. Total cost for two with one glass of wine. $169.
So happy we tried the restaurant, but not sure if we need to return. Love the atmosphere, but the food we had this evening was not what we had hoped for.
We were excited to try this highly acclaimed restaurant, having kept an eye on their ever changing menu and reputation for a while. The only reservations we could get within a week were at 8:00pm, outdoor seating which was fine by us despite the raging temps. The patio was quiet and full of airflow; music was a great vibe and not too loud like some places. Definitely expecting a more formal experience but I soon felt overdressed! We tried the curry fish dip and mushroom bisque for apps - both delish. Wine selection was great, however, being seated outside, we had to request our bottle to be chilled on ice (which was taken care of by another server). Entrées took a bit longer than expected. Quite frankly it was a quick, straight to the point experience. Just hoping for more attentiveness from our server rather than the other employees tending to our needs on his behalf. The portions were perfect, the food was prepared beautifully. The snapper was locally sourced, flakey and succulent. The Iberico pork was prepared medium, juicy and tender. Overall a lovely spot just outside of the downtown bustle. Definitely will continue to scope the menu and prepare further ahead for a chance to dine inside.
My friends and I thoroughly enjoyed our dinner last night! Red snapper was delicious as was the butternut fritters. Our Server, Gary, was very professional. We will definitely be back!
We had a great experience at Indigenous this evening! The service was friendly and attentive. The food was excellent as well. The mushroom bisque was absolutely delicious and the pork chop was perfectly cooked. Can’t wait to visit again!
Indigenous is an excellent local Sarasota restaurant. Its chef-driven menu is exciting and varied. I did try the burger. At $25, it was great but not exquisite. The mushroom soup was the stand-out dish. Gazpacho had a strong roasted pepper vibe vs. a traditional tomato/cucumber base. The parmesan beignets were tasty. If you don't have a reservation, check out the “bar” area where seating is first come, first served.
TLDR; sit outside and focus on the main course. Let's start with the great:
Red Snapper with bacon braided green beans, buttermilk cornbread puree, pickled nectarines & mustard seeds: new take on classic southern flavors. The fish was cooked perfectly, and the sides were flavorful, but not overpowering. Everything was seasoned perfectly and well balanced. There was always a new combination of flavors to try, and they really complimented each other. The puree could have been hotter.
Iberico Pork chop with Dijon hollandaise, caramelized brown sugar (on the chop), back on & broccolini potato hash: Familiar flavors jazzed up with a perfect sauce and high quality meat. Pork chop was about 30 seconds over and hash could have been hotter - but the flavors were perfect and the brulee on the pork chop was memorable.
Parmesan Beignets: Wouldn't get this again. They were mostly air on the inside and topped with a ton of honey, which overpowered the salt from the Parmesan on top. The fry was less beignets and more fritter, plus the texture inside was not quite right.
Pickled Florida Blueberries with Captain Crunch Berry shortbread and whipped lemon cheesecake: This dessert was one of the worst I've ever ordered at any restaurant and would not recommend it. Blueberries didn't have the burst you get when they are super fresh. Cheesecake was super sweet and heavy. The cake was dense and dry. And the bottom was wet with blueberries that didn't really taste of anything. Presentation was really clunky, and we didn't bother finishing it.
Service: Front desk and bussers served with a smile and gave the restaurant a nice welcoming feel. Our waiter felt like he was rushing, didn't explain any of the dishes beyond the plate sizes, didn't check in, gave no recommendations after asking if we had been to the restaurant before, and overall just didn't seem to care. Asked for sweet tea to be given iced tea with brown sugar, which doesn't dissolve. Took 30 mins to get the appetizer. Card was swiped for the wrong check after being given the right check, which was rectified after we watched him and another waiter chat for 5 minutes from our table. Overall not what you'd expect for a meal that cost $150+ for 2.
I'd give it another chance because the mains were SO GOOD. Everything else was really sub par, and no one asked us how anything was except for a friendly busser. Definitely not what I was expecting for a neighborhood restaurant, so maybe this was just an off night.
I had a fantastic experience at Indigenous. We began our visit out in the Lounge as we waited for a seat at the bar. The servers were very informative and attentive. When seats opened, they quickly sat us. Their recommendation were delicious! We had no room for dessert.
James was our server and did an excellent job. We got a couple appetizers to start. Couldn't decide between the green curry fish dip or the Thai pickled shrimp. I'm glad because we ended up getting both, and neither disappointed! I went with the burger and my wife got the tuna for dinner. The potato wedges cooked in duck fat were really good as well.
Excellent food! Highly recommend. The burger was huge and juicy. Iberico Pork Chop was the best pork chop I've ever had. I often find pork chops tough or overcooked but not not at Indigenous. Loved the scallops, the black garlic caesar which is big enough for three to share. Also loved the parmesan beignets which we shared. So good, but soooo expensive. With tip we were over $70/person. Love it, but the prices will temper our enthusiasm.
We ate there last weekend for my birthday and the food was amazing. I never had sautéed mushrooms excite my palette the way their mushrooms did and the pork chops.... Will definitely go back
Truly one of the BEST in Sarasota! If you don’t go here you’re missing out.
Amazinggg food! The long time original chef does an incredible job building the menu and you can taste the effort and quality.
Food is fantastic here; we loved our Caesar salad, the red snapper and the scallops. The only thing that was marginal was the "chocolate mousse" if you want to call it that. I would definitely go back but order a different desert next time.
I went here a few weeks back with two friends. The food was outstanding. I had a burger, which was awesome & giant. My friends each had a fish dish and they loved their meals as well. We all had wines and they were all great offerings. The service is outstanding. This is a small place and they do not at all hurry you out. They take the time to tell you about the restaurant, how it got started, and their concept of food by the chef. I couldn't have enjoyed the experience anymore than I did. The best part of my meal was the pineapple sorbet I had with ginger on it though. The best way I can describe it was "fun". It was so flavorful and with the little bit of salt they added to it, it was something so interesting. We will be going back to try the different seasonal offerings they have. Their menu changes often, from my understanding. Worth the price.
Fantastic meal with excellent service and a wonderful quiet atmosphere. 5 star experience!
We sat outside on the porch. They put the heater on and we got to look out at the cute houses and cars go by. We order three appetizers: fish dip, pork funchi, mushroom bisque. The mushroom bisque was fantastic! After we order two entrees: pork chop and flounder both great!
A premier restaurant in Sarasota. Small menu, but all well executed. Not hard to find something you will like, be it red meat, fish or vegetarian. Menu is often changed and focused on sustainable foods. Been here many times and always consistently very good. Service always friendly and attentive. Atmosphere is very nice using an old Florida home/bungalow as the setting. Even mixture of indoor and outdoor seating. Usually need reservations well in advanced to get in.
Outstanding - beautifully prepared and presented, well composed flavors, perfect portions, fresh local ingredients - casual old Florida setting - pleasant, attentive and well-paced service - we had the Cobia Crudo, Mushroom Flan, Peppardelle, the Snapper, and the Sweet Potato ice cream and everything was spot-on.
Mayra Rodriguez Valladares
+5
Food at Indigenous was great. Every single dish was so tasty. The scallop and shrimp main dish was my favorite. Service was very good, too. My only recommendation is that s few candles or lights would help. Our corner was quite dark.
An error has occurred! Please try again in a few minutes