Adeline

Was so lucky and blessed to Spend my 60th being treated like a queen! Our waiter Anthony was the best ! His recommendations were amazing! We had Tuna, crispy pork, gnocchi, Raw scallops, fried cauliflower and the roasted Duck! Such an amazing meal! A huge thanks for our friend’s gift card to celebrate here and to the Chef for an excellent memorable meal and night!!!

Adeline was excellent from many angles with innovative flavors and mouthfeels, alternating crispy pork and savory tuna in a fish sauce with greens and some kind of finely shredded fried noodle. A delicious quail was bathed in tasty sauces and stayed crisp nonetheless. Very good cocktails and desserts and good wine by the glass combined with very attentive and timely service made this a great experience. A bit expensive but worth it because everything is very well done.

Adeline: 3/5 ⭐️ The highlights— food and ambiance. The downside— quality of service for cost. We reserved the Chef’s Counter experience for a party of six. Adeline’s policy is to charge $85 per person to reserve the seats, which is then applied towards the final bill. When we arrived at the restaurant (at time of our reservation), the table was not ready. The host appeared to move two patrons out of the area and ushered them towards the bar. Host then let us know our table would be ready in about five minutes. For a curated experience where patrons are spending over $500 before even eating, it was disappointing that the front of house staff wasn’t prepared for us. Upon being seated, our waiter took a long time to come over. It took about 15 minutes between his rushed introduction of the restaurant & dining experience to him returning to take our drink order. At one point the waiter was leaning over the table (forearms on the counter) to point out a specific wine on the menu to someone in our party. Once we ordered dishes, we barely saw the waiter again. I want to underscore that we were quite literally sat in front of the kitchen for the Chef’s Counter experience, meaning that both front of house and back of house staff were constantly moving by us. Our drinks were empty for almost 30 minutes before we could flag the waiter down to order more drinks. He almost walked off after getting a drink order from one person in our party. We flagged him down and explained that we all wanted to order more drinks. These are basics when serving patrons at a restaurant. I would like to highlight that the food was incredible. The lamb hummus, raw scallop, crispy pork, gnocchi, and crab cakes were personal favorites of ours. Head chef was kind and spoke to us briefly throughout service. I hoped for a little more interaction regarding the dishes, but perhaps that was a gap that was failed to be filled by the server. Overall, for an $800 meal, service was a huge deficit. SRQ is lacking in quality restaurant options, and Adeline has the food going for it. If they can clean up their FOH & service flow, I would return for the Chef’s Counter experience. Otherwise, I wouldn’t do it again. Will be back to dine normally and hoping for a better comprehensive experience.

I have been wanting to come here for awhile and was able to for my birthday - it was spectacular! We reserved the chef table which probably would have been way more exciting on a weekend but it was still so enjoy to watch them cook and see the chefs work so perfectly together. Our server was very kind and knowledgeable about each dish. This is tapas style so the food comes out when ready. We received scallops, fried rice, spicy noodles, gnocchi, the duck and cheese cake. I would have drank the scallop sauce it was sooo good and the duck perfectly crispy! This will definitely continue to be a special occasion spot cannot wait to return.

Simple but elegant Asian fusion restaurant. A gem in Sarasota. Enjoyed crispy pork, cabbage salad, gnocchi in Parmesan cream, the crab cake, and a sublime slice of Basque chocolate cheesecake with ice cream and spiced pecans. Service was perfect. Will stop in again.

**A Hidden Gem Worthy of Michelin Accolades** From the moment you step into this culinary haven, you’re met with an experience that is nothing short of extraordinary. The ambiance is inviting, setting the stage for a meal that dazzles in both presentation and taste. Each plate that arrives at the table is a masterpiece, carefully crafted to appeal to the eyes as much as the palate. The flavors are nothing short of sublime. Each dish is a symphony of taste, where every ingredient is given its moment to shine. From the first bite, it’s evident that the kitchen operates with a level of precision and creativity that is rarely seen outside Michelin-starred establishments. The balance of flavors, the freshness of the ingredients, and the innovative twists on classic dishes make for an unforgettable dining experience. What truly sets this restaurant apart, however, is the service. The staff is attentive without being overbearing, knowledgeable without being pretentious. Every interaction feels personalized, making you feel like a valued guest rather than just another diner. For those who appreciate good food and impeccable service, this restaurant is a must-visit. It easily rivals Michelin-starred establishments in both quality and experience. Don’t be surprised if you see it earning its own star in the near future—it’s just that good.

One of my favorite places in Sarasota! Food is great and drinks are amazing! Definitely a must try restaurant if you haven't been there yet!

Adeline provided an exceptional dining experience that we can’t recommend enough! From the moment we walked in, we were impressed by the sophisticated yet approachable atmosphere—elegant without feeling stuffy. The service was equally outstanding, with our server guiding us seamlessly through the menu, offering thoughtful recommendations that elevated our evening. We had the pleasure of dining at the chef’s table, which made the experience even more unique. The menu showcased a wide variety of creative dishes, and every bite felt inspired and thoughtfully crafted. Here’s what we tried: • Japanese Milk Bread with Butter and Ramp Salt: A delightful start to our meal. The addition of ramps was a rare treat, especially in Florida, and added a subtle, unique flavor. • Tuna with Fried Ginger, Tamari, Cilantro, and Sesame: Light, refreshing, and generous in portion. The freshness of the tuna paired beautifully with the vibrant flavors. • Marinated Beets with Avocado and Whipped Goat Cheese: This dish was indulgent in the best way, with a perfect balance of creamy and earthy notes. • Beef Tataki: A filling yet surprisingly light dish that kept the balance of flavors intact. • Special of the Night - Shrimp with Shredded Chayote Squash and Peanut Satay: A creative and flavorful combination we’re still thinking about! • Cobia with Sea Island Peas, Leek, Onion Au Poivre, and Kale: Incredibly satisfying and hearty, rounding out an already remarkable meal. We truly appreciated the opportunity to collaborate with our server, selecting dishes and trusting their expertise to guide us. This elevated our meal into an experience of exploration and discovery. If you’re looking for inventive cuisine, impeccable service, and a refined yet welcoming ambiance, Adeline is the place to be. We’re already planning our next visit!

Finally able to visit Adeline since their rebranding. What a delight! Atmosphere was great! Service, from Bethany was top! Food was delicious! Will definitely be back!

We chose to book the chef's counter experience for a Saturday night. Unfortunately, the chef was not in, and there was no added engagement or benefit to sitting there. We had read reviews that reserving a the counter experience (limited to parties of 2, 4 or 6 at either a 5 or 7:30 seating) would include interactions with the chef. We would have loved to experience this--my father and I left my mother behind particularly looking to experience this. Would have booked differently had we known we would not get any experiential moments. The food was still great, a variety of interesting flavors, proteins, and dietary-strict-friendly dishes afforded. From our April 2025 visit we recommend the lamb dumplings and duck main shareable. Other standouts were the fried soft shelled crab (remarkably not greasy), the cold spicy noodles (though we tasted no spice in ours) and the chocolate basque cheesecake

This restaurant is outstanding. Each and every bite was a flavor explosion. Our server paced our meal so we never had too much food on the table. They were able to substitute vodka for gin in their specialty cocktails. Cannot wait to return

Food was pretty good 4/5. But the one thing I can't seem to shake is that I specifically added that we were celebrating our wedding anniversary. Hostess didn't acknowledge it. And our server said "happy anniversary" as he handed us our bill. Nothing was comped. Nothing was done by staff to even acknowledge our special day. That was a huge turn off especially from a fine dining establishment. We can go anywhere to celebrate and we chose Adeline. Huge let down.

Everything is Amazing here! Best chef and Bartenders in town 10 STARS. We love our date nights here. So cozy!

Restaurant is an amazing dining experience. Wait staff understands what it means to service in fine dining while still maintaining an understated ambiance. The food is excellent and refreshing with a tapa/family style delivery. The menu choices are well executed and not over edited. The plating matches the ambience.

I took a voting for Sarasota's best and Adeline's kept showing up. I've loved here for years and have never been. I immediately made a reservation to see what I was missing and wow!! Yes this place is amazing. Service was fantastic. Atmosphere was wonderful the food was all delicious. The lamb ribs - I could have eaten 4 plates. So good. So pretty. The ribeye was amazing. The dresser was unique and amazing. Definitely go here. Headed back this weekend.

Had a wonderful evening for my anniversary. Our server was a joy and out night felt really special, Chef Drew is a gem for our city

Awesome food, service, and ambiance. Chef Drew created some excellent dishes that were very different, creative, and delicious.

Sit at the bar and ask for Alex. He's awesome. Green and red Zinfandel is delicious. The hamburger is only available at the bar and it's insane good.

My first time back since the name changed and based on the food, I thought the chef had changed. Had an extremely unsatisfying experience ....had to return one item that I had ordered previously, but didn't come out nearly the same (they did remove it from the bill). Nothing had much taste; certainly did not live up to the hype ...nor the price! Crispy pork was nothing more than overcooked small dry pieces on a layer of flavorless slaw. Gnocchi was bland. Duck, while presented well, was terribly overcooked, especially the breast. Very disappointed as Sarasota really needs a restaurant with creative cuisine.

Amazing experience! We are foodies that just moved to the area from Philly and have been having trouble finding a good food spot that compares to up North. Everything from the service to cocktails and flavor were wonderful. Spicy cold noodles were my favorite. The gnocchi had great pillow-like texture but was slightly bland, a pinch of salt did the trick though. My husband loved the snapper and tuna dishes. We will definitely return!

INCREDIBLE. A food experience that cannot be replicated. Every dish was a new taste sensation. The owner and staff are so engaging and kind. Go. Just stop what you are doing and Go.

wow, what a disappointment. I ordered the mushroom shawarma sandwich and the tomato bisque soup The soup was good, the sandwich was mostly bread, maybe 6 very thinly sliced pieces of mushroom, lots of arugula (or whatever greenery they put on there) and the bread on the bottom was almost icy, like it had been stored in a freezer and set out to thaw. My friends sandwich was the Italian one and it was decent. No wonder there was only one other table occupied in there..

Honestly can't say enough about how wonderful this pace is. The GM was hosting and was just beyond friendly and nice. Our server JT was phenomenal. Each dish surprised us and was heaven to eat. Can't wait to be back and try all we couldn't. Highly recommend.

The price indicator should be $$$$ not $$. Which is not good since the service at best could be called average. The food is well prepared but flavor combinations are are soft and are lost or overpowered easily, it only takes a couple of plates to see the tastes and presentation tricks used by the kitchen is a one trick pony. Again, not good for appetizer portions at entree prices. The dining room is also composed of all hard surfaces and loud. Not the ambiance you want considering price. All in all, you won't be disappointed until you get the check.

Open just four months, Chef Drew and Bruce's vision is brought from DC to life here in Sarasota. This is one of those gems that won't need reviews to drive attendance, as word of mouth already seems sufficient, and will surely carry through to create a hard-to-get by high season. There are multiple seating choices from the bar to the main dining room to the back dining area which has views into the busy kitchen. The menu is "simple" with choices of Hot or Cold small plates. The dishes are far from simple and are both artfully plated and meticulously crafted. Beverage Director Topher has constructed a terrific wine list to accompany the food choices and there are beer and cocktails as well. Our group of four had a fantastic meal and wonderful evening. We'll be back soon. I am avoiding some special and specific mentions here - come and find out for yourself ;)

Amazing place. We were very lucky to reserve the Chef's table on a Friday night. We were quickly seated at the large wooden counter overlooking the kitchen area. It was wonderful to see the staff work in one cohesive unit. The staff was very attentive to the customers needs. The server came over and explained the menu, and let us know the specials for the night. He reminded us that the menu is a tasting menu and recommended to order multiple items to try a variety of items. We followed his advice and ordered the Japanese milk bread, raw scallops, and the Tuna. The milk bread was unbelievable. It was so soft and delicious. My sister said she could just sit at the bar and have the bread and wine for dinner as it was so good. Speaking of wine, the selection was great, and the server even provided some tastings of their large selection so we could choose what was best for our meal. The scallops were sliced thin with chive and basil sauce poured over the dish. I would never have tried this normally, but it was highly recommended by previous customers. It melts in your mouth, and the flavors matched up wonderfully. The Tuna was one of my favorites of the day. Again, very tender with a great blend of spices and seasoning that tasted great. We decided to order the specials of the night Halibut for me, and my sister decided on the Salmon. Again, the portion sizes are not large, but the taste and flavors are exquisite. The Halibut had an amazing French Onion reduction sauce that could have been just a meal itself. The Salmon was perfectly cooked using the Sous Vide method and was on a delicious base of vegetables and sauce. Chef Drew told us how he spent over an hour making the potato balls for the dish. Those popped in your mouth when you at them(almost like Bobba tea ). We ended the night with the chocolate pana cotta. The chocolate was light and airy, and matched up perfectly with the smooth and creamy Pana cotta. Being at the Chef's table was the one of the best parts of the experience. During the slower times, Chef Drew came over and talked to the guests at the table, telling stories about menu items, and getting to know us like we were guests at his own house. One menu item is a Caviar Bump, which Chef Drew comes over and serves to the customer in person. We didn't get that, but the guests next to us did and it looked amazing. Best experience and food I have ever had. I highly recommend Meliora to anyone who wants the best of the best. If you can do the Chef's table, it is an amazing experience. Keep up the great work!

What an amazing experience. Love the small plates. I wish I remember our waitress's name she was AWESOME. Cole was amazing. Couldn't decide what I wanted for a cocktail and said make me something with tequila he came up with such a great cocktail others at the table ordered them. Food was tasty only downside was desert. WE WILL DEFINITELY BE BACK

Because I live in Tampa I'm not able to dine too often in Sarasota but recently spent some time at the bar sampling some items and they were fantastic. The tomato appetizer dish is phenomenal and so packed with layers and textures of flavor. The soft shell crab is also excellent; crunchy and delish. Alex one of the bartenders whipped up an excellent rendition of a Pisco Sour; I just can't tell my Peruvian wife I enjoyed a Pisco Sour made with Chilean Pisco because she considers that cheating. The ambiance at the bar mingling with the locals was very fun and this place seems to invite exploration and sharing good food and conversation. The cherry on top of it all was that the sommelier, Bethany, scored some 1997 vintage Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon and it was flat out bonkers good. One of the three best Napa Cabs I have ever tasted. Campfire, creosote, burning embers and the most polished and velvety fruit that was taking on those rustic leathery notes in perfect symmetry. I know velvety and leathery sound like opposites but it was seamless. Great spot for excellent food, wine, ambiance and service. Five stars.

Perfection! We ate here while vacationing in the Siesta Key area. Everything we had was absolutely amazing! We tried the Japanese Milk Bread which I wish I had saved a portion of to soak up leftover sauces from other dishes we tried (such as the Raw Scallop - another hit). We also ordered the Marinated Tomatoes and the Spicy Cold Noodles (craving them again right now actually). The gnocchi was creamy and delicious. I'm still thinking about the grilled Romano bean special with fried shallots and shishito peppers that had the most delicious house made green goddess dressing I've ever tasted. The Ritz Cracker Ice Cream is a must, especially if you like slightly salty desserts like I do. Service was great and our server did a wonderful job explaining the dishes. Ambiance was elegant but not stuffy. We will definitely return when we are back in the area.

This is a generous 5 stars but only because I didn't eat anything. I have no idea what the food is like. We came here because Yelp told us this location was blasé cafe and had free WiFi and we wanted a drink while we finished up work. We had experience at blasé on siesta key (martini bar) and loved the drinks. Anyway, we walk in and sit at the bar and discover they opened under a new name 2 weeks earlier. So we were at a new American tapas restaurant called Meliora. First, the bartender hesitated giving us the WiFi password because they aren't supposed to give it out, but he did and we were thankful that we could finish working for the day. We tried to order an appetizer-the mushroom app (the names of everything we saw have been forgotten), but they were out of the mushrooms. Therefore, it was drinks only. We loved our drinks. Mike is an excellent bartender and our drinks were fantastic. I don't recall everything my lady got but I got their smoked cinnamon whiskey drink and their spicy tequila drink. The smoked whiskey drink was perfect. Perfect balance, perfect smokey favor, perfect large cube. My tequila drink was as advertised, but it is definitely spicy. The tequila is infused with green chilis and cilantro, I think, but that's not what makes it spicy. They add a hot chili something to the egg white floater and that had heat that stuck with me. Stayed in the back of my throat. I really enjoyed it but it was on the border of being too much. If you aren't crazy about spicy drinks than this isn't for you. I liked it though. So, a 5-star review for the bar and bartender. Menu looks delicious but we didn't try anything. If the business sees this though, you really need to add tables outside. You have a bit of a sidewalk patio and it's a shame you aren't using it, even if only for a few tables.

Maybe its just not my thing, service was a bit stuffy/snobish perhaps. We were really excited to visit this very talked about place. We started with some vodka martinis, excellent. Then dove into japanese milk bread, a nice soft loaf, but nothing to scream about. The butter was delicious. Almost felt as if this should have just been on the table as most restaurants provide bread and butter, that how underwhelmed we were. Then into the scallops, extremely flavorful. Keep Some of that bread to sop up the sauce. Gnocchi was next, and this was by far the worst , as an italian i was expecting nice soft pillowy gnocchi, instead it just disintegrates in the sauce(flavorful sauce). Then we did the lamb, as expected delicious, but not over the top. We ended with japanese cheesecake which was very delicious and actually the largest portion and perfect for three, let alone just the two of us. We had wishes for the price point the 'small' plates had more substance and well, more to taste. $140 not including tip, we wanted to be satisfied but ipon leaving looked for a near by quick bite to fill our palate.

Solid spot in Sarasota a little on the pricy side especially for the portions great for a ladies night or special occasion.

ABSOLUTELY AMAZING DINNER!!!! I highly recommend booking Meliora for dinner. We were met with great customer service and every dish we had was delicious. Because we drove an hour away to eat here, the waiter brought us a cucumber dish on the house. How kind!!!! And let me tell you those cucumbers were good. We started our dinner with the Japanese milk bread: fluffy bread with a homemade butter. Next, we had the gnocchi and squash dish and both were excellently seasoned and balanced. We ended dinner with the duck and it was so so so tender. While we enjoyed the meals, the owner of the restaurant checked in on us and gave us a lot of information on how they cook their food. My husband and I love going to places that are intentional with creating dishes that satisfy the foodie pallet with different flavor combos and thoughtful ingredients! If after every meal, my husband and I look at each other and both say this is amazing, then date night has been an absolute success. We had the Japanese cheesecake for dessert with avocado ice cream! Yummy treat. We will be back loved it!!!! I only took a picture of the bread now fair warning the dishes are small, so you want to order a few items from both the cold menu and hot menu.

Overrated restaurant. Running wild cocktail was so so Ricotta cheese with veggies was lovely. Love, love the baby carrots, baby beets, baby corn, baby squash and star fruits in the veggie plate. Very pretty arrangement as well. New York strip steak was very very juicy but the portion was very small. Only 5 pieces. The roasted duck was extremely dry. The sauce tasted weird. The worst duck ever. Nothing compare to Peking duck in any Chinese restaurant. Service was so so The environment was nice. Very clean.

What an absolutely phenomenal experience. We started with the marinated tomatoes, raw scallop, Japanese milk bread and the tuna. I highly recommended all the above but especially the raw scallops and the Japanese milk bread to soak up the leftover scallop sauce. Our server was great and knowledgeable. Definitely a 5 star restaurant. Will be recommending this place to everyone I know.

the.best.food.ever. we haven't had food this insane in quite awhile. Visiting from NY and this food takes the cake. Absolutely incredible food.

Beautiful atmosphere, friendly staff providing quick service, and food that is so pretty you don't want to eat it, and then you are glad you did as it is equally delicious! Met a friend for a cocktail and and a few apps and excited to go back and try more. The new smoked Old Fashioned and mezcal drinks were a hit. Definitely try the Tuna and the MarinTed Tomatoes. Amazing flavors!

Occasionally with tapas it can feel like you're not getting the best value, you spend like 2-3x what you typically would at a normal establishment just to get the same satiated feeling. Not here. The portions are reasonable and the flavors are stellar! A lot of unique and inventive dishes - definitely worth the stop if you're in Sarasota! Two must tries: the Peri peri chicken and the ricotta fruit toast dish - the menu is seasonal so there is always something new!

Excellent place for fresh, fantastic and highly curated tapas. Will be back again! Drinks, service and food did not disappoint. Amanda our server was amazing

We ventured out to this restaurant as a recommendation from a friend. We were greater and seated almost immediately. The food was tapa style with a good variety of dishes but keep in mind they're small so you should venture into a bunch of different plates. We ventured into a tuna appetizer which was delicious the steak was also excellent the Jerk chicken was super spicy and I like spicy food this thing was over the top. Overall the atmosphere is pretty casual good mix of people the decor is pretty simple nothing over the top or overwhelming. Towards the end of the meal we met one of the owners Bruce Pike who gave us the story behind the restaurant and the food. I can't wait to go back and try some of the new dishes!

We had a terrific experience. We had a nice table in front of the kitchen, and what a show! food was wonderful and our server was very attentive. Spencer recommended this place he's a really good bartender. The coconut dessert drink was really good. It was so funny to check out the bathroom hallway. Nice place.

First of all, you need to understand it is a tapas restaurant. The portions are small. Delicious and extremely well done, but small. We did not leave hungry, we ordered 10 dishes for four people including the three dessert dishes. The veggies were carrots, pickled cucumber, the fried potato dish - all we're excellent . Started with scallop crudo (spectacular), and also had the snapper dish (not as good as the others), Maitake mushroom (wow) Gnocchi (great!) And 3 desserts - coconut (3xcellwnt), blueberry (ok) and the Japanese cheesecake (awesome) Loved it !

We scored Chef Table seats for a Friday night. The service was fun and very good. My favorite dishes were the tuna, mushrooms, cabbage salad and my husband said the duck was the best presentation and taste he's ever had. This is such a great addition to the SRQ food scene.

Not many places with this high of quality food, service and wine options! The burger is unbeatable! Love love love

Went to restaurant for a reunion dinner and it was closed. Advertised open hours on Yelp. Not sure if circumstances.

This place was INCREDIBLE! What an amazing experience!!!! All the food was absolutely fantastic and so were the cocktails!!! We had the aged tuna, raw scallops, marinated tomatoes, roasted duck, red snapper, and pork blade! All good food and had AMAZING flavor!

Absolutely top notch! Worth every penny. Food - Tapas style service. Every. single. dish. was spectacular. Unique presentation with unthought of flavor combinations; each dish was its own journey. The duck was the best I've ever had. Ambiance - the first time we went we sat in the general area, great color palette and table setup. The second time we went for dessert and a night cap, they sat us in a special area in the back; I really shouldn't be telling you this as I don't want the secret to get out, but this is the spot to be on. Service - both times the service was impeccable, and accommodating. The price is not cheap, but worth it, hands down.

After reading the hype about Meliora, we finally had dinner there. The hype doesn't do it justice. We were blown away by the entire experience. Perfection. Each dish beautifully crafted, exquisitely presented, excellent service. Sometimes it's the little things that blow you away. In this case, the timing. We ordered three cold and three hot dishes. They were presented, staggered to provide a leisurely, but not slow, dining experience. Great wine list, lovely cocktails. It's not for the budget conscious, it's not for someone that needs a tomahawk ribeye, but damn it worked it's magic on us.

A random suggestion from Yelp turned into a great dining experience for us. We looked up this place , called to make sure they had space for us, and ended up sitting at the kitchen facing tables and having one of the best meals in Sarasota, we've ever had. This restaurant is going to be a great addition to the dining scene , and food is great, but they truly have some awesome people too. Overall, an exceptional, unique dining experience. Pics of some of the things we had below, not a single bad dish, or drink amongst them.

Exceptional restaurant, meal, and staff. We tried basically every dish on the menu and I cannot wait to go back to try the rest. Everything was really good and I really enjoyed the marinated tomatoes, cabbage salad, confit duck, peri peri chicken, avocado ice cream! Cocktails were very refreshing and creative. Wine list is extensive and every wine is available by the glass. Somehow we also managed to eat several desserts and they all were a nice ending to our meal!

I've been to Meliora twice and both times had a great experience! The dishes are very creative, but wholly accessible. I really enjoy the small plates format. It definitely makes dinner a more social experience. Chef Drew has created a great menu and co-Owner Bruce really goes out of his way to make their guests feel comfortable. I highly recommend checking them out if you want to try something new or have a special occasion coming up!

By far, the best restaurant we have been to, not just in Sarasota, but Florida! This restaurant should be Michelin rated! Everything on the menu is absolutely amazing! The front of the house, owners and chefs...top notch! Great atmosphere for date nights or small group outings!

This place could be so much better then it was. The host and waitress herself was fantastic and recommended some great dishes, like the Japanese milk bread with the raw scallop. The scallop and marinated tomatoes were so delicious we ordered a second round of both dishes. Sadly the food runners that drop the food are very poor with their delivery. Dishes are rushed and dropped on the table with little to no explanation, Lots of mumbling. The ambiance and decor of the restaurant is very confusing, from walking in to a feeling of grandmas house with all the off colored wood, to sitting in a private dark back room where there is a chefs table. The back room was much more appealing and should flow through the restaurant. The chefs table looks like it was shipped in from a tree in Peru it's that beautiful, but sadly the chef made no interaction with anyone sitting at that table. The whole point of a chefs table in the kitchen is for a finer private experience with the chef himself. A big miss in my opinion from the Chef. The tuna, more like a noodle was poorly executed and wasn't meant to share, and the sauce it was resting in cooked the tuna. The gnocchi was off and tasted like you were eating a chowder soup. The crispy rice was a miss as well, more like a sad salad, along with the cucumbers could have been executed better. The duck was definitely something to remember. Overall it was good but I wouldn't say fantastic as I've seen most of these dishes executed at other chef driven restaurants about 7 years ago, aka the blanched tomatoes.

Our favorite restaurant in town. We try and go anytime we have a baby sitter. The menu changes a lot and everything we have tried is creative and worth its place on the menu. We always are excited to come back and are always treated above and beyond. 100% would recommend

The food is always delicious , beautiful and exciting to experience ! We have eaten at least half a dozen times and every meal surpasses the previous . The service is very accommodating and attentive ! The chefs table is a fun experience that we had this last visit . Overall a wonderful dining experience!

Most exceptional and experiential dinner last night at @meliorarestaurant . Our server, Sierra, was more of a tour guide steering us through the menu and experience. A+. Co-owner Bruce topped off the evening engaging us in conversation about the history and purpose of Meliora: to serve amazing food in a memorable, unique and interactive way. Mission accomplished!

Very good Italian in an ugly strip mall -- but pricey. Amazing how many good restaurants in Sarasota are in strip malls off of Gulf Gate and on Rte 41.