Pizza Al Fresco Adds a Fun Round to The Circle
Years ago my wife and I enjoyed visiting St Armands Circle in Sarasota for coffee and delicious pound cake at The Swiss Coffee House near where The Walking Company stands today. We liked basking in winter sunshine, watching people stroll by and, most of all, dining al fresco on real china!
Alas, in recent years, we had to endure styrofoam coffee cups and paper ice cream dishes.
Until now, that is! We discovered Venezia, an Italian restaurant, on the northwest quadrant of The Circle. Excellent bread! Yummy pizza! Delicious homemade ice cream! Real cups & saucers, plates and ice-cream dishes fit for a circus star!
While there are quite a few restaurants on St Armands and a number of those restaurants are Italian restaurants as well, Venezia gives locals as well as visitors even more reason for a go around The Circle.
Let me tell you about Venezia and invite you to add your own impressions about this popular cafe on The Circle.
Photo: Louis Wery
About Venezia
373 St. Armands Circle
Sarasota, Florida 34236 USA
Telephone: 941.388.1400
Serves
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Hours
Monday-Thursday 11:00am-9:30pm
Friday-Sunday 8:00am-10:00pm
Accepts Major Credit Cards
Venezia Photo Gallery
Breezes off the Gulf of Mexico make dining al fresco a delightful treat. Photo: Louis Wery
Pizzas at Venezia
At Your Table or Take Out
- Margherita: tomato sauce, mozzarella, basil $11.95
- Sausage: tomato sauce, sausage, mozzarella, bell pepper $13.50
- Vegetarian: tomato sauce, mozzarella, grilled vegetables $14.95
- Hawaiian: tomato sauce, mozzarella, pineapple, ham $14.50
- Marinara: tomato sauce, garlic, anchovies, black olives, mozzarella, oregano $12.50
- Prosciutto: tomato sauce, mozzarella, prosciutto di Parma, arugula $14.95
- Quatro Formaggi: extra virgin olive oil, mozzarella, ricotta, gorgonzola, Parmiggiano $13.95
- Funghi: tomato sauce, mozzarella, mushroom $12.95
- Spinach: mozzarella, baby spinach, gorgonzola, bacon $14.95
- Capricciosa: tomato sauce, mozzarella, mushroom, artichokes, olives, ham $15.50
- Diavola: tomato sauce, mozzarella, thin slices pepperoni $12.50
Venezia Fills Its Walls with Big, Bright Artwork
Paintings by Bruce Fox & by Randy LaSalle Fox
"My heart races when I approach a blank canvas," Bruce Fox said. "I become filled with excitement and anticipation of what lies ahead. I let my body work with the pallette knife as a musician works with his instrument - physically and connected."
His action paintings fill the walls at Venezia with drama and color. For more about the artist, please visit his online gallery.
Venezia also displays paintings by Randy LaSalle Fox.
Photo: Louis Wery
Eat Dessert First!
A Saturday Afternoon at Venezia
One Saturday afternoon, Sarasota weather turned unusually blustery and we headed to The Circle for coffee at Venezia, our favorite cafe. We opted for an inside table with a good view of passersby and of hardier Venezia diners drinking wine and imported beer at the umbrella tables out of doors.After enjoying delicious Danesi brew and San Benedetto, the famed Venetian sparkling water, for a leisurely hour, we segued to ice cream.
Venezia makes sublime homemade ice cream. We chose chocolate ice cream -- not gelato -- which Riccardo served in a lavender-colored frosted sundae glass with two spoons.
We lingered through the delicious ice cream, spoon by spoon, and then enjoyed more coffee as we commented on the parade of strolling folk outside the glass.
Around 4 o'clock and we decided to look at the menu. Again, Riccardo indulged our backward afternoon. He didn't bat an eye when we ordered the salad Venezia. We munched through organic green, tomato, artichokes, cucumbers, olives and cheese as our finale.
Finally we, too, joined the stroll around The Circle to see how the merchants are rearranged for the upcoming season.
As we passed the huge Venezia window, we noticed a couple sitting where we had spent our afternoon. They were watching us and the other passersby as we did the Circle stroll on a weekend afternoon.
Recommended Guide to Sarasota Eateries
Designed for Foodies Who Want to Know the Score
- Sarasota restaurant reviews | SRQ Reviews | Dining Out Guide | Florida
- At SRQ we provide timely, accurate restaurant reviews and dining information to make your Sarasota Florida dining experience the very best it can be! With the most comprehensive, timely Sarasota Restaurant Guide and the most consistently referenced Sarasota Restaurant Reviews on dining out.
Restaurant Reviews for Venezia
- Chowhound
- Believe it or not, the best pizza in Sarasota is on St. Armands Circle!
- The Observer Group Restaurant Review: Venezia serves slice of tradition
- As I glanced over the menu at Venezia, on St. Armands Circle, something caught my eye. Sure, the diverse selection of pizzas, pasta and panini sandwiches captured my attention. But I was curious about Venezia's logo, which reads "since 1966."
- Sarasota Magazine
- Sarasota Magazine suggests you pretend you're dining alfresco in Italy: The wood-oven pizzas (from $10.50) at Venezia are served atop giant tomato cans.
- Urbanspoon
- Italian Restaurant in Sarasota
Gift Baskets Filled with Gourmet Treats
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Directions to Venezia on The Circle
Located in Sarasota on the West Coast of Florida
Mostly Sunny Weather at Venezia
361 Sunny Days a Year!
Current weather conditions in Sarasota, FL (34236)
Local Pollen Reports
44°F (Feels like 40°F)
Last update: 1/5/10 4:53 AM EST
Humidity: 76%Visibility: 10.0 mi
Dew Point: 37°F
UV Index: 0 (Lawn and Garden Weather)
Barometer: 30.14in rising
Moon: Rush Hour Traffic
Wind: 7mph From: Airport Conditions
Today
Mostly Cloudy
High: 50°F
Low: 35°F
Sunrise: 7:21 AM
Sunset: 5:51 PM
Wednesday
Jan 6
Partly Cloudy
High: 55°F
Low: 37°F
Sunrise: 7:21 AM
Sunset: 5:51 PM
Thursday
Jan 7
Sunny
High: 59°F
Low: 50°F
Sunrise: 7:22 AM
Sunset: 5:52 PM
Friday
Jan 8
Mostly Sunny
High: 63°F
Low: 35°F
Sunrise: 7:22 AM
Sunset: 5:53 PM
The Argentinian Connection
Venezia Since 1966
His father and uncle run Venezia in the Argentinian resort while Miccio continues the family tradition on The Circle where he has owned Settimi's Ice Cream since 2001.
- Hotel Venezia Restaurant in Mar del Plata, Argentina
- 3 Stars Hotel Superior in La Perla, Mar del Plata
- About Mar del Plata, Argentina
- Mar del Plata nicknamed the Argentine Biarritz is located on Atlantic coast about 250 miles south of Buenos Aires. One of Argentina's major fishing ports and its biggest seaside beach resort the city was developed as a seasonal resort in the early 20th century.
- Tourism in Mar del Plata, Argentina
- Welcome Argentina, Mar del Plata travel guide: hotels, restaurants, excursions, beaches, tours, pictures, weather information, adventure
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