5263 Ocean Blvd.; 941-346-1188; siestapi.com
At the south end of Ocean Boulevard away from the more crowded sections of the village, 3.14 Pi Craft Beer & Spirits offers an impressive craft beer selection and cocktails to pair with some of the best comfort foods – including, yes, pizza pies, and baked chicken wings – on Siesta Key. Plus, there’s plenty of outdoor seating spilling out into the parking lot shared with sister restaurant Blasé Café.
Beach Club
5151 Ocean Blvd.; 941-349-6311; beachclubsiestakey.com
Established in 1947 and still one of the most popular bars in Sarasota County, Beach Club serves as a great spot to day drink, with select outdoor seats offering front-row views of the Village’s most bustling intersection. But it’s best known as a nightspot with DJs and other live music acts, a huge dance floor and various theme nights. Looking to meet a cast member from the MTV reality show “Siesta Key”? Here’s your best bet, along with Gilligan’s (kee
411 and 417 St. Armands Circle, Sarasota; 941-388-3987; 941-388-3300; columbiarestaurant.com; chacha-coconuts.com
Columbia Restaurant, a St. Armands icon that has been serving authentic Spanish and Cuban cuisine since 1959, will be open regular hours, 11 a.m.-9 p.m., on New Year’s Eve. Its next door sister restaurant and bar Cha Cha Coconuts will then remain open until 1 a.m. Guests at Coconuts can expect live music, party favors, and a champagne toast at midnight. Both restaurants also offer curbside takeout.
Fins At Sharky’s
1600 Harbor Drive S., Venice; 941-999-3467; finsatsharkys.com
A steakhouse that’s also serious about seafood and sushi, Fins will be offering upscale waterfront dining with views of the Gulf of Mexico alongside its more casual sister restaurant Sharky’s on the Pier, which will be hosting live music (subject to weather conditions), despite the annual New Year’s Eve Beach Bash being canceled. Reservations are not required, but Fins rec