Eat & Drink

Delicious Delicacies in Downtown Sarasota

By Rick Dakan

As downtown blossoms and explodes with new condos and retail space, more and more Sarasotans get to live a “typical” city life: a dense panoply of options, including specialty food shopping within walking distance. Two of those options deserve a little special attention right now, one old and one new. 

ARTISAN CHEESE COMPANY

For almost six years, Artisan Cheese Company has been at the forefront of that kind of specialized, urban shopping experience. Located at the bayside end of Main Street, Louise Kennedy Converse’s gourmet cheese shop has weathered the recession, street construction, and now the building boom. Through it all they’ve built a dedicated customer base that prizes quality and service in addition to their delectable cheeses. “I’m so grateful to the many customers who try hard to come every day,” says Louise. “They know we provide a little extra service and expertise. We’re storytellers. We educate our customers as we help them navigate all the crazy names and different animals and find what’s right for them.” 

Artisan Cheese Company focuses on American artisanal cheeses, made from raw ingredients that are seasonal and handled with love and care by small cheesemakers. “The American cheesemaker movement is having a renaissance, with thousands of cheesemakers all over the country making amazing cheeses,” Louise explains. “Seventy percent of our cheese is American Farmhouse, where the animals and farm are part of the cheesemaking operation.” The rest of the cheeses are select favorites from Europe.  “We’ve brought some cheeses that have never been sold anywhere in Florida before, a couple never in the entire United States.”

As they reach their sixth year, Artisan Cheese Company is giving up its Main Street roots and moving a few blocks north, to the new Rosemary Place. “It’s a little scary and exciting being first to market, but I believe Rosemary will be the new Main Street. Year-round residents we want to serve, who want to shop locally.” The new location will be significantly larger than the Main Street shop, with more room for an expanded selection of artisanal charcuterie, ice cream, and specialty packaged goods. Thanks to a recently successful Kickstarter campaign that raised almost $50,000, they will also be opening an Apprentice Kitchen and mentoring program, where they can train future chefs and food purveyors for the next generation.