Sarasota Manatee Originals Celebrates 20 Years with Anniversary Giveaway

September 19, 2023 – Sarasota

2023 marks the 20th anniversary for Sarasota-Manatee Originals and representatives of the community collaborative are excited and delighted to announce details of their upcoming Instagram Anniversary Giveaway marking 20 years of supporting the efforts of independent restaurateurs and encouraging locals and visitors to our area to “Eat Like a Local.” To celebrate the milestone anniversary, SMO is giving away a Grand Prize Package of delicious dining certificates valued at $475 and representing ten of the original Originals restaurants from the first year of SMO’s operation.

“It was twenty years ago that members from the Sarasota and Manatee area’s restaurant community came together to unite independently owned restaurants and identify the region as a culinary destination,” said Marc Grimaud, Owner of Café Gabbiano and SMO Board President. “By bringing together restaurants through membership, they could showcase the best of their combined culinary offerings to a broader audience and compete with their large chain competitors that had discovered the upscale, growing Suncoast.”

The group’s first meeting in 2003 consisted of six of the area’s veteran dining restaurateurs including owners from Michaels on East, Harry’s Continental Kitchens, Bijou Cafe and Euphemia Haye. Today the “Originals” are nearly 65 restaurants strong and continue to provide diners with unique local flavor from the north shore of Anna Maria Island down to the southern beaches of Venice and every neighborhood in between.

The Anniversary Giveaway Grand Prize Dining Package includes dining certificates from these iconic area establishments:

• Beach House Waterfront Restaurant
• Bijou Garden Cafe
• Crow’s Nest Restaurant & Marina
• Euphemia Haye
• Harry’s Continental Kitchens
• Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant & Pub
• Mattison’s Forty-One
• Michael’s On East
• Roessler’s
• Sandbar Seafood & Spirits

The Instagram contest takes place on the SMO IG page @941originals. Entering is as easy as 1. Liking the post, 2. Making sure you follow @941originals and 3. Tagging up to three friends! The contest runs Sept 24 to September 29 at 11:59PM. The grand prize winner will be announced September 30.

Learn more about the Sarasota-Manatee Originals at www.eatlikealocal.com