Vino Bistro
Located in the Historic Rosemary District, Vino Bistro is Sarasota’s go-to wine and tapas bar. With modern industrial décor, live music, masterfully crafted tapas, and the rich taste of New and Old-World wines, you’ll find a simple yet sophisticated menu along with an outstanding wine list, from New Zealand and Canada to Argentina, Italy, and Uruguay.
Sommelier and owner Theresa LaSalle has spent much of her life traveling the world tasting and learning about wine. She opened Vino Bistro to introduce patrons to a new wine experience and create an enticing social atmosphere.
Vino Bistro’s mission is to become a unique gathering place offering patrons the opportunity to experience a variety of wines from around the world along with foods to enhance the overall experience. By offering both familiar and unfamiliar wines and foods, patrons are able to experience something new without committing to overseas travel. Additionally, they are offering wine flights, a choice of 4- 1.5oz glasses allowing guests to try several wines at one sitting.
The success of Vino Bistro is in its owners, Theresa LaSalle and Grattan Greer, who collectively have experience in the sales and marketing for Fortune 500 companies and through travels to numerous wine regions in the world.
Starting as a hobby, both Theresa and Grattan quickly realized their passion for the intrinsic and extrinsic qualities of this magical pressed grape. With more than 10,000 grape varieties in the world, they learned there is a lot more to the grape than what you see wine shop. Hoping to share their passion they began a search for the “perfect location” to start their wine bar business. After many trips from their home in Dallas, Texas, they settled upon Sarasota, Florida for its standing as a vacation destination and because of its diversity of population. Fortunately for them, the space at 1419 5th Street in the famed Rosemary District, was available due to the many closures caused by Covid-19 virus.
Opening in mid-March 2021, they are feature more than 60 varieties of wine from faraway places like South Africa and New Zealand, and a bit closer to home like California and Oregon. In addition to their wine collection, they serve tapas and charcuterie boards and a variety of desserts.
About Chef
Alongside LaSalle, chef Brett Wigton lends his meticulous attention to detail and robust knowledge of flavors to lead the Vino Bistro kitchen. A seasoned hunter-gatherer and fisherman, Brett’s culinary training ranges from family to foraging, coastal dining and a Michelin apprenticeship. A graduate of the University of Oxford, his passion for food, hospitality, and community, is the perfect pairing to your memorable wine and tapas experience.
Customer Reviews:
“We were looking for a place to grab a bite before going to Theatre. (Free parking next door was a bonus.) They have lots of wines, hence the name Vino Bistro Wine and Tapas Bar. Wines especially by the bottle are very reasonably priced. Tapas include vegetarian offerings like baked feta and roasted tomatoes, charred shishito peppers, bruschetta, guacamole, and hummus. Meat lovers can choose chicken Palmero, chicken satay, and lamb lollipops. Want fish? Choose seared shrimp, smoked salmon stack, tuna tartare or a build-your-own charcuterie board of cheese and meats, but don’t forget the pizzas. Yum! We shared a margarita pizza. Even though Sarasota is short on good pizza (I’m from Chicago.), theirs was pretty good–better than most. We noticed an upstairs niche that looked perfect for intimate conversation. Put this on your list. Kind of off the beaten track but worth finding.” – Squirrel H.
“Great place. We enjoyed wine and really delicious tapas. They had live music and seating indoor and outdoor. Variety of wines and small plate items. Prices were reasonable. We would love to come back. I would recommend for a romantic date, casual evening, or drinks with friends. Really great place!” – Diana F.
“Probably one of the best little happening places in Sarasota. The owners and their staff are wonderful, and they always make everyone very welcome. The bands are always very good, and you can rely on an entertaining and fun evening with very nice food. Love it and highly recommend. We will be back again and again.” – pamr
Stop by and see for yourself the surprises in store for you. Both inside and outside seating is available.
Address:
1419 5th Street
Sarasota, FL 34236
941-952-3172
Website: