Blog

“April showers bring May flowers” is a proverb which was first recorded in 1886, but along with flowers there are many events in May. – May 4 is the Kentucky Derby: Many restaurants in downtown Sarasota and St. Armands Circle will be watching the 145th Kentucky Derby with its post time at 6:50 p.m. You can enjoy a happy hour while watching the exciting Run for the Roses. – May 5 is Cinco de Mayo: For the Cinco de Mayo celebration and Mexican fare, Sarasota has an abundance of Mexican restaurants that will be celebrating Cinco de Mayo. Cinco de Mayo is the celebration of the Mexican victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, and not to be confused with the Mexican Independence Day which is celebrated on September 16.* – May 12 is…

We love how so many of you are always wanting to know about and try out new tours. We have a great one to tell you about today – our new evening tour Ghosts and Gruesomes! Now this one isn’t a food tour but it IS 75 minutes of fun, interesting stories and creepiness all at the same time! Best of all (since it doesn’t stop in air-conditioned restaurants) it starts in the evening when things begin to cool off a bit during our HOT Florida summer, but you should still be sure to bring water with you! The cost is $18 per person, reservations are required and it is not recommended for small children. The better tour to check out for them would be the Megalodon Shark Teeth Tour! You can’t say we don’t have fun here at Key…

Gods, Godesses & Myths is a 90-minute walking tour is for art, history, and legend lovers! Join our tour guides as they share the intriguing stories of many of the statues located around St. Armands Circle along with what they are made of, where they originated, and why we love them! Many of the pieces date back to the 1920s when they were brought over from Europe by John and Mable Ringling. Others are much more recent but all of them have interesting stories we’re ready to share with you! Unlike our other Key Culinary Tours, this St. Armands Circle tour is not based around food but is based on art, culture, and history. Come stroll through Sarasota’s past with us! When: Thursday, Friday, Saturday (Reservations required) Time: 10 a.m. Cost: $18 per person

Just over a year ago it seemed impossible that an area such as Sarasota, known for some of the finest restaurants and cuisine on the gulf coast, lacked a simple tourist attraction…culinary tours. Susan Robinson set out to change that when she founded Key Culinary Tours and introduced its flagship St. Armands Circle lunch tour in January 2016.  It was an instant hit. Guests not only loved the sampling of flavors around the Circle, but also hearing the rich history of John Ringling and the influence of the circus on our town. Guests also made it known they wanted more tours!  So Susan added a happy hour tour of St. Armands and a downtown Sarasota culinary tour near the historic Burns Court district. As tour popularity continued to grow, so did Susan’s desire to expand into specialty tours. Now just…

Feld Entertainment recently announced that The Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey Circus will end its 146-year run in May.  We are sad to hear this, as the circus is deeply engrained in the history of Sarasota and has been since John Ringling relocated the circus headquarters here in 1927.  Our entire city reflects this…

Looking for ways to motivate, incentivize and/or show appreciation to your office staff? Why not book a Key Culinary tour! Employees love being recognized for a job well done, and our tours are a fun way to reward them. We can accommodate up to 10 people on our St. Armands happy hour and lunch tours,…

Key Culinary is thrilled to announce a new tour line up for this fall season! We’ve teamed up with the best local chefs, restaurateurs and art gallery owners to bring you an unforgettable experience. Tantalize your tastebuds and learn about Sarasota’s rich history at one of our exciting culinary tours, located throughout popular neighborhoods in Sarasota. Book your tour today! St. Armands Culinary Tour: Lunch Tours offered Wednesday– Saturday at 11 AM, Approx. 3 hrs Locations included: Shore, Blu Kouzina, Tommy Bahama, A Savory Palate, Pepper Palace, Columbia Restaurant Our flagship lunch tour begins in the center of St. Armands Circle. Bask in its tropical beauty as you stroll around the famous circle and learn about John & Mable Ringling and Sarasota’s rich circus arts history! Along the way, enjoy some of the finest local cuisine and tantalize your palate…

These days, most folks are familiar with the Tommy Bahama clothing line and their tropically upscale retail stores.  And many of those folks are also familiar with Tommy’s line of home goods and furniture.  But not everyone knows that Tommy Bahama also has an exclusive chain of about 20 restaurants nationwide.  And St. Armands Circle…

We’ve had so many fun and memorable groups of gals join us for tours!  Whether it be reuniting with old friends in paradise or heading out with a wedding party or family gathering, Key Culinary Tours’ lunch and happy hour tours provide the perfect escape for several hours in some of Sarasota’s most quaint destination areas…

During our lunch tours, we include a few food-themed specialty stores and we couldn’t have found a “hotter” partner than Pepper Palace.  With over 30 retail stores in the US & Canada, this chain was founded in 1989 by Craig & Tanya Migawa and has been on a constant growth trajectory ever since.  Headquartered since…