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Nite Out

Sarasota by night

By JULIE GARISTO
Published August 17, 2006

Taste teams with variety North side, south side, all around downtown. The artistry that has come to symbolize the city's own style is inspiring new dining adventures and late-night amiability that often reflect a neighborhood's personality. New on Sarasota's menu Here are some of the newest restaurants in Sarasota, many of them open less than a year. Please call for days and hours of operation. An emerging enclave Greene Contemporary is just one sign that Sarasota is taking steps to revive its identity as an artists colony.

After exploring the attractions and dining, what's the rush to go home? Designate a driver or book a room and check out these popular hangouts. You'll find something fun here for liquor lovers, coffee drinkers, winers and, dare we say it, teetotalers.

Cock & Bull Pub

975 Cattlemen Road (941) 341-9785, www.sarasotarhythmn brews.com/the-cock-n-bull

With a nationally recognized draft selection - it recently went from No. 29 to No. 6 on Beer Advocate's national list of top bars - the Cock & Bull provides a casual, no-pretense refuge for the beer connoisseur and charges relatively reasonable prices, to boot. No liquor, but you can order high-end beers, ales, stouts, wine, cider, "malternatives" and homemade sangria. On tap are 20-plus pours; more than 600 in bottles, but not all are refrigerated. Owners Dawn and Howie Hochberg allow you to call in advance and request your favorite beer be chilled if they have it. Menu features homemade pizza, Nathan's hot dogs, pizza and "big, warm pretzels." Small sectioned-off rooms with games and books contribute to a rustic and homey feel, along with a huge backyard patio area. Don't expect a typical sports bar with TV sets and a video game. Instead, you get more of a European pub with mismatched furniture and lighting, hardwood floors and fixtures, and friendly bartenders who play a wildly eclectic array of CDs that range from Nickelback to Arcade Fire. It's close to Fruitville Road and Interstate 75.

Bahi Hut Lounge

4675 N Tamiami Trail (941) 355-5141

One of the oldest bars around, Bahi offers the real deal when it comes to tropical-themed Florida kitsch. The dimly lit lounge recalls Sarasota circa 1960 with bamboo, tiki trinkets, beachy art and black velvet paintings. It's where you could picture skinny Elvis romancing a go-go girl, and stiff cocktails include a good dirty martini. Not much of a beer selection, but the mai tais are famous. They're made with a secret recipe that's so potent, customers are capped at two. You'll notice one of the most mixed crowds in town, from winos to yuppies, hipsters to construction workers.

Cru

1377 Main St. (941) 951-6272, www.crubistro.com

Cru is a smallish, two-story retreat that's perfect for a romantic date. Wine list features 150 vinos and some cool microbrews. Top off the evening with top-notch coffee, espresso and desserts. Basically, the kind of inventive, quality food and ambience you'd find at a chi-chi cafe in California's Sonoma Valley. Cru is convenient to several of Sarasota's most popular hot spots.

The Fly

2831 N Tamiami Trail; (941) 360-1788

A little pricey but good selection of beer, including Chimay and Fin Du Monde by the bottle, and it's close to the Ringling Museum. Full liquor served, along with Ethiopian food. Themes and entertainment vary, but on Friday and Saturday, you can usually count on appearances by the best bands on the local music scene. No smoking inside; relax at small tables or cozy up on a bench with cushions. Two small stages, a decent-sized dance floor and DJ area combine with warm-colored decor, a hardwood bar and original artwork by Ringling students. Oh, and you can shoot pool there, too.

Memories Lounge

3428 N Tamiami Trail; (941) 355-9849

Quintessential Sarasota dive bar that men and women from all walks of life gravitate to. Popular Wednesday and Friday karaoke nights attract young professionals, musicians and college students. For those who frequent the Hub in Tampa, Memories is your closest Sarasota equivalent. Nonsmoker warning: The place fills with cigarette smoke. The cheap, strong drinks might take your mind off the pollution. They serve Red Hook on tap, and drafts come in 6-ounce glasses for $2. Standard Irish and British imports; low-frills, standard dive decor, with wood paneling and one of the few remaining pinball machines in the Sarasota area.

Other Sarasota nightspots

Cabana Inn, 2525 S Tamiami Trail; (941) 366-8365

Popular karaoke night Tuesdays. Paddy Wagon, 6586 Gateway Ave.; (941) 925-2344

Best jukebox in Sarasota, live music and good beer selection. Shakespeare's English Pub, 3550 S Osprey Ave.; (941) 364-5938

Fantastic beer and ale selection; great fish 'n' chips.

Boars Head, 6523 Gateway Ave.; (941) 922-4066

Down-to-earth bar with free pool on Tuesday nights. Gator Club, 1490 Main St.; (941) 366-5969

Gorgeously restored brick hideaway features live jazz, blues or rock 'n' roll, depending on the night.

[Last modified August 16, 2006, 10:59:04]