My spouse and I
joined two family members for happy hour on a Saturday afternoon (Christmas Eve)
in late December 2016. (We visited Mattison’s previously because we have family
who live in the area.) Mattison’s is open daily for lunch, dinner, drinks,
snacks, and happy hour, as well as for Saturday breakfast/brunch. Other
locations of Mattison’s include Forty-One (South Sarasota); Bayside (at the Van
Wezel Performing Arts Hall), Grille on the Green, the Catering Company (for off-site
cooking at businesses and homes), Culinary Adventure Travel (a personalized
tour operator offering hands-on culinary experiences), and City Grill (on
Bradenton’s Riverwalk).
Mattison’s City
Grille is located in downtown Sarasota on the corner of Main and Lemon Streets.
The entirely outdoor restaurant features an awning-covered bar and main dining
area enclosed by a wrought-iron fence and foliage. A few umbrella-topped tables
line the concrete patio perimeter between the covered area and the fence. Live
music is often available.
Chef Paul Mattison,
owner of the restaurant group, attended the Culinary Institute of America (CIA)
in New York. He worked in Aspen for several years before relocating to Florida
and working on Siesta Key. He opened the first Mattison’s in September 1991,
with City Grille opening in 2002. He has written a cookbook, hosts culinary
workshops and live demos, performs community service, and speaks to renowned
and local groups. His restaurants have earned awards including Best Chef,
Florida Trend’s Golden Spoon Brand Award, Sarasota Magazine’s Hot List,
Creative Loafing’s Editor’s Choice Award, and Bradenton Herald’s Readers’
Choice Award.
Mattison’s City
Grille offers upscale American cuisine including soups, salads, appetizers, pizzas,
entrees, and desserts. Daily happy hour boasts $5 martinis and drink specials,
as well as a selection of tasty $5 appetizers. We sampled the tasty short rib
sliders (with caramelized onions, Swiss cheese, and truffle aioli), pulled pork
sliders (with mango glaze and apple slaw), kaboom shrimp (tempura-coated and
tossed in garlic sauce), sesame chicken lettuce wraps (with kimchi and ginger
barbecue sauce); the hummus and bruschetta also sounded good.
Mattison’s City
Grille is a great place for an al fresco meal or drinks!
