Things to do on and around Siesta Key
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The Toasted Mango, A Crescent Beach Classic By Jane Bartnett
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Toasted Mango owners Sandi Wagner (left) and Kim Duffy( right) are celebrating 10 years in Siesta Key. (Photo provided)
Crescent Beach and Siesta Key landmark, the Toasted Mango Café, on Midnight Pass, is the go-to breakfast and lunch spot on the south side of the island. Always busy and filled with happy customers who come back again and again, it’s a favorite of both locals and visitors. For Kim Duffy, who, along with her business partner Sandi Wagner, launched the Toasted Mango Cafe in Siesta Key, nearly 10 years ago, it’s been an exciting and busy decade. In addition to the Siesta Key location, this spring, the duo opened a Toasted Mango in Holmes Beach, on Anna Maria Island. Weeks ago, on May 19, the pair celebrated their newest Toasted Mango at 1371 Boulevard of the Arts, in downtown Sarasota’s Rosemary District. The new eatery takes the place of the original downtown venture on North Tamiami Trail that started the whole enterprise. The Siesta Key restaurant with its cheery yellow walls filled with artwork from celebrated Sarasota artist Mary Lou Johnson, was the duo’s second location.
“It’s very hard to believe,” said Duffy, as she looked back on the past 10 years. “We’ve had so much fun doing it, and now our children are involved.” Friends for 20 years, the two women worked together at different restaurants and made the decision one day to open their own place and do it together. “We created a menu we’re proud of. Between the two of us,” Duffy said with a laugh, “we have about 70 years of restaurant experience.” As Siesta Key has grown and evolved over the past 10 years, so too has the Toasted Mango. “The south end has blossomed and come into its own,” said Duffy. “It’s now equally as important as the village.” Their secret recipe for success, says the restauranteur, is their fresh food and “incredible staff.” The avocado toast that Duffy calls “hugely popular,” is a best-seller and their French toast is also in demand. Then, there are those award-winning waffles. In 2018, the national Food Network traveled the nation as part of their “50 States, 50 Waffles” program, and discovered the Toasted Continued on page 10V
Casey Key Fish House: Fun Waterfront Dining
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asey Key Fish House has achieved the Grand Slam of waterfront dining: Great marine views, great food, great service, and reasonable prices. And one more: a great owner, Jimmy Von Hubertz, who started the place as a novice and has built a devoted staff that has stayed for years, even decades. Located just over the Casey Key Bridge at 801 Blackburn Point Road in Osprey as part of a serene marina and tiki bar complex, it serves up a wide menu of seafood delights, from simple
By Ned Steele to fancy. They must be doing something right: crowds line up for lunch a half hour before it opens and the place is packed at dinner. Reopening after hurricane damage, the Fish House is back better than ever. Also distinctive is its “Old Florida” décor and vibe, which owner Jimmy says is his pride and joy in carrying on grand old traditions. Offering “a true taste of coastal Florida,” as it says on its website, Casey Key Fish House is built around fresh, locally caught seafood, with “a
blend of traditional seafood dishes with subtle Asian accents.” As soon as you arrive, an immediate sense of serenity sets in. The restaurant is on an active marina property – a steady stream of diners arrives by boat all day and night. There is an outdoor dining deck right on the marina, and an indoor room with relaxing waterfront views. There are grounds to stroll, and at the other end of the complex is a lively tiki bar scene that is a nightly gathering spot. On many nights, there’s live music. Continued on page 10V
The Casey Key Fish House welcomes guests with old Florida charm. (Photo provided)
SIESTA KEY
SWIMWEAR RESORT WEAR ACCESSORIES
1960 Stickney Pt Rd 941.922.4545
DOWNTOWN
50 N Tamiami Trl 941.954.8800
LONGBOAT
3170 Gulf of Mexico Dr 941.383.2288
www.SwimCity.com