A HOSPITALITY
Co-Proprietors Michael Klauber And Phil Mancini
As Michael’s On East celebrates its 40th anniversary, the landmark Sarasota restaurant marks the milestone with a major renovation, an unyielding commitment to innovation, and a steadfast passion for giving back to the community it has proudly called home since 1987.
A MENU THAT HONORS THE PAST AND THE FUTURE
The transformation extends to the menu, where new signature dishes reinterpret classics of the 1930s supper club era. The Filet Wellington Reimagined, Lobster Thermidor, and Baked Oysters Royale transport diners to a more elegant age while maintaining the creativity and precision that have defined Michael’s On East for decades. | Some things, however, haven’t changed. Michael’s Famous Bowtie Pasta, celebrated steaks, and thoughtfully sourced local seafood remain cornerstones of the menu—reflecting tradition alongside Klauber’s ongoing drive for innovation. | Each month introduces a new Epicurean Adventure— three-course dining experiences inspired by the global food and wine travels of the Gulf Coast Connoisseur Club (GCCC). Curated wine pairings a company each menu. “I’ve been fortunate to travel the world and experience great food, wine, and spirits,” says Klauber. “We want our guests to say, ‘Wow, I had fantastic meal and an unbelievable cocktail made with a spirit I’d never had before, or I was introduced to a wine from a region I’d never heard of!’”
ART DECO TRANSFORMATION
“We’re in the business of exceeding people’s expectations,” says Michael Klauber, co-owner of Michael’s On East. For 40 years, the fine-dining restaurant has done just that—earning national recognition as Sarasota’s only AAA Four Diamond Award restaurant and helping to shape the city’s culinary identity in the process. | In September 2025, Michael’s On East underwent its first major renovation since 1997, channeling the Art Deco glamour of the great supper clubs of the 1930s in New York, Paris, and Chicago. Led in collaboration with designer Kurt Lucas, every element of the space was reimagined, from custom-designed chairs and glittering chandeliers to richly layered textures and vibrant finishes. The restaurant’s signature bar was fully reimagined, expanding the spirits selection, while the piano lounge was elevated to complement the new Art Deco aesthetic. | “In addition to the fabulous new décor, we placed a strong emphasis on acoustics,” says Klauber. “We wanted to soften the live piano music, carefully integrating specialized acoustic materials throughout the ceilings and walls to create a more intimate, elegant dining experience.” The transformation was immediate. “A couple walked in that first weekend, and the wife grabbed her husband’s arm and said, ‘Honey, we’re in the wrong place.’ It’s that different!”
WHERE EVERY BOTTLE HAS A STORY
Michael’s Wine Cellar serves as the epicenter for the group’s wine, spirits, and beer program. Custom steel racks line the walls, housing thousands of selections sourced from around the world. Terracotta tile floors, exposed brick, and warm architectural details evoke the feel of a Parisian streetscape. | “The Wine Cellar feeds everything,” says Klauber. “It supports the restaurant, the ballroom, The Green Orchid, and our events throughout the region.” Designed as a wine store by day and an event space by night, every element is mobile—allowing the room to transform effortlessly from an intimate dinner for two to events for 100. | Klauber’s passion for sourcing wine helped elevate Sarasota as a serious food-and-wine destination. “When I came back to Sarasota in 1980, I often joked that it was a wine wasteland,” he says. “Back then, I spent much of my time traveling to California to discover boutique wineries and help bring them to Florida.” | “There are dozens of wineries we’ve worked with over the years—American and international producers, South African wineries, and even South African gins that we helped bring to the U.S.,” Klauber adds. “Our house wines are anything but ordinary. They’re thoughtfully crafted private-label wines, born of a close partnership with a family in South Africa and sourced from their pristine organic vineyards, offering Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet, and Shiraz.”
SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY, SARASOTA STYLE
Catering is in Michael Klauber and Phil Mancini’s blood. What began decades ago with the two cooking in clients’ condominium ovens while working at the Colony Beach & Tennis Resort has grown into Michael’s Catering and Events—one of the region’s most respected full-service catering operations. | At its heart is the Michael’s On East Ballroom, a fully customizable space seamlessly connected to the restaurant and Michael’s Wine Cellar. With soaring 18-foot ceilings, the ballroom can host seated events for up to 400 guests or receptions for as many as 1,000. In addition to its own ballroom, Michael’s is the exclusive catering partner for several of Sarasota’s most soughtafter venues, including Marie Selby Botanical Gardens and the new, state-of-the-art Ora Ballroom. | That spirit of hospitality begins in the restaurant. “We like to say that the restaurant is the door that opens people’s eyes to our catering,” says Phil Mancini. “It often starts with someone dining with us, and then a wedding, birthday, anniversary, or milestone celebration follows.” The same dedication to quality, innovation, and service that has earned Michael’s On East national acclaim carries through every catered event—from intimate gatherings to weddings and special events hosted at some of the region’s most iconic venues. Regardless of size or location, all food is cooked on site, with menus tailored to each client’s vision. “The restaurant is our home base— when we cater a wedding, clients come to the restaurant to taste, and together we build menus inspired by the dishes we’ve perfected here.”
THE GREEN ORCHID: ROOFTOP TO TABLE
The spirit of innovation continues at The Green Orchid, Michael’s On East’s newest restaurant on the downtown campus of Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. Fully electric and powered by a nearly 50,000-square-foot solar array, The Green Orchid is the world’s first entirely solar-powered restaurant. | Above the dining room, a raised organic rooftop garden supplies fresh produce directly to the kitchen. “Every day, beautiful baskets of organic produce come down from above us, so we’re not just farm-to-table, we’re rooftop-to-table,” says Klauber. The Green Orchid serves lunches, while Michael’s On East remains the dinner destination. The rooftop garden is managed by Operation Eco Vets, a program that trains veterans with PTSD in commercial and residential gardening.
THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE EXPERIENCE
“One of the things we’re most proud of at Michael’s On East is our staff,” says Phil Mancini. “Many have been with us for more than 25 years, building their careers here through mentorship and trust. That continuity is something our guests feel right away–familiar faces, quiet confidence, and real pride in the work create a kind of hospitality you just can’t replicate.”
LEAVING A LEGACY
A special focus of Michael’s On East’s philanthropic efforts has always been its commitment to children and families in need. Michael Klauber and Phil Mancini have long supported 100’s of organizations such as Make-AWish Southern Florida and the All Star Children’s Foundation, using the restaurant and its reach to raise millions of dollars and vital awareness for life-changing programs throughout the region. | That spirit of giving extends well beyond the restaurant, exemplified by Klauber’s early leadership in helping transform more than 50 acres of Sarasota’s bayfront into what is now The Bay Park— a vibrant, inclusive public space designed to serve the community for generations to come. | Together, these efforts underscore a philosophy that has guided Michael’s On East for 40 years: true success is defined not only by longevity, but by the positive, lasting imprint left on the community it proudly calls home.
