Fresh Start Cafe
630 S Orange Ave, Sarasota, FL, 34236
Fresh Start Cafe Menu
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Address :
630 S Orange Ave
Sarasota, FL, 34236 - Phone (941) 373-1242
- Website https://www.freshstartcafesrq.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :8:00 am - 3:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Breakfast, Brunch
Parking : Street, Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : No
Dogs Allowed : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Good for Working : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Maggie L.
Verrryyyyy mixed review here. My boyfriend and I just tried this place for the first time as we are always looking for new lunch spots. We sat outside; ambience is nice here, it was nice, shady and quiet. The crowd was about 90% elderly, which isn't bad, but I prefer more of a mix. The menu here is kind of strange (in my opinion, some things don't seem to belong). I ordered the crab cake tower ($11.50) and my boyfriend ordered a simple breakfast sandwich (7.95 plus $1.50 for ham). We also ordered a burek pastry ($4) because we had never tried one before. My crab cake tower was simply a salad with a small crab cake on top. Not sure why this is called a "tower", I expected them to at least stack a few cakes... but with that aside, it was very good and the Mediterranean aspect was executed perfectly; a perfectly balanced dish with great flavors and fresh ingredients. I would come back for this dish if the rest of the meal was on the same level. My boyfriend's breakfast sandwich was awful. There was absolutely no seasoning, egg was overcooked and flavorless, bread was not toasted, zero flavor at all. I can't believe they actually charge $9.50 for this. Why have things on your menu at all if they aren't good? The burek was also not good at all. Once again, flavorless, zero seasoning, no notable textures or flavors. We didn't know what to expect and I haven't tried other burkes, so not sure how useful this is, but I have had cheese filled puff pastry type entrees before, and this was just so sub-par. We asked the waitress to comp it because we didn't eat it and she said they could only comp half of it. Really?! You can't even comp a $4 pastry? So we were charged $2 for this. WHY NOT just comp it? Of course I don't mind paying $2, but we found this laughable and embarrassing for the restaurant. You would think that, (in hopes you would return) a restaurant would comp a $4 pastry, lol. I'd say go for the Mediterranean style dishes, and you will probably enjoy your meal because my salad tower thing was excellent. However, I probably won't come back here.
(2)Gianna B.
From the moment we sat down we were greeted by the extremely kind, knowledgable Tammy. We ordered the breakfast burrito, green eggs and ham, and fresh fruit - FRESH, DELICIOUS, and dog friendly!! Hidden Sarasota treasure!
(5)Amanda S.
We picked this place based on the high rank and it didn't really disappoint food-wise. The breakfast burrito my dining companion had was good and the sauce on it was "perfect". I had the poached eggs on marbled rye with prosciutto. It was wonderful. A twist of black pepper on top and it was a delight. We enjoyed mimosas as well. The wait staff was friendly enough and the only comment I can make is that the younger server needs to learn to separate herself from diners to discuss wardrobe malfunctions instead of staying in ear shot of customers and repeating the the same thing 4 times.
(4)Mary-Catheryn B.
Sat outside on their beautiful shaded patio, nice if you have little ones (just careful with the road nearby). Our sandwiches were delicious.
(5)Helen L.
Th service here was awful. The waiter had side conversations with another waitress as he was taking our order. The food was acceptable.
(2)Lorinn W.
Fresh start café has a lovely owner and a fun menu. It was obvious that it is frequented by regulars, because I would hear people say, "see you next week." The menu was much larger than I expected for a brunch/lunch restaurant. I ordered a frittata, I'll take grain bread with their homemade strawberry butter. My breakfast was so good. We also had fresh pressed coffee, that always taste extra good. Their hours are 10 to 3. And the owner is absolutely adorable. She makes all of her breads and muffins from scratch. It's obvious she takes great pride in her food and in her restaurant. Be sure you go inside to see all of the treats. We chose to sit outside, in which it was sort of a European patio area. It may drinking our French press coffee even more enjoyable. We will return and enjoyed our breakfast immensely.
(5)A B.
Great coffee and service. I am picky about my coffee,after living in Italy and NYC. Lovely atmosphere. Definitely will return for the quality of coffee and friendly staff.
(5)conor b.
Absolutely packed but we're able to find a seat immediately. Friendly servers and quick service. Clean and seating inside and out. Had the BLTE and it was a generous portion of fresh and tasty applewood bacon, crisp lettuce, tomato and egg. Just enough mayo without overpowering the sandwich. The real star was the ciabatta roll it was on, hearty, warm, moist and delicious. Side salad was just enough. Would return, hardly am I satisfied by a sandwich, but this was just so fresh. More than a clever name.
(5)S L.
I've been coming to this place since it opened a few years ago. I've always enjoyed this place...the coffee is great (French press style ). I love their ingredients and the atmosphere is is lovely. However, today was very disappointing, I wanted to share my same great experiences with my beau since he's never been. He ordered the BLTE and asked if he could have his egg over easy instead of hard-boiled. The waitress assured us that it wasn't a problem since they weren't busy. Well, that surely wasn't the case. When we got the bill there was an extra $3.00 on the bill. Apparently we were charged $8.75 for the prIce of a BLT. When we asked the waitress about the extra $3.00 she said it should not be on the bill and that she would correct it. However, when she returned, she said that $3.00 was for the up charge of the BLTE. Actually, on the menu the BLTE is priced at $9.25. So because we ordered the egg over easy instead of hard-boiled we were charged an extra $2.50. I think that was unfair and totally ridiculous. Really, how hard is it to make an egg over easy. But I guess what upset me the most, which has resulted in me not coming here again, was that from the beginning the waitress said it wasn't a problem but apparently it was with a cost of $2.50 to have your egg as you desire. Too bad...I really liked this place.
(1)Steven H.
Highly recommended. We loved the food and the service. I had the Roasted Eggplant sandwich and my other half had the Mediterranean Platter; both were excellent.
(5)Jeanne J.
Strawberry butter? That alone intrigued us. The butter was served with the orange/ chocolate muffin. We didn't even come here for the muffin,etc. We came because of the frittata. Fresh and perfect. Ordered it with veggies and it came with a side of fruit. Husband enjoyed his poached eggs on spinach and rye. We sat on the patio under umbrellas and there was a delightful breeze so it was perfect. We loved sitting outside. It was all very French. We were there around 10:00 and the Outside tables were almost all taken. This part of town is so interesting as well. The Sarasota Film theatre is there , many of the walls have wonderful murals on them. Streets are quiet and shady. Pleasant for an after brunch stroll! We will go back.
(4)Jamie G.
Cute little cafe close to home that we discovered today. I loved the strawberry butter. Can't wait to come back and eat on the patio with my doggie. Pet friendly:)
(4)Sharon T.
I would give them a higher score if I had not made the mistake of ordering the Pancakes. Just let me say that the service was great, the owner did give me a free breakfast and my husbands Crepes were excellent. Don't order the pancakes. We will go back.
(4)Jessica P.
Great service. Great food. Great mimosas. Great fun. Highly recommended by four picky girls :-)
(5)Christina W.
One of my all time favorites! The food is always fresh! and the menu interesting balancing mainstays with seasonal specials. They had a mango almond cold soup that reminded us of the best of Barcelona. I had their lobster roll on brioche that was so good that we went back again the next day. The wait staff are always friendly and prompt.
(5)Deborah C.
If you are looking for a new breakfast or lunch place in downtown Sarasota, this is it. When I eat outside I am always looking for a certain ambience, shade fresh air pretty light, and it all happened here. On the side, very good food. I had matzah ball soup and Reuben sandwich, and although there was no pickle, sandwich was perfection, marble rye and high quality sauerkraut, crisp, light, fresh. My mother had a lobster roll with big chunks falling out of a fresh roll, served with fruit. They had some very interesting salads which I will be try when I return. Which might be next weekend.
(5)Sharon P.
Wow what a wonderful find. I consider myself a foodie and LOVE this food. I had the lobster salad (no mayo ) it was truly delicious and filled with fresh fruit too. The coffee and fresh baguette made it complete! The owners and wait staff beyond welcoming. Can't wait to come back. Totally recommend everyone to try it, the selection quite large and unique.
(5)Jesse P.
A taste of Isreal in every bite. The hard working owner puts her every being into making your breakfast so amazing that it's beyond wonderful. Try the strawberry butter, it's to die for. Get here early, seats go quickly. Fresh is never a question and I'm excited to come back and check out their dinner menu soon.
(4)Elena C.
I love this place. The food is healthy and delicious. I think that they serve the best poached eggs I've had in Sarasota. As a local I'm always happy to find a place where the service is good, the food is well prepared and where customers are treated with respect. The owner is always around which is important. I've been there many times for breakfast and for lunch. One of my other favorites is the cold Borscht which is like a beet gazpacho, super refreshing and tangy.
(4)Tim R.
I had the salad with salmon - when it arrived I didn't know whether to eat it or take a picture! It was beautiful! The salads also had beets- which I hate! But, I ate these, too! They were awesome! I was with a client so I played it safe and ate it. Sorry, I know Yelp it good for photos. We sat outside which was spectacular - at the corner of South Orange Avenue where Burns Court starts. I recommend this place - we will be back.
(5)Brittany N.
The staff is more than accomodating and I find it so important to support amazing business owners, Hi Hanna/Rochelle! I had the Israeli salad when I came in to Fresh Start and all I can say is wow! The Tahini dressing is absolutely excellent and the portion is spot on for a full belly but not so much to stuff - just right! I would highly recommend to anyone that's looking for healthy and delicious food at the right price.
(5)Kathy E.
Crab cake tower salad very good--horseradish in the dressing yummy, too. Delightful menu choices. Breads very delish!
(4)L S.
A great place to have lunch! Had the lobster roll and lobster salad and both were amazing! Staff is super nice and accommodating. Definitely will go back!
(5)Victoria G.
One of my best findings for breakfast/lunch is Sarasota! So glad I came there. Super amazing service, delicious food and just simply a super friendly place. They have nice sitting outside. Everything we ordered was fresh and delicious. Hope to be back there as soon as possible!
(5)Donna C.
What a tiny place with flavorful food! I was there for brunch and had made-to-order frittata: egg white with zucchini, ham, jalapeño. Flavor was absolutely on the spot and you can tell the ingredients are fresh from the first bite. Although it seemed little understaffed which resulted a bit of time to wait, the service was great. I would definitely come back to enjoy for breakfast/brunch!
(4)Liz R.
Last week my family and I ate here 4 of the 5 days we were in Sarasota. On a previous trip we only got to go twice and we couldn't wait to go back. On this trip we had the BLT (2x), Thanksgiving Day, Tuna and Egg Salad Platter, ShakShuka (2x), a special crab cake salad, basic eggs and sausage breakfast ("No Fuss Breakfast") and 3 or 4 of the baked muffins and of course coffee. Recommend it all, especially the ShakShuka. Perfect savory breakfast. The owner was always there and greeted us and made us feel welcome. The wait staff knows the menu well and will make recommendations. They can also tell you what is in each dish. Our server on 2 of our 4 visits, Dan, is cute, funny and competent. Perfection. You can eat on the lovely patio that has plenty of shade or inside. Everything is fresh. I wish we had a place like this close to home.
(5)Nancy C.
Love this place!! Fresh and very delicious. I come here at least once a month. And the best part is i can bring my doggie. Very dog friendly spot!!
(4)Denise A.
Wow, what a great place for lunch! The service was top-notch, she let us take our time ordering, answered questions intelligently and had a great sense of humor. We sat outside on their lovely patio. Autofills on the iced tea. I am dairy-free and gluten-free and they were totally ready to find out which of the soups I could eat (3 out of 4) and remembered to leave the cheese out of my omelet. They also gave me 3 slices of GF toasted bread! A bonus totally fresh fruit cup came with the omelet. And I chose the asparagus soup, which was a puree and delicious! Oh, and the price was great too. Definitely putting this on my "lunch with a friend" list.
(5)Akilah B.
Good food, great service. Really cute and charming little place. I had the cheese-filled pastry with a side of fresh fruit and my daughter had the green eggs and ham frittata. Both of us enjoyed our meals and talked about coming again next time we're in town. My daughter really liked their orange juice.
(4)Jim C.
Wonderful atmosphere on the patio. It's a relaxed environment with pleasant servers. The shakshuka is not to be missed! An outstanding take on this Israeli dish - the best I've had outside of Israel, by far. Another Israeli dish, however, I cannot recommend - the bureka. The version here is much more a dense croissant and the cheese filling was barely there. Plus, it tasted a bit stale. The list of yummy salads and other fare means I will be back.
(4)Fred R.
This is terrific! First time I tried the "ShakShula"...Israeli poached eggs in tomato sauce. WOW. It unbelievably good. "Burekas" a flaky puffed pastry filled with salted cheese and served the "Israeli Way"" with a hard boiled egg, tomato and black pepper was equally tasty. The service is cordial. The Chef is pleasant and talkative. Small hidden gem of the place. I only wished we lived closer. May drive the 600 plus miles to eat there again soon.
(5)Jon B.
I personally live this place. The owner is really friendly as well as her staff. Being a vegan it is next to impossible get a descent breakfast in this town. Fresh Start has been my go to for breakfast in this town for awhile now and I still can't get enough. I have taken countless of friends there and have never have heard a complaint. As for their Mediterranean platter it is hands down the best in sarasota and top it off with a French press coffee. I am hooked!!
(5)Danielle L.
Amazing! I had a super hard time choosing what I wanted to eat bc everything on the menu sounded amazing. Ended up tasting the soup and then it was a done deal... Their tomato bisque was heavenly, as well as everything else. I will def be back, I want to try everything!
(5)Dan R.
The food was okay once it arrived. My family (including 2 small children) had to wait 45 - 50 minutes for our food. When we asked about it, the staff told us that this was typical for this restaurant. The staff was not particularly pleasant.
(2)Jennifer D.
Strawberry butter! Delicious decaf! Ask to read the package of their gluten free bread, though. Ezekiel bread isn't always gluten free.
(3)Jameson W.
I think Paul and I had the same meal, but very different impressions of it. Specifically, the last couple of mornings I've been having poached eggs on Spinach and Rye, with a side of fruit. I wouldn't have thought up that dish, but I'm glad they did. It's delicious! Friendly staff, reasonable prices, location is easy to get to, but a bit back from the road amid some greenery. For my money, don't see what's not to like! Give it a try.
(5)Pandora S.
This is a very nice Cafe, there is a choice to sit in or outside! The food is good and fresh, my only comment is the kitchen is slow. This is a great place to go if you want to sit with friends and chat.
(3)Dunja W.
I absolutely love this place! It's the only place I go for breakfast. Everything tastes great. The staff is very friendly and the indoor and outdoor areas are always spotless. The prices are great and almost too cheap for the quality of food.
(5)Matt O.
They would get a 5 star if the inside was more inviting. The outside is delightful and the food is fantastic. They use local food and they are just starting out. Their food is good and it's all made by hand. I'm a fan. It will be me new breakfast spot.
(4)Jesse E.
Wonderful Experience! Hana, one of the owners is Israeli and the Middle Eastern influence is unmistakable. Mediterranean Platter was perfect with samples of felafel, hummus and light chopped salads with warm pita. The service is great and the outdoor patio is inviting.
(5)Gail L.
Nice place, plenty of diners, great service. We just didn't find anything we liked on the menu. I had the green eggs and ham frittata which was very dry and had way too much parsley. We use a lot of herbs cooking at home so I was surprized at how overpowering the parsley was. Just not for us
(2)Rocketman S.
My team of 6 eat the food 5 days a week and we all love it. The fact that the kitchen door is open many times gives you a chance to peek into this super clean place including the restrooms. WOW if only more would be like this. We have had just about anything on the ever changing menu. A real treat Breakfast and lunch as the place rocks! Best place in Sarasota !
(5)Jim V.
FRESH START CAFE is a gem of a place to get real house made bakery and breakfast/lunch dishes; all made with premium ingredients, not just portion controlled defrost heat and serve. The muffins are made from scratch, not a commercial batter, and prosciutto is used for breakfast ham, eggs, when ordered poached are perfectly cooked as you like. The Shakshuka, similar to the Italian dish, "Eggs in Purgatory", is a delicious combination of poached eggs in a tasty fresh tomato sauce. Last Saturday I had a, still warm! Fresh peach muffin! Wow!! It is refreshing to see a place in SRQ that has a strong local following and offers real value for quality food.
(5)Sandy G.
If you can.t find something to eat here then there is something wrong with you. The menu offers soups, sandwiches, salads, and breakfast items. I had the eggplant sandwich and my husband had the Caesar salad. Both arrived very promptly and were great. You can eat inside or out and the funky neighborhood is also a plus for walking to work off your meal.
(5)Dan S.
Had breakfast here with a Living Social voucher. Food was extremely fast and yummy. Everything seemed very natural and had that oaty organic taste to it.
(5)Ronald R.
Wow I see some 1 star reviews which surprise me. We had breakfast this morning and couldn't have had a better experience in ambiance (sat outside with pleasant view), great attitude and quality, attentive service, and great food (one of us had frittatas and the other poached eggs). These one star reviews might mean inconsistency but I don't really know. I can say we will definitely return.
(5)Karen M.
I was visiting from NYC, and stopped at this friendly restaurant for lunch. Wow - was I surprised!! They really have "fresh" food at Fresh Start! It was so happy with lunch, I came back for breakfast the next day, and was equally pleased. Also, this is a dog-friendly restaurant (in the outside portion of Fresh Start.) LOVE this place!
(5)Betsy N.
I agree with Matt - love sitting outdoors, the owners are fantastic, inside seating is a little uncomfortable. Food is consistent & very flavorful (I've eaten lunch there at least 8 times) & comes out of the kitchen quickly. Kudos!
(4)Ottis T.
Worst service I have had in quite some time... I ventured down here on a recommendation from a friend, I came with 2 others in my party. All the tables were taken outside so we ventured indoors and sat down. After 6-7 minutes someone approached us with menus and we scanned over them. It took 20 minutes for our drink order, another 15 afterwards to take out food order. After waiting that long just to order we were told that the items we wanted were not even available. It was obvious the waitress couldn't care any less about our dining situation and made no effort to sway us into ordering anything else on the menu. I decided on the thanksgiving sandwich the other 2 in my party ordered the soup f the day (reported to be super bland and needed several dashes of tabasco ), and chicken sandwich. The table next to us was sat down AFTER us and was receiving their food before us? Only the soup was received at out table and it was finished WAY before our meal arrived. Finally after waiting a total of and hour and a half and STILL no sandwiches. Finally, since we noticed our server counting the tip jar at least 3 times and we still did not receive our food, we decided enough is enough and went to the counter to pay for the soup so we can try somewhere else that cared more about heir patrons. The waitress ignores us at the counter and then MAGICALLY pulls out the sandwiches as to if they were just waiting the entire time!? Finally after explaining we were going elsewhere she gets into an argument with us and tries to transfer the blame to us somehow? No accountability!? The server then grabs the chef in the kitchen so the chef could "see our faces" as she said. As to if you will EVER see my face in your restaurant again! Avoid this dump when there are SOO many other places that actually appreciate your business!
(1)Jill C.
Fresh Start Cafe is my new favorite place to meet friends/family for lunch and/or breakfast. Everything that I have tried from their menu has been delicious starting with the small, home baked vanilla cookies that accompany a cup of freshly brewed tea!! My daughter and I are actually addicted to their shakshuka egg dish - Isreali style poached eggs in a fresh, spicy tomato sauce - yumm!! This dish is accompanied by a chopped salad, toast and homemade strawberry butter and also, an amazing spicy chutney to eat alongside the eggs. Friendly staff and pleasant location add to its appeal!
(5)