Travel Tips

Authentic French cuisine in the heart of Sarasota Florida

The French Affair is a great place to enjoy a romantic evening out or a laid back dining experience with good friends, excellent food and good wine while visiting the Venice and Sarasota area. This small cozy restaurant is reminiscent of an authentic French eatery, with romantic lighting, only a few servers and bottles of wine surrounding restaurant patrons.  With an enormous appetizer menu selection there is something for everyone’s taste buds from well prepared rainbow trout to veal dishes like osso bucco and traditional French seafood stews like bouillabaisse with shrimp, salmon, mussels, and cod. Most patrons also recommend starting with one of their tasty soups like the lobster bisque or a wonderful hearts of palmetto salad.

One of the most unique parts about dining at the French Affair is that the kitchen is visible to the dining area and only separated by a glass counter lined with a wide variety of different cheeses and desserts. This gives patrons the chance to peruse the counter to decide which tasty cheeses or dessert treats they would like to enjoy before or after their entrée is served. All entrees are served with a warm, fresh French baguette, so consider ordering authentic French cheese to top off your bread.

Dress at the French Affair is casual to dressy, although you will see most guests leaning towards dressy attire. The majority of patrons were adults during my visit and there was no visible children’s menu, so this may not be the best place to come for a family friendly environment. The average entrée menu items were between $12-$20 although there were a few pricey items on the extensive menu.

French Affair opens at 11am Mon-Sat for lunch and dinner, but only remains open until 9pm. The restaurant is closed on Sundays. Reservations are not necessary, but are recommended especially during the summer and on the weekends. Call 941-925-3414.

To find the French Affair from Venice, take US-41 North to Stickney Point Road and take a right (away from Siesta Key) toward the Gulf Gate Mall. Go passed the mall and turn right onto Mall Drive. The French Affair is located at 2637 Mall Drive.