One of the best restaurants in Sarasota and Bradenton received national honors earlier this year .
Among 47 dining destinations from across the country, with only three others from Florida, Star Fish Company earned a spot on the 2024 USA TODAY Restaurants of the Year list , published in February.
Promoted as a place for “ultra-casual outdoor dining,” Star Fish is located in the historic commercial fishing village of Cortez on north Sarasota Bay near Anna Maria Island in Manatee County. Karen Bell, a third-generation Cortezian dedicated to preserving her family’s commercial fishing heritage, owns Star Fish.
On Sept. 26, Hurricane Helene sent floodwaters rushing through Cortez, causing extensive damage to both her business and her nearby bayfront home — as well as the homes of many of her beloved neighbors .