Pictured: One of the signature burgers at Neat. Photo Courtesy of Neat.

Ring in 2024 at Neat, one of Sarasota’s newest restaurants, on South Tamiami Trail. Neat is owned by Rob Prima, the proprietor of The Italian Grill, which he took over and revamped two and a half years ago. “I got to meet a lot of people that live in South Sarasota, in Palmer Ranch, The Oaks, Stoneybrook, all those communities there, and there was really nowhere for them to go to have something other than Italian food in an upscale environment,” Prima says. “All the nice, new lounges, bars and restaurants opening up are in downtown Sarasota, but people who live in South Sarasota don’t want to drive to downtown or Lakewood Ranch or wherever the new upscale restaurants are coming.”

Prima purchased the building that now houses Neat and completely remodeled it. After two and a half months, he opened the restaurant in August 2023. “We tore it apart and made everything new. We made it all nice and neat,” he adds. While Prima himself isn’t a chef, he’s built a team and business focused on serving fresh and delicious food to guests. “We get seven different delivery trucks a week. We buy the highest quality food that we can get, and we start there. I sleep well at night knowing that I serve the customers good quality food,” he says. “We have an excellent chef, who was my chef at The Italian Grill, and he’s very creative.”

Lunch and dinner offerings are combined into one menu, resulting in a diverse menu that Prima clarifies is not bar food. “We wanted kind of an upscale place with that downtown vibe. People want to be dressed up when they come to the restaurant,” he adds. Standout dishes at Neat include the signature burgers, that feature a butcher-prepared blend of meat made specifically for Neat. One of Prima’s favorite dishes is the seared tuna appetizer, with thinly sliced sushi-grade tuna, saki Asian vinaigrette and wasabi cream sauce over cold noodles. For an entree, he recommends the burnt butter bourbon honey salmon and the salmon BLT and notes that there are a few vegetarian options available as well. The drinks menu is also unique, with beverages like the Campfire Old Fashioned, White Cranberry Cosmo and a collection of high-end bourbon. Dessert lovers can indulge in A Big Mess, a sharable option with bananas, ice cream, chocolate sauce and other sweet delights. If you’re looking to start the new year off right, look no further than Neat.

Neat, 8383 S. Tamiami Trail #108, Sarasota, 941-552-8850, neatsrq.com.

Pictured: One of the signature burgers at Neat. Photo Courtesy of Neat.

Neat