Gems of the Sea

Good Bite

Pictured: The Watershed Oyster Shooter at Lefty's has a fresh oyster paired with a shot of Tito's Vodka and a splash of bloody mary mix with a Tajin rim.

“Oysters are a hobby of mine,” says Mike Quillen. “I’ve traveled all over the world trying oysters and was never able to actually do this concept that I wanted to do for a long time. So we’re very excited.”

Quillen is the president of Watershed Hospitality Concepts, a locally-owned restaurant group in Sarasota specializing in quality, locally-inspired fare. The group’s latest venture, Lefty’s Oyster & Seafood Bar, officially opened last night on Monday, January 27th. Located in the historic Rosemary District, the eatery is located in a renovated auto body shop, sharing space with Mandeville Beer Garden.

“Lefty’s is a tribute to old Sarasota. It’s a metal building, it’s rustic. We have three big garage doors that open up into a beautiful outside trellis that almost covers the whole outside,” Quillen says. “We’re really excited about the landscaping and the curb appeal.”

What’s even more appealing than the decor is the menu itself. The seafood-forward menu is hyperlocal - Quillen grew up in the area and has used his almost fifty years of connections to source as many ingredients as he can locally, including Cedar Key clams, Gulf grouper and even the herbs used in Lefty’s signature craft cocktails.

And of course there will be oysters, served steamed, grilled, New Orleans-style and Rockefeller-style, not to mention oyster shooters. Lefty’s will source the best oysters from all over—Apalachicola, Virginia, South Carolina, Chesapeake, Massachusetts and more.

“We just want to have a great brand of hospitality going forward, fun and light and value-oriented,” Quillen says. “We’re here to be your neighborhood oyster bar.”

Lefty’s is open from 11am to 10pm Sundays through Thursdays and 11am to 12pm Fridays and Saturdays.

Lefty’s Oyster & Seafood Bar, 428 North Lemon Avenue, Sarasota, 941-954-8688, leftysoysterseafood.com

Pictured: The Watershed Oyster Shooter at Lefty's has a fresh oyster paired with a shot of Tito's Vodka and a splash of bloody mary mix with a Tajin rim.

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