Pictured: Based around caviar, the menu of small plates includes luxurious bites like A5 Japanese Wagyu tartare topped with white sturgeon caviar. Provided photo.

On Friday, March 28th, the highly-anticipated Sugar Champagne Bar opened its doors in downtown Sarasota. This experiential lounge serving craft cocktails, luxurious small plates and (of course) champagne is truly one-of-a-kind, which should come as no surprise. It is, after all, the passion project of Ronnie Shugar, an entrepreneur and founder of Raw Sugar who has a unique vision.

“I’m doing this as a legacy, so it’s something that will be here twenty, thirty, forty years from now,” Shugar says. “Sarasota has matured. People are sophisticated and they want something that’s going to be sophisticated to enjoy.”

That sophistication starts with the interior design. Sugar Champagne Bar is a feast for the senses, starting with the eyes. The decor is lavish and sumptuous, with plush seating, colorful wallpaper, custom tile and chandeliers dripping with crystals. It’s over the top in all the best ways. The menu lives up to the surroundings. Sugar Champagne Bar offers Frozen Bottle Service of vodka and tequila, a few select wines, and a well-curated collection of champagnes. The craft cocktail menu includes creative concoctions like the Raw Sugar (Shugar’s favorite) which includes coconut rum, coconut cream, mango puree, mango liqueur and rosé wine. Despite the complex ingredient list, the cocktail is clear and understated (apart from the edible gold leaf, of course).

While Sugar Champagne Bar doesn’t have a full menu, they do offer an array of elevated canapes, all including caviar. The A5 Japanese Wagyu tartare melts in your mouth. In the mood for something sweet? There are desserts too (served in champagne glasses, naturally).

Such a high-end experience does come with expectations. There is a dress code, and seating inside the bar after 6pm requires a $150 minimum spend per person. Reservations are a must right now - the bar is already booked out for the next sixty days. However, if you have champagne tastes without a sky-high budget, come by between 4pm and 6pm (with or without a reservation) to enjoy a cocktail with no minimum spend requirement.

Sugar Champagne Bar, 127 South Pineapple Avenue, Sarasota, 941-233-9133, www.sugarbarsrq.com.

Pictured: Based around caviar, the menu of small plates includes luxurious bites like A5 Japanese Wagyu tartare topped with white sturgeon caviar. Provided photo.