Here are the 15 best hidden gem restaurants in Bradenton and Manatee, locals say
We asked what are the best-kept secret restaurants in Manatee County, and local readers have spoken.
When it comes to dining in the Bradenton area, a few restaurants are already well-known, but we wanted to find the best restaurants that aren’t featured at the top of Tripadvisor or DoorDash and are only known by word of mouth or discovered by chance.
gRub Tropical BBQ received 75 votes in our hidden-gem food poll.
The poll was up for a little more than a week, and 240 people participated.
gRub, a new restaurant in the neighborhood created by Anna Maria Island native Ben Sato, delivers Southern-style barbecue with a sweet flare. He is the restaurant’s owner and chef.
Among the most popular menu items at gRub are the honey glazed ribs, Peri Peri chicken platter, and roasted vegetable empanada.
Our reviewers agreed that they would “absolutely!” recommend this hidden gem to others and commended Chef Sato’s pitmaster skills, calling the cuisine “incredible.”
Below are the top five hidden-gem restaurants in Manatee County, according to our readers
1. gRub Tropical BBQ, 415 Pine Ave., Anna Maria Island
2. Mean Deans Local Kitchen 6059 26th Street West
3. Scuderia Italian Cuisine 4805 Cortez Rd W
4. Michael John’s Restaurant 1040 Carlton Arms Blvd
5. C&K Smokehouse BBQ 12119 US-301
And here are 10 other honorable mention restaurants, listed in no particular order, that readers mentioned:
- Kava Social Club’s, 540 13th St W
- The Spot Tacos and More, 2303 1st St
- Mirna’s Cuban Cuisine, 7980 N Tamiami Trail
- Bird Rock Taco Shack,1213 13th Ave W
- Old Hamburg Schnitzelhaus, 3246 E Bay Dr
- Ortygia, 1418 13th St W
- Demi’s Noodle House, 1318 10th St W
- Central Cafe, 906 Manatee Ave E
- The Canopy Bistro + Bar, 3503 US-301
- Lucky Frog, 4625 Cortez Rd W
This story was originally published November 2, 2022 at 11:31 AM.
