If you're looking for a classic greasy spoon breakfast spot in Sarasota, The Serving Spoon is exactly what you'd expect -- in all the best (and a few of the worst) ways. We have always been seated right away, even on a Sunday morning, which was a pleasant surprise. The menu is huge -- pretty much every breakfast combo or omelet variation you can think of. I really appreciated that they offer turkey as a substitute for pork on a lot of dishes -- nice touch for those of us trying to keep it a little lighter. Prices are totally reasonable, especially given the portions. Our servers are always friendly and attentive without hovering, and the kids' meals were solid -- generous portions and actually something the little ones enjoyed. On the downside, there's no changing table in the restroom, which makes it tricky for parents with babies. Also, as much as I love a classic diner meal, the grease factor here is a bit heavy -- we definitely felt it later. If you've got a sensitive stomach, you might want to pace yourself. All in all, though, The Serving Spoon nails that old-school diner charm: good service, fast seating, hearty portions, and comfort food cooked with love (and maybe a little too much oil on the griddle). Would I come back? Absolutely -- but only when we go straight home to the bathroom! read more

This is as close to an old world diner as we have in the area. Big counter, lots of regulars and a big menu with all of the usual and some unusual. Service is warm, friendly and efficient. Plenty of parking nearby for a short stay! read more

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Walked in on a Friday for brunch. They have a relatively large space with a lot tables and chairs. Tofu salad was light and fresh. Danny's crepe sampler was good and filling. It consists of 2 eggs, bacon, sausage, hashbrown and 2 crepes with berries, banana and cinnamon. With fairly priced food, great quick service, would give this family-owned restaurant a 4/5. read more

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The food was really good & hot! The ambiance was really cozy & the service was quick & friendly. I will be returning again. read more

I used to go to the one in Lakewood Ranch. This one was just as good! I got the crepes -- so good read more

The Serving Spoon - menu - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

The serving spoon is one of my favorite breakfast spots in Sarasota. The service is very friendly and the huevos rancheros is top notch! Recently they have added an "egg surcharge" of $0.25 per egg that they conveniently don't discuss until you ask on the bill. The price of eggs has dropped drastically over the last few months however if you need to charge $0.25 per egg then just incorporate it into the menu price. Don't hide it in the bill read more

This place is so good. And the people who work there are very good as well. I go there every Tuesday with a bunch of guys. We have breakfast. You know, like the old folks do. I eat all of the food that I am not supposed to eat on my Planned diet. So, everything is extra special when I go there. read more

Best neighborhood breakfast spot! Love the friendly service and the food is always delicious! The cooks are so great and we really love sitting at the counter! read more

Forget the chains and franchises! The Serving Spoon is fantastic - service, food, cleanliness - all tops! I'd give it 6 stars if I could!

I've been to the "Spoon" 3 or 4 times in the last month while visiting Sarasota this winter. Each time the food was excellent and the service friendly & genuine. But I just had the best experience I think I've ever had at a neighborhood diner....my niece and her 3 month old baby are visiting and we were hungry. The baby was sleeping. Of course the baby woke up as food arrive & was fussy.....my niece was getting ready to get up and take the baby outside, when the owner came over and offered to pick baby up while my niece finished her meal....the waitress then said, she had spent 26 years in pre-school work and helped with everything. The nicest restaurant people I have ever met. The owner's 4 boys work at the restaurant and there is a real family & community feel to the place. But not just the service bears mentioning....the food is both delicious, fresh and (mostly) healthy. The smoothie menu tempts me constantly. For breakfast or lunch seven days a week, you can't do better. Period. read more

Fan-freaking-tastic breakfast joint - a must-do if your in Sarasota... Spending two days in Sarasota, the first morning we decided to try this little gem nearby our hotel. Warmly greeted we sat down and were treated to exceptional service (friendly as well) and exceptional breakfast food which is sometimes hard to come by. My wife had their sampler of eggs, pancakes, and hash browns that she enjoyed to the last bite. I had their Root Hash Special which was unlike any other breakfast I have eaten. It was a bowl of hash browns, kale, beets, eggs, and some other deliciousness I can't begin to describe - absolutely wonderful. That service I mention above, it kept our drinks bottomless on a morning where we needed it. I highly recommend giving this place a go, if you're ever in town... read more

So nice After a long COVID break I wanted to carefully begin eating out again, beginning with a few local restaurants. I have always liked The Serving Spoon, a local breakfast / lunch spot in the Hillview / Osprey area. I liked them again today. It wasn't busy when I walked in, greeted from a distance with a friendly sit wherever I like. They have a lunch counter with a dozen or so seats and I was by myself, yet I still opted for a booth. They also have a row of tables nicely spaced apart and a whole second dining room I didn't even consider. My server was right over and got me started with a cup of coffee. I had checked out their menu online and already knew I wanted the Parker's Omelette, a 3 egg omelette with bacon, sausage, onion, cheddar cheese, and some sausage gravy on top. I even remembered my old habit of timing how long food takes from ordering to arrival, for this meal it was a quick 6 minutes. The food was very good, with plenty of cheese inside and on top. There was just a little crunchiness with some of the onion, the sausage gravy made with thin slices of link sausage was not salty. The side of home fries were plentiful and seasoned. When I left, I left full. Service was fine my entire visit, from topping off my coffee to checking on me to dropping off the bill. You pay at the register by the front door. Servers wore masks the whole time I was there, customers mostly wore masks when they walked in. It was so nice to be back dining out again, and I was glad I pick The Serving Spoon today. read more

One of our favorite places to go. Love the breakfast. Love that it is pretty much all family working there. It never disappoints

A favorite local breakfast spot. Good food, and I am constantly amazed that the staff knows their regular customers including what they drink and eat. Makes you feel very special. Nice relaxing food place. read more

Oh my god what a cute little breakfast place in a great little neighborhood off of Hillview in downtown Sarasota so it's got like a old-school diner type feel with a Great ambience awesome service and great home cooking food we went there for breakfast and I got to tell you the service was good but also the food was tasty. Definitely recommend this place if anybody's in the area close to Sarasota Memorial Hospital, and other little coffee shops in the area. read more

Great food, as always. The omelette was delicious and the waitress took good care of us and our 20-month old granddaughter.

Consistently good food, fairly priced. Excellent service. Great for family gatherings and Sunday breakfast.

For the record ... We travel in from the Northeast. A local client took us for breakfast back in the 80-90s. Each time we come to Sarasota, we make the pilgrimage to the Serving Spoon. Looks like Denny's - tastes like heaven. Unlike heaven, one can get breakfast after 11. Matter of fact service, food and drinks for those in the know looking for a comfortable coffee shop serving diner food at a reasonable price. read more

I made my visit to The Serving Spoon on a Sunday morning around 8:15 am. I was a party of one, if one can be considered a party. The restaurant was rather empty, 2 people at the counter, 2 tables of 2 outside and inside maybe a total of 10 booths and tables. The staff was friendly, efficient, but not big on outreach or interaction. I ordered two eggs, over easy, hash browns, English muffin and bacon. 2 silver pancakes as a side. The eggs looked good, had decent flavor for undoctored eggs, but cold. The muffins looked they had never met the toaster or griddle and were also cold. The bacon was limp and chewy, also cold. The hash browns were cooked perfectly, shame they were served cold. The pancakes were lovely, but you guessed it, cold. It was less than 5 minutes from my ordering to being served. I can't fathom why everything was cold, unless they have things already cooked and they just pull from under a warmer. (That doesn't warm). I didn't complain and ate what I was served. Why? I didn't want warmed up food as it's never as good and it would have been a waste to throw away what I had to create a new order. I also had low confidence that a second effort would yield different results. I showed the staff member that was my server a free cup of coffee Yelp offering from their store. I was still charged for the coffee. Again, I said nothing. This time I said nothing because the staff member suggested I get the pancakes as a side and not as an entree as first ordered. That saved me more than the price of a cup of coffee, so I figured it was a wash even though the coffee should have been free regardless. Overall, the people seem nice just not engaged to new customers (they seemed far more open and receptive to known customers). The atmosphere was fine. The food options plentiful. The food quality was good enough. The food preparation was less poor. 2 stars. Would I go back? Doubtful, just too many places to try to continue frequenting an establishment that showed me who they are. read more

This is the vision of a neighborhood diner that more operators should embody. Service was outstanding, Parker made us feel welcomed and really worked to get us set up and served. The food we ordered was done right. We ordered breakfast staples, with a twist, for lunch. Eggs, bacon, sausage, English muffin and a berry crepe for the twist. Everything came out hot, quick and flavorful. The one drawback, the crepe could have used a bit of filling, but the berries on top were fresh and plentiful. All in all, the tables of regulars, the great service and the reasonable pricing made it a great choice. read more

Sunday morning breakfast outing ! I5 star for service and it was nice to see students getting a chance to earn a living , they were smiling and friendly. Sitting outside was a plus! Now about the food, 3 star had an omelet with broccoli and spinach and for drink English breakfast Tea , the good side, if you are watching your salt intake , it was perfect but found it to be dry and tasteless, the tea was not at all enjoyable ( maybe it was the brand) My hubby had the traditional breakfast which was decent could Not finish his coffee said it was bitter. They have a pretty extensive menu so to be fair, maybe I just ordered the wrong item..would I go there again for breakfast ? Only if I could bring my own tea . I would however, give them a shot at lunch ! I believe in second chances read more

The Serving Spoon - Spinach omelet and fruit cup - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

Nice neighborhood diner style restaurant. Friendly service and delicious food! We will be back read more

The Serving Spoon - Rueben with potato salad - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

What a wonderful hidden gem of a restaurant!! Husband and I stopped in for a breakfast and were delighted by the choices. Staff wore masks and social distances were maintained. A bottle of hand sanitizer was on every table. He ordered his usual eggs over easy and rye toast and bacon, and I chose lox on a bagel, both dishes perfectly cooked and brought out quickly. Coffee was delicious, and my everything bagel came lightly toasted. Wonderful meal and service, very deserving of five stars, which I don't often give out. I would travel to eat here, but alas, we are two hours from this lovely place. Will definitely return if in the area. Prices were low for the quality and quantity of food. read more

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Omelets were very good, but home fries were burned beyond belief. Why would you serve potatoes that are burned black. Servers were very busy, but we still received good service. read more

Pancakes fluffy to perfection. Nice diner vibe environment. The people are friendly. If you on vacation down here, great breakfast spot. Would come back for their lunch read more

Just your usual breakfast spot. Nothing out of this world. The coffee tasted bad, not fresh. The egg breakfast was just Ok. Service was a bit slow and seemed rushed. A neighborhood spot with plenty of street parking. read more

The Serving Spoon - Eggs sunny side up - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

Great spot, awesome food & service. Love the location for shipping & walking. Enjoyed brunch with friends.

Great menu, big portions, quick service and friendly atmosphere. This place is true to their name, what more could you ask for? I've only been a few times but need to make it here more often. If your sick of hospital food, and craving a home cooked meal look no further. Just south of downtown and nestled in a quit neighborhood west of the trail this place is a hidden gem. read more

The Serving Spoon - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

Great atmosphere, great food at great prices. Soooo delicious . They gave a party of 6 a very warm greeting, and the waitress was awesome. read more

The Serving Spoon - The Philly Skillet..mmmmm - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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Lovely breakfast spot. Quaint and friendly. Great American breakfast. Amazing staff. You feel like your at home

Enjoyed a quick bite. Sat at the counter and listened to the locals chatter. Roasted Turkey Sandwich read more

My Wife and I went to The Serving Spoon for Breakfast I heard nothing but good things about it on Instagram. We had a 15 minute wait we looked over the menu during that time. The restaurant was packed. If you plan to go. Go put your name on the list or go early. We went around 10am. The Owner and our waitress were very friendly. The service we received was great ! our food came out in a timely manner. The food was good. My only issue is that I ordered cheese eggs and the cheese wasn't in the egg but rather on top of the eggs. Other than that. Everything was good. It's black owned in Inglewood and they serve champagne. I would eat there again the next time I'm in LA. read more

Absolutely terrific place for lunch and breakfast. You will not be disappointed. Great salads and sandwiches.

Great place for Sunday brunch. Limited selection but very good food. Would recommend to anyone looking simple and good. Best breakfast I have had in a while. read more

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Good food and selection, good service and reasonable prices. Cross between a cafe and diner, we love this place.

Service was a little slow from the three servers but it was busy. The cashier and bus boy moved very quickly. Awesome workers. We had the pancakes, eggs and an omelette. Everything was nice and hot and made fresh. First time visiting and we will definitely will be back. read more

Excellent welcoming service from Cassy(Kassy) Great variety of options , no problem adding an ingredient . Service was great and food was delicious. Definitely will be back read more

Cute place. Good service. Great food but a little pricey for breakfast. Lots of options and most served with sides. We both got the sheepherders and the cheesy potatoes were soooo good. Would go again and recommend. read more

Cute little place with friendly staff and excellent food. Enjoyed gluten free chicken noodle soup and a gluten free turkey sandwich with real turkey and cranberry sauce. Great service good prices' read more

We've eaten here for years and always enjoyed the experience but our last two visits have been just plain bad. We decided to give them another chance today and it was the worst yet. Needless to say, we won't be back! We arrived at 1pm, we'll before their 2pm closing time but our entire meal was rushed and we were treated as though we had arrived at closing time! My dad ordered a salad he always gets and it was totally different. Didn't have the listed ingredients or same dressing. It was obvious they made the wrong salad or were out of the ingredients. It had no green peppers, onions, olives or pepperoncinis. When we told the waitress she noted that it was incorrect and casually uttered, "sorry!" The crackers we were served were rancid and stale. The smell was awful. The server tasted them and agreed they were awful but had no other crackers available, only dried pita, which isn't the same. We had to ask for drink refills numerous times and it was obvious it was resentfully served. We left the restaurant at 1:40 and there were still 4 other tables seated. We watched them turning people away from 1:20 on. While we were eating they were stacking chairs all around us. It was very obvious that they didn't care about taking care of customers, only getting out of there as soon as possible. Don't have high expectations if you eat here. We don't know what has happened but this was the 3rd strike! read more