Der Dutchman has done it again. This beloved Sarasota spot now claims the No. 2 spot on USA Today’s list of the best buffet restaurants in the country. Sure, it’s about an hour’s drive from Englewood, but ask anyone who’s visited Pinecraft and they’ll tell you: the trip is more than worth it.
You’ll find Der Dutchman serving up classic, made-from-scratch Amish fare in a neighborhood tucked south of Bahia Vista Street and west of Phillippi Creek. The place feels like a piece of Amish heritage, and it’s become something of a Sarasota institution.
Walk in at sunrise and the breakfast buffet grabs you right away. Biscuits and gravy, piles of scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, sausage, those impossibly cheesy potatoes. There’s even fresh fruit and pastries if you’re feeling lighter. The breakfast runs from 7 to 11:15 a.m., just before the lunch and dinner spreads start at 11:45 and keep rolling till close.
For lunch and dinner, the feast gets bigger: real mashed potatoes, creamy corn, homemade noodles, broasted chicken, ham, turkey, roast beef, and all the trimmings. Don’t skip the salad bar or the homemade desserts. It’s comfort food through and through.
“This recognition is a special honor for our Der Dutchman family,” says General Manager Manuel Aguilar. He points to the restaurant’s deep roots in hospitality and its focus on sharing home-cooked meals, getting everyone around the table, just like family.
It’s no fluke that USA Today readers voted Der Dutchman so high on the list this year, bumping up one spot from last year. Every year, USA Today’s 10 Best awards let readers across the nation spotlight their favorites, and Der Dutchman has a loyal following.
Owned by the Dutchman Hospitality Group, which runs restaurants, inns, and gift shops in Ohio, Indiana, and Florida, Der Dutchman stays open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. You’ll find it at 3713 Bahia Vista Street in Sarasota. Just follow your nose and the line of hungry locals.
Here’s how this year’s top ten buffets shook out, according to USA Today:
1. Shady Maple Smorgasbord—East Earl, Pennsylvania
2. Der Dutchman—Sarasota, Florida
3. Miller’s Smorgasbord—Ronks, Pennsylvania
4. Brooks Shaw’s Old Country Store—Jackson, Tennessee
5. Jeong Won BBQ Buffet—San Diego, California
6. Terra Mediterranean—Fort Worth, Texas
7. Mrs. Yoder’s Kitchen—Mt. Hope, Ohio
8. Michie Tavern—Charlottesville, Virginia
9. Tomato Cafe—Albuquerque, New Mexico
10. Cinzzetti’s Italian Feast—Overland Park, Kansas
So if you’re hungry for real-deal Amish cooking and some Southern hospitality, you know exactly where to go.
Click here to go to the Der Dutchman website.
