Be sure to pack your best threads, as Longboat Key's restaurants boast cuisine and ambience befitting heads of state, who are known to pop in for a meal on occasion. However, visitors seeking flip-flop friendly eateries will take comfort in the key's cafes, diners and ethnic restaurants. Harry's Continental Kitchens satisfies both the tuxedo and the tennis shoe crowds, with a pricey restaurant on one side, and gourmet take out on the other.

ResortQuest takes the guess work out of planning your next vacation by providing our Top 10 Longboat Key Restaurants.

Fleming's Prime Steakhouse
2001 Siesta Key Drive, Sarasota
(941) 358-9463
www.flemingssteakhouse.com

Since opening it's doors, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse has been raising the standard of steakhouses to a new level. Sweeping the nation with awards and accolades, it's their outstanding food, wine, and service that keeps patrons returning time and time again. Indulge yourself in the stylish, contemporary dining that is Flemming's hallmark. Some of our employee's favorite dishes include Filet Mignon with blue cheese crumbles, Beef Flemington, and Australian Pork Chops. The side dishes are as flavorful as they come - don't be fooled by seeing a macaroni and cheese selection at such a top-notch steakhouse; their Chipotle Macaroni and Cheese is like no other. For dessert, their signature item continues to be the Chocolate Lava Cake; but put your order in early as this chocolate-richness takes 20 minutes to make and is well worth every second!

Roy's Hawaiian Fusion
2001 Siesta Key Drive, Sarasota
(941) 952-0109
www.roysrestaurant.com

Escape to a Hawaiian paradise through Chef Roy Yamaguchi's famous blending of European cooking techniques with fresh Asian and Pacific Rim ingredients. Not your typical dining experience, Fodor’s quoted this restaurant as being "multi-traditional dishes that seduce with the ease of a trade wind." Each evening, Roy 's presents a tantalizing range of appetizers, entrees, fresh fish dishes, and desserts. But don't let the name fool you, this establishment is not about typical Asian cuisine. Our employee's favorite selections include Auntie Lei's Aloha Roll, Macadamia Nut Crusted Mahi Mahi, Hibachi Style Grilled Atlantic Salmon, and the Wood Grilled Szechwan Spiced Baby Back Ribs. If cocktails are your passion, you won't want to miss their signature Hawaiian Martini - stock full of fruity goodness and topped with a pineapple wedge soaked in vodka. No Roy 's experience would be complete without their Melting Chocolate Soufflé; a lava of rich chocolate, raspberries, and ice cream.

Euphemia Haye Restaurant and The Haye Loft Lounge & Dessert Room
5540 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key
(941) 383-3633
www.euphemiahaye.com

Adored by critics and locals alike, the stellar Euphemia Haye Restaurant is famous for its crispy roast duck and prime cracked-pepper strip steak. Romantic candlelit tables and an extensive wine selection made it a famous upper-crust date destination. Upstairs, the slightly more casual Haye Loft specializes in tantalizing desserts, pastries and top-shelf liqueurs.

Harry's Continental Kitchens
525 St. Judes Drive, Longboat Key
(941) 383-0777
www.harryskitchen.com

Harry's relaxed tropical dining room offers delicious lunch and dinner menus of seafood, pasta and salads. Next door, the restaurant's gourmet deli and takeout offers irresistible sandwiches, desserts, espresso drinks and a wide selection of fine wines.

The Dry Dock Waterfront Grill
412 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key
(941) 383-0102
www.drydockwaterfrontgrill.com

Renowned by locals as having the tastiest grouper sandwich and hamburgers in town, this casual waterfront dining haven’s view is just as good as the food. Choose between outdoor dining, where the warm Sarasota Bay breezes add ambiance. Or opt for the interior sections, where you can enjoy the view obstructed only by a few shady coconut palm branches.

Mattison’s Steakhouse
525 Bay Isle Parkway, Longboat Key
(941) 383-2700
www.mattisons.com

When Chef Paul Mattison began his local quest for culinary superiority, his main ingredients involved distinctive food, memorable environments, and exceptional customer service. With four indoor/outdoor delightfully different restaurants located throughout Sarasota, each experience at Mattison’s guarantees to be a savory one.

The Originals
www.freshoriginals.com

With Sarasota and her Islands quickly becoming Southwest Florida's cultural capital, it was no surprise that unique dining options began popping up all over the region. In 2003, The Sarasota-Manatee Originals organized, creating an exclusive community of over 50 independently owned and operated restaurants. Each one of these restaurants is as unique as their names - offering guaranteed culinary pleasures. Visit any one, for a meal sure to kick-start your retreat to paradise.

(Visit website for individual restaurant information)

MarVista Backside Restaurant and Pub
760 Broadway Street, Longboat Key
(941) 383-2391

Jimmy Buffet-style entertainers and fruity cocktails keep toes tapping on the outdoor deck of the MarVista, a local favorite located in the heart of historic Longbeach Village. For a casual alternative to the rest of Longboat Key's swanky wine bars, MarVista is a great place to hoist a beer with the locals.