If you spend any time at all downtown, you can’t miss the Duval’s shuttle—an aquamarine van that circles the area, conveying passengers for free to one of the city’s best seafood outposts. Duval’s chef Nils Tarantik rotates his selection of fresh fish throughout the year, meaning you can go each month and still not taste the same filet twice, and he’s just as adept with shellfish. Mussels stewed with onion, garlic, ham, potatoes and a mustard sauce make for a perfect appetizer, and the restaurant’s lunchtime po’ boys, stuffed with fried shrimp or oysters, are fantastic. If you see that van passing by, hop in.

You never know what will take your breath away at Mélange. At one recent dinner, it was the soup—a delicate concoction that combined a flan made with Dry Sack sherry, a tangle of blue crab bits and pebbles of ginger “caviar,” with a hazelnut crumpet on the side. Sipping it was a revelation of the kind that executive chef Lan Bradeen has been delivering to diners regularly since the restaurant opened in 2007.

Consistency is a must at every great restaurant, but Pho Cali must be the most consistently consistent restaurant in Sarasota. No matter how many times you order your favorite dish, the talented cooks will prepare it correctly every single time. We love the pho. The broth contains a riot of spices, while the fresh flavorings—bean sprouts, basil, lime juice and sliced jalapeños—are bright and herbal. We like to order our soup with all the trimmings (that means three cuts of beef, tendons and tripe), but whatever proteins you choose, rest assured that it will come out just like it did the last time.

You’ll drop ducats at Sage, where a romantic dinner for two recently cost us $250, but you won’t have any complaints about the food. The menu changes often, but we licked our fingers after polishing off executive chef Christopher Covelli’s lamb—a thick double chop marinated in Indian spices—and a Thai bouillabaisse with an intense red curry base. Even the Caesar salad was impeccable, peppery and assertive. Be sure to make a reservation, and arrive early for a cocktail on the roof, one of the best places to spend a sunset in Sarasota.

With its extensive ceviche menu and cavalcade of small plates meant for splitting with friends, Selva helped kick off Sarasota’s mania for Peruvian food early in the century, and the restaurant is still going strong. It boasts one of the area’s coolest environments: a dim dining room pulsing with colorful lights and a lush lounge with one of the best happy hour menus in town. The restaurant is also a rarity in that it offers a late-night menu, stuffed with satisfying bites like ceviche and a juicy skirt steak.

The best Chinese restaurant in Sarasota, Yummy House has been bustling since it opened in 2012, and the crowds haven’t died down since it moved to its current location opposite Sarasota Memorial Hospital last year. We like the dishes with XO sauce, anything Szechuan and the salt and pepper tofu and eggplant. If you’re lucky enough to live nearby, Yummy House provides some of the best takeout around, perfect for a rainy night when you’d rather snuggle on the couch and watch a movie than go out to eat.