Zest! of Sarasota

Beware of this caterer! Unfortunately I had a really bad customer service experience with Zest. Be very careful if you decide to plan an event with them. John, the owner, was quite sensitive to my questions about food options, rentals, time for prep and cleanup and budget. Unbeknownst to me until the end as we got close to the event, he apparently had been very frustrated with our communications that were attempting to clarify our plan for the event via email. So much so that in the end he abruptly decided he would not do the event. My assumption was that our party was too small and he decided he did not want to do it because he would not make enough money. Hopefully they would not do this to a bride planning a large event. I do hope that this posting will help this business provide a higher level of service and tolerance for customers who are wanting to get clarification on basic questions related to the event.

I have sampled zest’s imaginative and tasty fare at various wine tastings over the years. It has always been tops with imaginative and very tasty bites. Just first class. Someday their special dinners will coincide with my schedule so I can give that a try.

Amazing food! John and Nina prepare everything totally fresh with many of the ingredients coming from their own organic gardens. None of the standard boring salad dressing options here — Nina makes a dressing that is appropriate for each salad.
The desserts are always beyond belief. You haven’t lived until you’ve tried Nina’s Mango Mousse — pure heaven, as are all her desserts.
Every meal we’ve had there has been fantastic and we go as often as we can.
Zest! did some corporate catering for me in another lifetime; their professionalism along with the quality of the food made them an absolute favorite of mine and of all our very picky shareholders.
Their hours are not regular so definitely make sure you call to find out if they’re open and to make a reservation. Because they are so small and everything is so fresh, they only bring in limited amounts of food based upon the evening’s reservations. A little inconvenient, but oh so very worth it.
I cannot recommend Zest! strongly enough.