A hometown original since 2011, the Toasted Mango has landed in a sunny new spot in the Rosemary District — and it’s better than ever.
Some restaurants earn their status quietly, over years of good food and consistent hospitality, until one day you realize they’ve become part of the fabric of a place. That’s Toasted Mango Cafe. Since Kim Duffy and Sandi Wagner — best friends turned business partners — opened their doors on North Tamiami Trail in 2011, the Toasted Mango has been doing exactly what Sarasota needed: homemade food, generous portions, fair prices, and the kind of warmth that makes you feel like a regular on your very first visit.
The downtown location has moved twice over the years — most recently closing on Tamiami Trail in late 2024 before reopening in May 2025 at a bright new address in the Rosemary District’s Parkside courtyard. The new spot at 1371 Boulevard of the Arts brings the same beloved menu, the same community spirit, and something genuinely new: a full liquor license and a cocktail menu that adds a spirited dimension to the breakfast-and-lunch experience.
A Home in the Rosemary District
The Parkside courtyard is a natural fit for Toasted Mango’s family-friendly energy. Shared with Origin Pizza, Great Heights Creamery, and Arts & Central, it’s a lively little hub in one of downtown Sarasota’s most interesting and fast-growing neighborhoods. The restaurant seats 147 and offers both indoor dining and an outdoor patio — dog-friendly, of course.
The location is a dream for walkability. The Ritz-Carlton, Westin, Art Ovation, Embassy Suites, and The Sarasota Modern are all nearby, making it an easy morning destination for visitors staying downtown. And for locals — whether you’re working in the neighborhood, catching the Saturday Farmers Market, or simply in need of a great cup of coffee and a plate of something satisfying — Toasted Mango is right where you want it to be.
The Menu: Fresh, Homemade, and Proudly Unapologetic
Toasted Mango‘s menu is a testament to doing the classics exceptionally well. Breakfast and lunch are both served all day, which is exactly how it should be. The kitchen keeps things fresh and homemade, with hearty portions that justify the very reasonable prices — and an extensive gluten-free menu that makes this a rare inclusive option in the downtown dining landscape.
The star of the show? The Award-Winning Toasted Mango Waffle. In 2018, Food Network named it the best waffle in Florida — a distinction the cafe wears deservedly. Topped with fresh mangoes, coconut, and whipped cream, it’s tropical and indulgent without being cloying, a genuine expression of the Sarasota spirit. Order one. You’ll understand the cult following.
The broader breakfast menu runs the gamut from the Toasted Mango Special (two eggs, your choice of French toast or pancakes, bacon, and home fries) to the Homemade Corned Beef Hash & Eggs to a build-your-own four-ingredient omelet that lets you load up with spinach, kale, mushrooms, fresh avocado, or any combination of a dozen fresh add-ins. The Avocado Toast gets the full treatment here — multigrain toast topped with avocado smash, sweet mango, arugula, and feta crumbles — and the Mango Yogurt Parfait (creamy yogurt, fresh strawberries, blueberries, mango, banana, and granola) is a lighter option that somehow still feels like a treat.
On the lunch side, the menu boasts over two dozen sandwiches, wraps, and salads. The Sarasota BLT — piled with crispy bacon, iceberg, tomato, and fresh avocado — is a local favorite done right. The Roasted Turkey Mango Wrap brings house-roasted turkey together with avocado, Jack cheese, and mango salsa in a combination that’s become a signature. The Toasted Mango Blackened Chicken Salad earns consistently enthusiastic reviews. Real fruit smoothies round out the drinks menu, alongside fresh-baked muffins and a solid coffee program.
Something New: A Full Bar and Cocktail Menu
The downtown location’s full liquor license is a first for Toasted Mango, and co-owner Sandi Wagner has made the most of it. A thoughtfully built cocktail menu has been designed with the brand’s tropical DNA in mind — and Wagner has taken care to develop recipes that can be mirrored with wine-based spirits at the other locations that don’t yet have full bar service. Think of it as the mango family growing up a little.
Brunch cocktails — particularly a Bloody Mary sipped while waiting for a table in the Parkside courtyard — have quickly become part of the downtown Toasted Mango experience. It’s a small but meaningful upgrade that transforms what was always a great breakfast spot into a genuine brunch destination.
A Sarasota Original, Through and Through
What makes Toasted Mango more than just a good breakfast cafe is the story behind it. Duffy and Wagner started with a single location and a simple philosophy: fresh food, fast service, friendly faces, fair prices. The business grew through word of mouth and loyal regulars — not marketing campaigns or celebrity chefs. Their kids grew up in the restaurants. Spouses joined the team. Staff members who started as employees became family. They have since opened locations on Siesta Key and in Holmes Beach’s Anna Maria Island Center.
That ethos shows up in the dining room. The staff at Toasted Mango are consistently singled out in reviews for being genuinely attentive, friendly, and invested in your experience. In a hospitality landscape where service is often the first thing to slip, it’s worth noting — and worth returning for.
MSN Food & Drink called Toasted Mango the best diner in Florida back in 2015. The Food Network agreed about the waffles in 2018. TripAdvisor has consistently ranked it among the top 25 out of over 600 Sarasota restaurants. Those are not the accolades of a lucky newcomer — they’re the validation of a place that has simply kept its standards high, year after year.
Good to Know Before You Go
Location: 1371 Boulevard of the Arts, Sarasota, FL 34236 (Parkside courtyard, Rosemary District). Phone: (941) 388-7728. Street parking available nearby; arrive early on weekends as spots fill up.
Hours: Open 7 days a week, 7:30 AM–2:30 PM. Breakfast and lunch served all day.
Reservations: Call-ahead seating available and recommended on weekend mornings. Walk-ins welcome.
Highlights: Full liquor bar (downtown location only), extensive gluten-free menu, real fruit smoothies, fresh-baked muffins, dog-friendly patio.
Don’t Miss: The Award-Winning Toasted Mango Waffle. Non-negotiable.
The Verdict
The new Toasted Mango downtown is everything the original was, planted in a setting that suits it beautifully. The Rosemary District is a neighborhood on the rise — creative, walkable, alive with the kind of energy that makes a great breakfast feel like the start of something. And Toasted Mango, with its cheerful courtyard spot, its food-network-certified waffles, its family-run warmth, and its brand-new bloody mary, is the perfect place to begin the day.
This is the kind of place Sarasota is proud of. And rightly so.
Toasted Mango Cafe · 1371 Boulevard of the Arts, Sarasota, FL 34236 · (941) 388-7728 · toastedmangocafe.com
