A popular Sarasota restaurant known for serving one of the city's most acclaimed burgers, along with a smartly curated collection of craft and import beers in a cozy British pub setting, is being sold as its longtime owners retire.
A family-owned restaurant and bar tucked away at 3550 S. Osprey Ave. in a small shopping center near Siesta Key, Shakespeare's Craft Beer and Gastro Pub will soon change hands.
In a Facebook post shared at 12:36 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16, owners Richard and Marilyn Neal announced they were selling their "beloved pub" and retiring.
In a reply to a comment, the owners confirmed that the pub would remain open and said the new owner "will not be making any immediate changes."
"After twenty two amazing years it is time for us to
retire and enjoy new adventures," the Neals wrote on Facebook. "We can't even begin to thank everyone for the incredible support and loyalty that we have received over the years and all the friends we have made along the way."
Richard and Marilyn Neal opened Shakespeare’s in October 2003 and continued running the pub along with their son, Richard Murrell, and daughter, Samantha Murrell. Originally, Shakespeare’s specialized in import beers, particularly ones from the United Kingdom. About a decade ago, though, they followed current trends and placed most of their focus on local and national craft brews.
A previous column in the Herald-Tribune described Shakespeare's as having "Sarasota's best burgers for more than two decades," with its signature cold pint of Guinness featuring a "velvety sip transporting you a little farther from the Florida heat waiting just beyond the door."
The pub’s signature burgers feature hand-formed, eight-ounce Black Angus beef patties served on toasted rosemary Kaiser buns, with none more famous than the Caramelized Onion & Brie Burger, topped with balsamic caramelized onions. Other essentials include the Black & Blue Burger, featuring Cajun spices, Stilton blue cheese and Swiss, and the Horseradish Cheddar & Bacon Burger.
Other menu favorites include fish and chips, spicy English beer cheese dip and English dustbin lids, crispy potato skins filled with English sausage, onions, mushrooms and cheddar cheese.
The pub features a dark and inviting atmosphere, with a handsome wood bar that spans most of the long, narrow space connecting the smaller front and larger back dining areas. There’s covered outside seating as well.
The owners did not identify the buyer.
Kendal Asbury is the real estate and development reporter for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Have an idea, tip or question about development? Send her an email at kasbury@usatodayco.com. Connect with her on LinkedIn or follow her on Instagram @wordsbykendal, and support local journalism by subscribing to the Herald-Tribune.
Wade Tatangelo is the executive editor of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and Florida dining and entertainment editor for the USA TODAY Network. Follow him on Facebook, Instagram, and X. He can be reached by email at wade.tatangelo@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Popular Sarasota restaurant known for its beloved burger is being sold
