Our favorite place to go for special occasions is the Beach Bistro, and I have many memories of dinner there. On September 22, 2006, for our 45th anniversary, Danny was too sick to go out and Sean made arrangements to have our dinner delivered to our home. We shared a beautiful Beach Bistro dinner in our own dining room to celebrate what would be our last anniversary together. Words cannot express my gratitude for that precious memory. Thank you Sean........you're one of a kind and your success is definitely well deserved!!!!
~Carolyn Keller
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My husband and I recently came and had dinner for our 5th wedding anniversary. We have relatives that live on the island and we come from a long line of Bistro enthusiasts. It was our first experience and we were not disappointed. The food and the atmosphere was incredible, the service was wonderful. We even sat next to a world traveler who said the seaside cafes of France couldn't compare. Needless to say, we can't wait to come back! Thank you for a great experience!
~Emily Greene
January 26, 2011 I celebrated my 40th birthday with my four best friends at the charming Beach Bistro. From the moment we arrived we felt welcomed, Sean the owner greated our table and asked if he could answer any questions regarding the menu or a wine suggestion. Our meal was fabulous, since we are fellow maritimers we know our seafood and were delighted to have the best even though we were away from home. The staff and service was top notch. I especially appreciated that the Bistro allowed a local baker to deliver my birthday cake that day, and they were more than happy to serve the cake at the end of the meal. It was a celebratory evening that ended with a photo with Sean and his wife and Sean presenting us with two bottles of wine to continue our celebration. I will be visiting Beach Bistro on my next trip to AMI it was our best dinning experience while on vacation.
~Christa Kilcollins
Perth-Andover New Brunswick Canada
Ron and I celebrated our 39th Anniversary with you on March 27, 2009. We were High School sweethearts and were married when we were 18. (If my kids did that I would kill them!) Three kids, including twins, and six grandchildren later, we're still madly in love and having fun! And they said it wouldn't last! The Beach Bistro is where we go to celebrate our special occasions, so of course that's where we went. And we'll be there again March 27, 2010 to celebrate our 40th... see you there!
~Ron and Karen Kreps
My 1st visit to the Beach Bistro was on my FIRST date with my wife Katrina on September 15, 2000. I was living in CT at the time, and came to Florida to meet her. I told her let's go to the BEST Restaurant that you know of! It was a memorable evening of fine dining. We spent about 2 hours there ... the rest is history ... as we got married 2 months later!
~John Kaiser
Sean Murphy and his staff catered the most incrediable wedding reception for Nancy and Eddie Pedota hosted by Carmen and Frank Pedota in April of 1988! Food, music and ambiance were unforgettable! Thank you Sean!
~Carmen Pedota
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Greetings...First of all, I would like to preface this account by stating that I have spent many years coming to this beautiful island and would walk by your lovely restaurant fantasizing about actually dining there....Anyway, moving forward, while dating my current husband, we visited the Beach Bistro and I was so very thrilled to finally have the opportunity to dine at the Beach Bistro. The first item my husband ordered was a delicious bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. The grouper was the best I had ever tasted and after a couple of bottles of "red", I made the comment that the asparagus with the meal was the best asparagus I had ever eaten! Well, my husband later informed me I was eating green beans!!! And we still laugh about that to this day. And, yes, the Beach Bistro is still my favorite place to dine...anywhere!
~Judith Acken
We've been huge fans of the Beach Bistro almost from the beginning, and it has been at the top of our list of favorite places since the second year you were open. We still wonder what "took us so long" to go the first time... We've celebrated numerous birthdays, anniversaries and NSO's (No Special Occasions) at the Beach Bistro.
Our favorite thing is to go with people who have never been and then watch their reactions during and after the experience. "That was amazing, when can we go back again" is always the "day after" discussion.
You asked for "a story," and I guess one particular night stands out, although not proudly. We had a streak of several years when we made annual pilgrimages to the beach with another couple from Tampa who were big "foodies" and who seemed determined to sample nearly the entire wine list (and if it could be accomplished in one evening, then so be it). The first year they experienced the Oh My God reaction described above (Seafood Nicoise days--still my all time favorite), and as was their style, they got a little "happy" and loud as the night went on.
It must have made an impression because the next year when we called for reservations and gave our name, we were politely steered to the late seating. That night our foursome became particularly boisterous and, at just the right moment, Annette deftly moved us across the room to the mirrored booth in the corner for our dessert course (undoubtedly at the request of those seated at the table next to us). We could just as easily (and rightly) been shown the door at that point, but the "move" somehow sent the right message through the haze, and the "happy group" subsequently turned down the volume and replaced the loud laughter with ooh's and aah's when the desserts arrived.
The fear of being "banned" a la Seinfeld, was also a sobering thought and I warned them that I was not going to give up my Bistro privileges because of them....
Congratulations on 25 years of excellence. We look forward to seeing you again soon.
~Gary and Jane Gibbons
As for my special memory at the Beach Bistro, it came when I was a senior in high school at St. Stephen’s Episcopal School in Bradenton. I was also a full tennis student training at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy and was being recruited for tennis. I was about to sign with Duke University for a full tennis scholarship, but the University of Notre Dame Head Women’s Tennis Coach, Jay Louderback (who still remains the coach at ND now), encouraged me to take a paid recruiting trip to Notre Dame, which I did. Upon my return, I had decidedly changed my mind and wanted to sign with Notre Dame rather than Duke. Needless to say, it was a huge moment in my life and that decision chartered the course for many other life decisions to follow (i.e. I met my husband at Notre Dame, etc.).
The way this story relates to the Beach Bistro is that Coach Jay Louderback flew to Bradenton to meet with me and my parents to discuss my future at Notre Dame. We took him out to dinner The Beach Bistro the evening of his visit. It was at that dinner at your fine establishment (and I can still remember the exact table at which we dined)...that Coach Louderback presented me with my official letter of intent and signing papers to accept a full athletic scholarship to the University of Notre Dame. It truly was a very important night in my life.
Thought I would share this special memory with you!!!!
Thanks for all your efforts on our behalf and I look forward to seeing you soon. Continued success with your business!
Fondly,
Terri Vitale
I was a server at the Beach Bistro in the early days. I worked the lunch shift along with Celesta and sometimes helped with catering. Sean Murphy was a delightful taskmaster, my all-time favorite boss. But as much as I loved working at the Bistro, those memories pale in comparison to my experience some years later as a customer. It was a summer night in 1988 when I brought my date, a new comer to the Island, to the Beach Bistro because he complained that there was no fine dining on Anna Maria Island. He was living on his boat at the marina and hadn't ventured far beyond Rotten Ralph's so you can imagine his surprise . Sean treated us to the most wonderful dining experience of my life. And his warmth and hospitality, not to mention his amazing cuisine, made my date a regular customer. I miss them both.
Carole Davis
I've always used the Beach Bistro for special occasions. The BB is a standard for my birthday, our wedding anniversary, and other special occasions. And when we have special guests in town such as the world famous photographers that Johnson PhotoImaging brings in for our yearly customer appreciation Safari Seminars, the BB is the first place we suggest to take them. Two other memorable times were had by me at the BB. I hired my general manager, Frank Deame, over a lengthy meal back in 2002. We started and 6:30 as I recall, and they finally asked us to leave after all the tables were reset, floor cleaned, and as the last lights were being turned off. The other is a wonderful lunch I had with my dad there 8 years ago. He was only able to make one trip to Florida after the store had opened (at the time he had turned 90), so I also had to get him to the best place to eat in the area. He passed away just a few months before his 99th birthday last fall. That lunch is still a pleasant memory for me.
LeMoyne Johnson
"Many years ago -- close to twenty, when Sean saw to the preparation of Bananas Foster in the dining room we were dining with our son and daughter-in-law and she said that the Bananas Foster was a must for her.
Dessert time and the apologetic waiter announced "we are out of bananas" -- our daughter-in-law was disappointed but to the rescue Sean came and said "give us a few minutes" the waiter brought drinks "on Sean" and after a while -- appeared the amazing banana dish!
When I inquired we found out that Sean went out, raced home to secure bananas -- what a guy."
Last nights dinner was outstanding as always and it was nice catching up on your family.
We wish you all continued success, good health and happy days!
Sincerely,
Barbara and Richard Blumenthal
Sean,
You may not remember my wife and me but we had the pleasure of dining at the BB on December 28, a late Christmas present to ourselves.
When a short delay occurred before we could be seated that evening, we were immediately seated in the bar area and graciously provided complimentary wine; a nice touch of class.
When we were seated at our table, you came to greet us and inquire if "we needed anything". Unlike my wife, I did not know you were the owner and promptly order a martini. By the time you came back to deliver my drink (and a glass of wine for my wife) I had been informed of my faux pas and you warmly accepted my apologies. We then proceeded to have an outstanding meal.
Finally, on our way out of the restaurant we saw you in the parking lot and I thanked you again for the great meal and your hospitality. The complimentary hats you then gave us have already been put to good use.
Thanks again for a wonderful, memorable evening. I promise next time to know who you are and I also promise there will be more than one "next time" at your excellent restaurant.
Very truly yours,
Ed Gardner
Happy Anniversary!!!!......25 years of special MOMENTS IN TIME for so many people for so many occasions! Coming to your restaurant to watch the glorious sunset is an occasion in itself, a soothing of the soul, a balm to our inner spirits. We first heard about Beach Bistro 4 years ago when we started coming to Florida for the winter from McLean, Va. I met Susan for the first time when I was soliciting for a raffle dinner for Operation Kindness (a military support group in Virginia that comes beside our wounded soldiers in their time of need....dinners at Walter Reed Medical Center and the National Naval Medical Center, rides to and from the airport, take them meals, watch their children, gift cards, day trips, whatever we can do to help). I was explaining that we were partnering with the Longboat Key Club to help raise money for the wounded troops and in the bat of an eye, she said "yes, I would be happy to donate a dinner for two".....she made it so simple for me. Since that time, we have celebrated birthdays, anniversaries and any evening we want a great meal and a soothing of our souls. The close proximity of the tables always allow for enjoyable conversations with our neighbors. Tuesday was our 31st anniversary, our neighbor's 25th anniversary and the table beside theirs, a 79th birthday to which we all congratulated each other, sang and made toasts. Dear to my heart was being able to bring my mom there last February for Valentine's Day.Shortly after her visit we found out she has lung cancer and we are so happy she was able to experience the BEST OF THE BEST at Beach Bistro.....best view, best food, best ambiance, best service and best memories. We hope to bring her back this next Valentine's Day! Thank you Sean and Susan for your passion and love of all that is good and embodied in Beach Bistro with all of us!!! HAPPY 25TH ANNIVERSARY!!
Love, John and Joanne Forch
My parents 50th Wedding Anniversary
One of my most favorite Bistro memories—which there are many—is when my husband and I took my parents to dinner at the Beach Bistro for their 50th wedding anniversary. I had clued in David, the maitre d’ by asking him if he could take a book I had made for my parents of photos of their lives and present it to my mother when he would be handing out the menus. So instead of my mother getting the menu, she got a book of photographic memories presented to her.
David was so very good in handling them—tears and all. He and all the staff made my parents feel like royalty that evening and I have the Beach Bistro to thank them for!
Carole
Holmes Beach, Fla.
Ah-Ha Milestone
My wife and I were dining at the Bistro celebrating the successes of our recent business ventures when we had the most spectacular “Ah-Ha” moment of our lives. It was so wonderful to be there next to my wife, my best friend, when it happened. Thank you Beach Bistro for making that a magnificent milestone in my life!
William
Anna Maria Island