When I was assigned a story about local restaurants landing at Sarasota’s airport, I was mostly just thrilled for an excuse to snoop around behind the scenes—and to finally check out the new terminal without having to book a $49 Allegiant flight to Akron. On both fronts, it did not disappoint.

Wandering the normally off-limits areas of SRQ feels oddly cinematic—like being backstage on a movie set where everything is so unpolished it loops right back around to glamorous. And the new concourse? A stunner. All soaring windows and spotless white floors that somehow make the idea of flying Allegiant feel… aspirational.

But it wasn’t until two weeks later, on a spur-of-the-moment trip to Atlanta, that I fully grasped the value of local food and drink in an airport. I was in my usual pre-flight state—mildly stressed, overly punctual, and deeply committed to my travel-day ritual: Arrive two hours early, not for TSA’s sake, but for mine. I’m far less concerned about missing my flight than I am about missing my preflight martini and something salty to eat. Calories don’t count at the airport. And if they do, they’re none of my business.

I’d already resigned myself to the usual routine in what used to be SRQ’s only terminal: Grab a drink at one of those vaguely interchangeable bars and chase it with a sandwich from Jimmy John’s. No complaints, really. I like Jimmy John’s. And a drink is a drink… mostly. I did feel a small pang knowing I wasn’t in the sparkling new terminal, home to Patrick’s 1481 and Anna Maria Oyster Bar (more on those gems in a minute), but I’m a Delta girl, so I rolled my carry-on toward the familiar gates.

And then—magic. A rare moment of pure airport joy. Two things hit me in rapid succession:

1. My gate was directly across from the brand-new location of Mattison City Grille.

2. Said Mattison’s was not just there—it was open.

Somehow, in the flurry of our behind-the-scenes tour, I’d missed the most critical piece of information: the opening date. Turns out, it was now.

One thing that surprised me during the tour: These airport outposts aren’t just carbon copies of their city locations. Technically, they’re concessions—run by “concessionaires”: hospitality partners who specialize in airport operations. If that sets off any alarm bells about watered-down versions of your favorite local spots, rest easy. These restaurants are being shepherded into SRQ by the very people who built them. I spoke with the concessionaire partner for Mattison’s, Justin Marlett & Alice Cheung of Paradies Lagardère, and he told me about how they selected Mattison’s as a partner: “We generally seek out local restaurants because we want to find places that are truly loved in the community and can give airport travelers an authentic sense of place. When I’m evaluating potential partners, I’m looking for three key things: great food, exceptional service, and consistency through the years… The partnership with Chef Paul started with a cold call! I found his information online and just called him directly. He was gracious enough to take my call and hear me out. Shortly after that conversation, I visited him at Mattison’s City Grille downtown, and he liked what he heard about the partnership. The rest is history.”

At the airport Mattison’s, we met up with Paul Mattison himself—already onsite and overseeing the final details like a man who knows exactly what his name means to this town. Jim “Sully” Sullivan of Patricks 1481 joined us too, calm in the eye of the storm. And representing Anna Maria Oyster Bar was newly minted EVP Eleni Sokos, who immediately pointed out that the sign font wasn’t right. “It’s already being fixed,” she said, before heading to the bar to chat oysters, cocktails, and plating with the team.

If you’re studying Patricks and AMOB’s airport menus and you notice there’s an overlap, I did too. Sully was happy to explain. Turns out he and AMOB owners John and Amanda Horne go back 30 years, and they agreed to let travelers order freely from either menu—no turf wars, just teamwork. Because at the end of the day, it’s about making things easy (and delicious) for the guest. The AMOB and Patricks locations are run by SSP America—billed as “the food travel experts”—and it’s clear they take that title seriously. Both restaurants share one high-efficiency kitchen, and based on the oysters and burgers we sampled, it’s more than up to the task. Yes, you read that right: fresh Gulf Coast oysters at the airport—and they were genuinely delicious. Not “good for airport food,” just good, full stop.

Circling back to that Atlanta trip—I spotted an open seat at the Mattison’s bar, perfectly positioned with a view of my gate, and exhaled in a way I hadn’t in weeks. I ordered exactly what I’ve been ordering at Mattison’s since they opened in 2002: Artichokes Esther-Style and a Perfect Pear Martini. One bite, one sip—and I was right back to being 22, ordering it for the first time. It tasted just like it always has, which is exactly why my 44-year-old self still orders it.

Then, as if the moment needed a bow on top, Paul Mattison stepped out from the kitchen. We snapped a selfie, toasted this next chapter of his culinary adventure, and he sent me off with a soul food recommendation for Atlanta—Chef Lucke’s spot, Oreatha’s at the Point, where his former Sarasota sous chef now runs the show. A comforting plate before takeoff, a perfectly chilled martini, and a tip from an old friend about where to eat when I land—this is the real magic of eating local, even at the airport.

Sarasota Bradenton International Airport
6000 Airport Cir, Sarasota
flysrq.com