Sarasota buffet crowned best in the US

Sarasota is now the home of the No. 1 buffet in the United States. 

The USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards contest in May ended with Der Dutchman Restaurant being crowned that title. 

Dutchman Hospitality, Der Dutchman's parent company, headquartered in Walnut Creek, Ohio, opened its first Der Dutchman Restaurant 54 years ago. The restaurant features foods that pay homage to the Midwest Amish and Mennonite traditions, a press release states, including chicken, noodles, dressing and mashed potatoes. 

The Sarasota location, with a buffet, a salad bar and an on-site bakery, opened in 1985 at 3727 Bahia Vista St. It has since grown to cater to a wide variety of clientele, often with lines to hit the buffett.  The hospitality company also owns the Carlisle Inn and Carlisle Gifts on the same property. 

The awards cover categories that relate to food, lodging, destinations, travel gear and things to do. Each nominee is submitted by a panel of experts to a handful of 10Best editors before being presented to the public. 

Then readers are able to vote once a day per category for four weeks. When voting closed, Der Dutchman Restaurant in Sarasota was named the top buffet in the country.