Café L’Europe The Renaissance of an Old-Time Favorite By Sue Cullen
Ron Milton, Proprietor
Steeped in local history and radiating European charm, Café L’Europe has set the standard for congenial fine dining in Sarasota for 45 years. Now in its second year of new ownership, this venerable dining destination in the heart of St. Armands Circle has been refreshed with judicious renovation and a discerning eye for adding fine foods and wines. At the same time, the restaurant retains the Old World ambiance and menu favorites that have kept diners returning again and again since 1973 to this 240-seat icon. “Café L’Europe was one of my favorite places to go. It had something different, and a staff that made me feel special every time. The restaurant had a flair and gave me an experience I couldn’t get anywhere else in town,” said Ron Milton, who partnered with long-time friend Joe Balzano and purchased the restaurant in August 2016. “It’s a restaurant made up of family, and when you come in, that’s what you are, family.” That respect for tradition while incorporating a new freshness has struck a chord with local diners who have catapulted Café L’Europe from a ranking of 45 to number 15 of 685 area restaurants and earned a 2016-2017 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence.
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SARASOTA SCENE | APRIL 2018
Owning Café L’Europe (941.388.4415/cafeleurope.net) was a long-time ambition for Milton, whose French side fostered a talent and a passion for cooking. Having owned multiple businesses, including one with more than 500 employees for 15 years, he understands that service is key. “We have maintained a lot of the staff, some of whom have been here for 30 years, which says a lot in this industry. I have never seen a staff like Chef Rolando Casillas and his kitchen staff and managers Persefoni Nicolosi and William Maradiaga and their wait staff care and work so hard to put smiles on people’s faces and give them that fine dining experience they are looking for,” he said. “We know that service and the experience are why people come here, and our promise is to give the best we have to give. We shoot for the stars, and if we’re not always perfect and we slip, we expect our clientele to tell us. I am available anytime if someone feels we haven’t achieved that mission. We want the chance to be sure that our clientele are 100 percent satisfied with their experience when they leave.”