It’s Worth The Drive For This Old-School Diner In Sarasota

Food can be the highlight or the pitfall of any vacation. If you prefer to eat out, finding the right place to eat can be a challenge, especially when catering to larger groups. Luckily, Siesta Key and nearby Sarasota offer a wide array of options: international and local flavors, family-friendly, pet-friendly, circus-themed, and many other unique establishments. 

One restaurant especially worth a visit is the Hob Nob Drive-In Restaurant, an old-school diner that invokes nostalgic images of the emergence of fast-food chains. Located just north of downtown Sarasota, this is a great pit stop for the whole family before touring some of the top attractions nearby. 

About the Restaurant

Old-fashioned bar stools, black-and-white checkered walls, and flashing neon signs – it’s a page straight out of the 1950s. The Hob Nob provides the only and oldest outside diner experience in Sarasota. A local favorite, it has been family owned and operated since 1957. The restaurant serves classic American-style breakfasts and lunches in a casual atmosphere that transports diners back in time. Grab and go or kick back and reminisce over simpler times with a hearty Hob Nob meal. 

Menu

Start your day right with a breakfast at Hob Nob! Their breakfast menu offers all your favorite comfort foods. For only $8.50, you can order 2 eggs, toast, and your choice of ham, bacon, or sausage served with your choice of home fries or grits. Choose from a variety of three egg omelets: cheese, western, veggie omelet, meat lovers, or farmer’s. Classic breakfast sandwiches a variety of egg and cheese muffins or French toast with bacon. And of course, you can’t go wrong with pancakes! With any of your orders, select a delicious side or beverage. 

For lunch, order any of your favorite old-school, American-style food. Try their delicious burgers, cheeseburgers, bacon cheeseburger, patty melt, or Hob Nob house special. Hot dogs are another customer favorite. From chili cheese and bacon cheese to kraut and slaw, Hob Nob offers plenty of variety. And for only an extra dollar, add a basket side of fries and slaw onion rings! 

If you’re looking for something slightly healthier, there’s always good-old-fashioned sandwiches with a side of chips. Hot sandwich offerings include cheese, ham and cheese, tuna, steak and cheese, fresh chicken tender, and grouper. Cold options include albacore tuna, BLT, Hob Nob turkey, shrimp basket, and 10 wings. Add to your meal a side and salad, and you’ll be good to go! 

However, don’t forget room for dessert. Classic diner treats include hand-made shakes, floats, ice cream cones, and sundaes. Kids can grab a soda or iced tea while adults finish the meal off with a beer. All in all, the perfect way to spend a family outing together!

General Information

Call in to order or just drop by at 1701 N Washington Boulevard. Hours of operation are from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. View the restaurant’s website.

Other Things To Do Nearby

After a group breakfast or lunch at Hob Nob, there’s nothing better to do than go sightseeing! The restaurant is located to several significant tourist attractions in Sarasota. Here are our top three: 

Marie Selby Botanical Garden 

This local favorite is a beautiful place for a stroll, especially after a hearty meal. Meticulous gardens and artfully crafted pathways allow you to explore over 5,000 plant species on display. With 15 acres of rainforest, desert, and native Florida plants, you will witness a variety of bamboo, orchids, bromeliads (the garden’s specialty), meat-eating pitcher plants, and more. 

The koi pond, butterfly garden, and children’s rainforest garden are especially popular with children. For a fun family outing, the Marie Selby Botanical Garden is one of the top spots in town! The garden is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Prices are $20 for adults and $10 for youth between 4 and 17. Children 3 and under are free. 

Visit the garden at 1534 Mound Street. From Hob Nob, head south on Washington Boulevard and turn right on Mound Street. 

John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art

Art aficionados will love the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. This is a wonderful play to get creative or be inspired. Rotating exhibitions are on display all-year round. Check their website to determine which exhibitions are currently on display to time your visit accordingly. Exhibits have featured everything from photography collections to circus art. 

Family programming is available so parents and children alike can experiment with their own creativity. Likewise, families can explore the 66-acre museum complex, with its beautiful mansion and Bayfront Gardens. And especially for the kids, there is the David F. Bolger Playspace, which includes a tower and slide, basket swings, hand-powered fountains, and more. A day at the Ringling will be full of fun and laughter!

The Ringling is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Stop by at 5401 Bay Shore Road, which is only an 8-minute drive from Hob Nob. Head north on Washington road before turning left on Dr. Martin Luther King Way. Take a right on North Tamiami Trail and keep going north until you arrive. 

Sarasota Jungle Gardens

Take a trip on the wild side with an excursion to Sarasota Jungle Gardens. If you or your kids love animals, then this is certainly the place to be! Exhibits include all your favorite small animals: lemurs, parrots, flamingos, reptiles, porcupines, birds of prey and even a petting zoo. Here are a few of the incredible things you can do: hand feed a flamingo, hold a snake or parrot, get your picture taken with an alligator, and watch bouncing lemurs.

Get close and personal with your favorite animals and learn more about them at shows presented by experienced animal keepers. The Jungle Bird Show includes exotic feathered friends; Wildlife Wonder features a surprise guest each time, so no show is alike; and Reptile Encounter is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat!

Tickets cost $17.99 for adults aged 13-64, $12.99 per child, and $16.99 for seniors. It is only a 7-minute drive from Hob Nob. Drive straight from the restaurant and take a right on North Orange Avenue. From there, take a left onto Dr. Martin Luther King Way, a right onto N Tamiami Trail, and a final left onto Myrtle Street. 

Siesta Key Vacation Rentals

After a fun-filled day with family, friends, and great food, head back to your Siesta Key rental to kick back and relax. Our luxury rentals will make you feel like home. All rentals include stylish interior decoration and upgraded amenities. Enjoy backyard barbeques, pools, saunas, slides, arcades, and game rooms, and more!

We also offer several rentals near Siesta Key Beach, rated the number-one ranked beach in the United States, and consistently ranked in the top five worldwide. What better way to end the day than soaking in the last rays of sunshine and cooling off in the waves?