First Friday wine tastings resume

at the Bijou Cafe starting Fri., May 2.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | Media Contact: Veronica Pastore | 941.330.4838

[April 23, 2014 — Sarasota, Fla.] Downtown favorite and award-winning restaurant The Bijou Cafe (1287 First St., 366-8111) announces the return of their First Friday Wine Tastings, from 5 to 7 p.m. the first Friday of each month during the summer, beginning Fri., May 2. The cost is $18 per person and includes unlimited tastings as well as passed hors d’oeuvres and cheeses to compliment the wines.

The Bijou’s event coincides with the Downtown Sarasota Alliance’s First Fridays on Main Street. Many area art galleries and shops are open late and live musicians and entertainers perform free on the street corners.

“As sad as we are to see many of our friends leave Sarasota for cooler climes, we’re all happy to have our town back for a while,” joked J.P. Knaggs, owner of the Bijou Cafe. “For us, summer means First Fridays and pouring some of the best “juice” for our guests!”

Wine merchants from around the area will also be on hand to pour wine and discuss their offerings. Passed hors d’oeuvres and an enormous cheese board to complement the wines are all included.

Guests will also be able to purchase discounted wines to take home or enjoy in the restaurant as part of the Bijou’s “Bin End Sale,” a semi-annual sale to clear room in their cellars for new selections for the season.

First Friday Wine Tasting, 5-7 p.m., Fri., May 2, The Bijou Cafe, 1287 First St., 366-8111 or bijoucafe.net, $18. 

To download a high-res courtesy photo of the Bijou’s Pepper Steak mini meatballs, click here.

More about the Bijou Cafe
The Bijou Café is an upscale Continental-American restaurant located in the heart of Sarasota’s downtown Theatre & Arts District, known for specialties such as Australian Rack of Lamb, Bijou Pepper Steak and Pommes Gratin Dauphinois.

Since 1986, Chef Jean-Pierre Knaggs and wife Shay have owned and operated The Bijou, growing it from a small 50-seat restaurant to a seating capacity of 140 people in three separate dining rooms and the garden. The enchanting décor one might expect in a quaint but modern European café surrounds diners, including French windows and doors, sparkling glassware and freshly picked flowers, and the space is easily able to accommodate private parties of any size. With an expansive wine list, sumptuous lunch and dinner specialties, and impeccable yet friendly service, the Bijou remains a jewel in the heart of downtown Sarasota. 

The Bijou Café, 1287 First St.: 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5- 9 p.m., Mon.-Thurs., 11:30 a.m.- 2 p.m. and 5-10 p.m., Fri., 5-10 p.m., Sat., closed Sundays; 366-8111 or bijoucafe.net

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