Sometimes when you are on vacation, happy accidents happen and fortunately for us, we found The Doctors Office.
We were headed to dinner our first night on vacation, we chose a place in a strip center we had passed on the way onto the island but found nearly an hour wait.
We took a pager and headed off to the beach a few blocks away. Along the way, we passed a 1950s-ish Mid Century looking building, the sign above the door said ‘The Doctors Office’ but the script sign on the room read cocktails!
For decades this space was occupied by several Island Doctors who cared for locals and tourists alike on Anna Maria Island.
Now dispensing incredible craft cocktails and nibbles, you absolutely want to check it out while visiting the island.
We loved the signs on the door that left some of us confused as to whether this was still a doctor’s office.
Once inside you’ll find a good size room with a well-stocked bar and bar-side seating to the left, with some high-top tables across the room.
We seated ourselves in a small room to the right where seating area with oversized leather sofas on one side marked “Reserved.” In the center of the room, a piano looks like a desk in a doctor’s office with seating on the front side. We sat at a high-top table off to the left where they were projecting the movie “Heathers” on the wall.
The décor is a funky mix of flat matt grey and creepy clowns, with interesting touches like champagne riddling racks used as sliding doors between the rooms.
A wooden clipboard contained their wine list with craft cocktails found on a menu resembling an eye chart reading:
T
I P
T H E
B A R T
E N D E R
A third piece reading “Dietary Recommendations” contained a picture of a creepy clown in doctors gear, smoking a cigarette on the cover was their small plate menu. They offer some incredible sounding nibbles. Unfortunately, we were on our way to dinner and didn’t try any.
Our server approached our table with our first dose of medicine in vintage pressed glass teacups. I was a delicious sip of citrus vodka, elderflower syrup, and maple. As some of you may know I don’t do vodka, it immediately takes away the little bit of filter I have. So, I had to take everyone else’s word on this one.
They have some great “Emergency Care Speedy Cures” as a pretty inventive craft cocktail menu.
Chuck chose a Painkiller, an island combination of dark rum, pineapple, coconut, and nutmeg. It was as good as we had in the islands earlier this year with plenty of dark rum. I chose a Caipirinha with Avuá Cachaça, Macerated Lime, and Turbinado Sugar that took me back to my trip to Brazil.
Our friends had an Espresso Martini and the Sazerac a craft cocktail of Rye Whiskey, Dr. Peychaud’s Bitters, Atomized Absinthe, and Lemon Oils, both got rave reviews for their flavor and uniqueness.
Shortly after we finished our first round, we were called for our dinner reservation but wished we had stayed for another round.
Be sure to stop by for a cocktail when you visit Anna Maria Island, doctors’ orders.
