The Tampa Bay Area Restaurants

Fresh Gulf seafood is plentiful—raw bars serving oysters, clams, and mussels are everywhere. Tampa's many Cuban and Spanish restaurants serve paella with seafood and chicken, boliche criollo (sausage-stuffed eye-round roast) with black beans and rice, ropa vieja (shredded flank steak in tomato sauce), and other treats. Tarpon Springs adds classic Greek specialties. In Sarasota the emphasis is on ritzier dining, though many restaurants offer extra-cheap early-bird menus.

Sort by: 3 Recommendations {{numTotalPoiResults}} {{ (numTotalPoiResults===1)?'Recommendation':'Recommendations' }} 0 Recommendations
CLEAR ALL Area Search CLEAR ALL
Loading...
  • 1. Gulf Drive Café & Tiki

    $

    Especially popular for breakfast (served all day), this unassuming landmark squats on the beach and serves cheap sit-down eats—mostly sandwiches, but also (after 4 pm) a wide array of seafood entrées ranging from lobster mac-and-cheese to grilled or blackened mahimahi. Many items have a Greek tinge to them.

    900 Gulf Dr. N, Bradenton Beach, Florida, 34217, USA
    941-778–1919

    Known For

    • Greek-inspired foods like lemon chicken topped with feta
    • Baked Gulf grouper stuffed with crab
    • Beachfront sunset vistas
  • 2. Mel's Hot Dogs

    $ | Central Tampa

    Look for the red wiener-mobile parked on the north side of the highway near Busch Gardens to find this 1950s-style diner that specializes in dogs and fries—perfect bites after a long day of riding roller coasters. Venture inside to find walls dotted with photos from fans and a hot-diggity menu that's heaven for tube-steak fans, with traditional dogs as well as those with a bit more pizzazz. Consider trying the Reuben-style bowwow on a poppy-seed bun or the Mighty Mel, a quarter-pounder decked out with relish, mustard, and pickles. Herbivores, fear not: there's a vegan option on the menu, and it's mighty tasty. To avoid lunch crowds, arrive before 11:30 or after 1:30. Ready for a beer? With a decent list of domestic and import beers, they've got you covered.

    4136 E. Busch Blvd., Tampa, Florida, 33617, USA
    813-985–8000

    Known For

    • Long list of hot dogs
    • Crispy, gold fries
    • Decent beer selection

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
  • 3. The Museum Cafe

    $

    A short trip west of Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Refuge, this tiny eatery is housed in the Olde Mill House Printing Museum. It's open only for lunch, but it's well worth making room in your itinerary for a visit here. The restaurant is known for its Cuban sandwiches and occasional blues shows. You can sit at a table within the museum itself or one of the tables in the very casual main dining room. Another option is to get your lunch to go and picnic at nearby Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins State Park.

    10466 W. Yulee Dr., Homosassa Springs, Florida, 34448, USA
    352-628–1081

    Known For

    • Cuban sandwiches
    • Occasional live blues shows
    • Takeout for picnics

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No dinner
  • Recommended Fodor’s Video

No Restaurants Results

Please try a broader search, or expore these popular suggestions:

There are no results for {{ strDestName}} Restaurants in the searched map area with the above filters. Please try a different area on the map, or broaden your search with these popular suggestions:

Recommended Fodor’s Video