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$$ | Downtown |
A choice romantic destination as well as an excellent launchpad for a night out, this restaurant offers an astonishing spate of meat, seafood, or veggie small-plate options. You can't go wrong with any of the ceviches, and the paella (featuring vegetables, seafood, or chicken and pork paella) is a good large-plate choice. In the catacomb-like bar downstairs, there's jazz, salsa, and flamenco many nights (the schedule varies each month). While you're here, the sangria is a must.
332 Beach Dr., St. Petersburg, Florida, 33701, USA
Known For
- Tantalizing flavors
- Delicious sangria
- Live jazz, salsa, and flamenco music
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Four reasons to go: the fried grouper sandwich, the clam "chowda," anything else seafood—including the shrimp po' boy and oyster sandwich—and the beef burgers. It's very popular among locals—just check out the packed parking lot at lunch and dinner. New England–style seafood is a house specialty, including whole-belly clams and lobster, but the grouper and mahimahi are fresh from local waters.
2315 N. Sunshine Path, Crystal River, Florida, 34428, USA
Known For
- Local favorite
- Clams and lobster
- Reasonable prices
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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$$$$ | Downtown |
In the relatively short time this gastropub has been around, it has handily earned a spot at the table of Tampa culinary musts. The internationally influenced, creative menu changes almost every day as chef–owner Jeannie Pierola experiments with a revolving list of intriguing ingredients. Choices include Korean-style fried chicken and waffles as well as butternut squash and coconut gnudi (a type of gnocchi). And the list goes on. The kitchen happily makes substitutions or changes recipes if you have any dietary restrictions. The bar has a great list of craft cocktails.
912 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa, Florida, 33606, USA
Known For
- Inventive dishes like octopus bolognese and monkfish bourride
- Interesting cocktails
- Extensive wine list
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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$$$ | Ybor City |
Celebrated Miami chef Douglas Rodriguez has brought his globally inspired flair to historic Ybor City as part of the gorgeous new Hotel Haya. Whether you’re grabbing a drink and a bite at the wraparound bar or luxuriating over a meal in the dining room, this swanky restaurant is rich with an atmosphere that’s upscale and cozy all at once. Rodriguez’s Nuevo Latino-menu features wood-grilled coastal cuisine, an imaginative selection of ceviches, and a range of rum-soaked cocktails.
1412 E. 7th Ave., Tampa, Florida, 33605, USA
Known For
- Nuevo Latino cuisine
- Inventive selection of ceviches
- Extensive rum-focused cocktail menu
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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$$ | |
Quebec native Mike "Frenchy" Preston runs several eateries in the area, including the fabulous Rockaway Grill. Visitors and locals alike keep coming back for the grouper sandwiches, which are moist and not battered beyond recognition. (It's also real grouper, something that's not a given these days.) Frenchy also gets a big thumbs-up for the she-crab soup, and, on the march-to-a-different-drummer front, the grouper egg rolls. In mild weather, eat on the deck, and stay for sunset if you can.
7 Rockaway St., Clearwater, Florida, 33767, USA
Known For
- Grouper sandwiches
- Beachfront sunset vistas
- She-crab soup and egg rolls
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$ | |
Especially popular for breakfast (served all day), this unassuming landmark squats on the beach and serves cheap sit-down eats—mostly sandwiches, but also (after 4 pm) a wide array of seafood entrées ranging from lobster mac-and-cheese to grilled or blackened mahimahi. Many items have a Greek tinge to them.
900 Gulf Dr. N, Bradenton Beach, Florida, 34217, USA
Known For
- Greek-inspired foods like lemon chicken topped with feta
- Baked Gulf grouper stuffed with crab
- Beachfront sunset vistas
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$$$ | |
This fun, friendly, flavorful Mexican eatery from Michelin-star chef Joe Isidori is the latest full-service restaurant to join a stellar line-up at Channelside’s Sparkman Wharf. The globally inspired menu offers playful renditions of classics—from wood-fired tacos with fillings you might not think to try on your own (think: Korean-style barbecue, Vietnamese steak, tempura fish) to hearty knife-and-fork burritos. And the starters and sides are as delicious as the entrées. Make sure you try the street corn and the crispy Brussels sprouts.
615 Channelside Dr. #114, Tampa, Florida, 33602, USA
Known For
- Creative wood-fired tacos
- Mexico City–style grilled street corn
- Craft margaritas and specialty tequilas
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$$ | Thonotosassa |
Few barbecue joints can boast the staying power of this family-owned and -operated pit stop, which debuted in South Tampa in 1978 and moved to Seffner in recent years. Day and night, it has a steady stream of hungry patrons keen on digging into tender pork spareribs that are dry-rubbed and tanned overnight, smoked for a couple of hours, and bathed in one of a selection of sauces. Kojak's also has a nice array of sandwiches, including chopped barbecued chicken and country-style sausage.
1809 S. Parsons Ave., Tampa, Florida, 33611, USA
Known For
- Barbecue meat dishes (especially spareribs)
- Great sangria
- Serene veranda
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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$ | Central Tampa |
Look for the red wiener-mobile parked on the north side of the highway near Busch Gardens to find this 1950s-style diner that specializes in dogs and fries—perfect bites after a long day of riding roller coasters. Venture inside to find walls dotted with photos from fans and a hot-diggity menu that's heaven for tube-steak fans, with traditional dogs as well as those with a bit more pizzazz. Consider trying the Reuben-style bowwow on a poppy-seed bun or the Mighty Mel, a quarter-pounder decked out with relish, mustard, and pickles. Herbivores, fear not: there's a vegan option on the menu, and it's mighty tasty. To avoid lunch crowds, arrive before 11:30 or after 1:30. Ready for a beer? With a decent list of domestic and import beers, they've got you covered.
4136 E. Busch Blvd., Tampa, Florida, 33617, USA
Known For
- Long list of hot dogs
- Crispy, gold fries
- Decent beer selection
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
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$$$$ | |
Not only do the lounge and piano bar, with their extensive wines and vintage cocktails, lure the after-theater set, but inspired cuisine and superior service also entice. Dinner fare ranges from pompano sautéed with Gulf shrimp, tomatoes, and fresh herbs to pan-roasted chicken breast with anise-scented sweet potato puree. There's also an ever-evolving menu of creative desserts. Inside its Midtown Plaza shopping center location, you'll find a decor similar to New York's better bistros of the 1930s and '40s, but there is plenty of veranda seating for enjoying Sarasota's balmy weather.
1212 East Ave. S, Sarasota, Florida, 34239, USA
Known For
- Large menu of seafood and meat dishes
- Extensive wine list
- Supper club atmosphere with piano bar
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
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$$$$ | Downtown |
Known to locals as "Mise" (pronounced meez), this upscale, modern, Downtown space is a popular lunch spot for Tampa's political and social elite. At night, it transforms into an elegant, understated dining destination with an ever-changing, seasonal menu that offers adventurous yet meticulously crafted modern American cuisine. Inspired by both the seasons and the whim of chef Marty Blitz, the menu changes every week, save for staples like the chicken liver pâté and the rack of lamb. Another thing that doesn't change is the intricacy of every item listed—whether it's tandoori-crusted tofu or pumpkin-spiced rubbed scallops. The long list of boutique wines and specialty cocktails further demonstrates the intelligence and imagination that go into the offerings here. This place is on the western edge of downtown, just across the street from University of Tampa's shining minarets. Parking and entry are behind the building.
442 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa, Florida, 33606, USA
Known For
- French-inspired cuisine
- Lovingly assembled wine and cocktail list
- Staples like chicken liver pâté and rack of lamb
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch Sat.
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$$ | |
Amid the shade of banyan trees in the hip Burns Court district, a 1923 cottage has been converted into a casual restaurant that serves quintessentially Southern fare (though the menu is not geographically limited). Dishes emphasize locally caught seafood, with everything from a shrimp-and-oyster po'boy with bacon to chicken-fried lobster tail. Takeaway "jars" offered include smoked fish spread with saltines, fried pickles, and boiled peanuts. Note: there can often be a wait, so get here early because you can't reserve a table.
516 Burns Ct., Sarasota, Florida, 34236, USA
Known For
- Fresh oysters
- Charming setting
- No reservations and occasionally long waits
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch, Reservations not accepted
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$$$ | |
Long heralded as one of the best spots for watching sunsets, this place also gets high marks for its fresh seafood. Seared tuna, gator bites, and wasabi scallops are among the more intriguing appetizers on the menu, which also has an assortment of bowls, salads, sandwiches, burgers, and wraps; entrées range from coconut shrimp or grilled salmon with a mango salsa to St. Louis–style barbecue ribs or marinated skirt steak. The restaurant is casual but not too casual, with a bit of a Tommy Bahama feel, so you may want to ditch the beach attire. Be advised that it gets pretty packed around sunset, when a live band plays island music and the margaritas flow.
18 Bay Esplanade, Clearwater Beach, Florida, 33767, USA
Known For
- Surprisingly good bar fare
- Sunset festivities with live music
- A bit less casual than some other beachside spots
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$$ | |
Follow the crowds to this off-the-beaten-path eatery, where numerous varieties of beer flow as freely as the rolls of paper towels mounted on wire hangers overhead. Seafood selections range from fried scallops and grouper to more elegant options such as blackened tuna, but oysters are the main event here. The all-day menu includes sandwiches and pasta. Come during happy hour weekdays or on weekends if you enjoy making new friends.
7490 Gulf Blvd., Florida, 33706, USA
Known For
- Oysters and shrimp in many varieties
- Menu heavy on seafood
- Popular happy hour
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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$$$$ | SoHo |
Local restaurateur B. T Nguyen, who opened her first eatery in the early 1990s, has earned a following with her modern takes on high-style Vietnamese cuisine featuring fresh herbs grown on-site and a drink list that includes organic sake martinis. With the motto, "Eat local, think global," the BT menu is sophisticated yet simple, with offerings like Shaken Beef, a go-to dish for regulars, consisting of cubed filet mignon flavored with cognac and shallots. Vegetarians and vegans can rest easy here, with options such as Food Karma (braised tofu, edamame, eggplant, and ginger in coconut broth over black rice). Casual dress is acceptable, but patrons tend to dress up.
2507 S. MacDill Ave., Tampa, Florida, 33629, USA
Known For
- Creative dishes and local ingredients
- Vegan and vegetarian options
- Intimate atmosphere
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch
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$$$$ | |
Inspired by the St. Pete of yesteryear, this independent steak house sits in what was once a YWCA building, and although it's named for the late-baroque art movement, it displays the work of local artists on its walls. The obvious draw is steak—corn-fed, aged, you name it—but the menu goes beyond the normal bounds. Locals swear by the lobster bisque, the craft cocktails have a local flair, and the beer and wine selection is expansive.
655 2nd Ave. S, St. Petersburg, Florida, 33701, USA
Known For
- Solid steak offerings
- Famous lobster bisque
- Variety of craft cocktails and beer
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch, Reservations essential
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$$$$ | |
Although the fish served at this upbeat restaurant at the RumFish Beach Resort by TradeWinds is deserving of much attention, the ones swimming in the 33,500-gallon aquarium lining the restaurant's back wall are the real draw. The menu consists primarily of local seafood prepared with a Caribbean touch. All three meals are served here. At dinner you'll find grilled jerk swordfish, pan-seared grouper piccata, and Gulf shrimp with stone-ground grits. The massive fish tank's construction was featured on an episode of the reality show Tanked, and it is home to a broad range of residents of the Gulf of Mexico, including a nurse shark, several grouper, and a bright green moray eel, who periodically comes out from beneath its rock. For $25 you can swim in the aquarium during the restaurant's off-hours, and even take a behind-the-scenes tour. If you're eager to catch a game, you'll want to head to the bar, which has multiple TV screens and a decent bar menu.
6000 Gulf Blvd., Florida, 33706, USA
Known For
- Dishes featuring local seafood
- Adjacent sports bar with its own menu
- Alluring aquarium vistas
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$$$$ | |
Tourists and locals converge here to enjoy a lively waterfront atmosphere, but the rock-solid menu is the best reason to come. Don't believe the Caribbean fire-roasted lobster tails are "jumbo"—at 1¼ pounds they're on the small side, but they're twice-cooked, including a finish on the grill, and quite tasty. Those more turf than surf might be interested in the Chicken Rock'n Bleu, which adds fresh spinach and champagne-mushroom sauce into a classic chicken dish. The Dayboat menu features that day's fresh catches prepared in a variety of ways. In fair weather dine on the dock; otherwise ask for a table with a view of the water.
19325 Gulf Blvd., Florida, 33785, USA
Known For
- Consistently fresh, local seafood
- Great waterfront views
- Upscale atmosphere
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch weekdays
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$$$ | |
Though the ever-evolving menu features cutting-edge fare for the most sophisticated of palates, the margarita-and-coconut-shrimp crowd will thoroughly enjoy a meal at this beachfront spot as well. Many of the dishes feature ingredients harvested nearby, whether it's herbs and vegetables from one of the gardens along Pine Avenue or fish from nearby Cortez. If the grouper is not fresh, it is not on the menu. You can find grouper stuffed or in a salad, or you can venture from the norm and order crab bellies and caviar. The vision here is quintessentially local and sustainable. If you opt for wine, the restaurant's private-label bottles, produced in California, are a good option.
100 Spring Ave., Anna Maria, Florida, 34216, USA
Known For
- Unconventional, locally sourced ingredients like grouper cheeks and crab bellies
- Private-label wines
- Cocktails on the beach at sunset
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$$$ | |
If you're a sucker for midcentury modern flair, the aesthetic alone at this partially open-air St. Armand's Circle spot is a draw. But the food, whether you're in the mood for the St. Louis "Jenga" ribs or roasted cauliflower and quinoa, is the true enticement, especially when paired with the right local brew served on tap. This place is upstairs from a trendy (and surprisingly pricey) clothing boutique of the same name and owners, so keep that in mind while you navigate the busy surroundings in search of a meal. Bonus: this place gets extra points for the retractable roof in its back dining area.
465 John Ringling Blvd., Sarasota, Florida, 34236, USA
Known For
- Key West shrimp and scallop
- Spareribs with a Mongolian glaze
- Chic atmosphere
