52 Best Restaurants in The Tampa Bay Area, Florida

This fun, friendly, flavorful Mexican eatery from Michelin-star chef Joe Isidori is the latest full-service restaurant to join a stellar lineup 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.

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.

Recently awarded a Michelin star, Kōsen takes diners on a multicourse journey through the art of kaiseki, a centuries-old Japanese dining tradition. The seasonal menu changes up regularly for this unique culinary experience, which centers on high-quality, sustainable ingredients, but there are shorter, less formal options.

For more than a century, this family-owned Ybor City bakery has been a go-to stop for authentic Cuban bread—crispy on the outside, and soft and chewy on the inside. It's also the largest producer of Cuban bread in the world, each day baking 18,000 loaves for restaurants in Tampa and beyond. In addition to bread, the eatery also offers a number of other baked goods, including guava turnovers, flan, and cannolis, as well as a full café menu with breakfast items, sandwiches (on house-made bread, of course), and salads. La Segunda also has locations in South Tampa and St. Petersburg.

Hand-picked antique furnishings add charm to this downtown spot, which specializes in Mediterranean-inspired small plates and spectacular cocktails. For a little more sustenance consider the birria tacos, Wagyu beef sliders, or entrées such as Black Angus rib eye or saffron fennel seared salmon. Outdoor dining along the sidewalk is an attractive option on nice days, and at night there's live music by quality performers.

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 tasty. To avoid lunch crowds, arrive before 11:30 or after 1:30. Ready for a beer? With a decent list of domestic and imported beers, they've got you covered.

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.

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.

A short trip west of Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Refuge, this tiny eatery is housed in a local museum and 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.

A menu of steamer and raw-bar options supplements such much-enjoyed favorites as quarter-pound hot dogs, fish-and-chips, wings, and burgers—and early birds can catch breakfast here, too. With views of New Pass between Longboat and Lido keys, this is a popular stop for locals and visitors en route from Mote Aquarium and the adjoining bay-front park. The open-air dining area is comfortable even in summer, thanks to a pleasant breeze. Its bar is shaped from the hull of an old boat. There are two additional branches on Siesta Key and Venice Island.

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. A new location also recently opened in Lakewood Ranch. 

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.

A downtown Gulfport gem, this rustic Italian eatery serves up simple yet bold flavors in a setting the feels like a waterfront European getaway. The homey interior has plenty of space for gregarious family dinners, as well as cozy nooks and crannies for more romantic meals. There’s also a gorgeous outdoor terrace and inventive specials that change regularly.

Local restaurateur BT Nguyen, who opened her first eatery in the early 1990s, has earned a following with her modern takes on high-style class French-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.

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.

Although the fish served at this upbeat restaurant 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.

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.

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.

If you're a sucker for mid-century 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.

Equal parts happy-hour spot and go-to dinner locale, this trendy Beach Drive restaurant—from the folks behind Bella Brava—has something for everyone. Its take on fish-and-chips gets cheers, as do the falafel (served on a bed of hummus) and most of the menu's other diverse, often locally sourced options. Tile floors and dark-wood furnishings give this place a smart, vintage feel, and you can sit at a table (recommended if it's evening, and there are more than two of you) or belly up to the bar for a quick bite and a drink selected from the imaginative cocktail list, the craft beers on tap, or the lengthy wine menu. Outdoor seating puts you amid all the sights and sounds of the strip.

This spacious cocktail bar and restaurant in the vibrant Warehouse Arts District offers an extensive bourbon list and elevated takes on classic American cuisine in dishes made with locally sourced ingredients. It has a rotating bourbon-based cocktails menu, as well as a $100-per-person interactive Horse Soldier Commander’s tasting experience with a personal steward.

Lines for meals stretch well beyond the hostess podium at this family restaurant in the heart of Sarasota's Amish community. Although pies—Key lime, egg custard, banana cream, peanut butter, strawberry rhubarb, and others—are the main event, other dishes are tasty, too, including such daily specials as goulash, chicken and dumplings, and pulled smoked pork. For breakfast, choose from French toast stuffed with cream cheese (or Oreos) or a hearty stack of pancakes. Sandwiches include Manhattans (roast beef, turkey, or meat loaf on homemade bread with mashed potatoes and gravy). The place is often crowded, but there's plenty of waitstaff to keep tables clean and cleared, so the flow is steady. The decor retains its Old Florida efficiency appearance.