The Ultimate Tampa / St. Pete Guide
With gorgeous sunny weather, nearby beaches, incredible restaurants and sports teams, there’s lots to love about my birthplace! The fact that the “gym” is everywhere, year round, makes me feel like I’m truly living each day. Endless biking trails and walking paths (Bayshore Blvd, Riverwalk/Channelside, Davis Islands, Courtney Campbell Causeway, Dunedin, Safety Harbor), fitness studios constantly opening (Tampa’s first Barry’s!), and getting grounded at the beach (Clearwater, St Pete, Anna Maria Island, Redington, Honeymoon Island)… there’s always so much to explore.
While I’ll always call Tampa my home — having moved here in 2020 and is my parents’ residence — the time has finally come for me to take the big leap and move to South Florida! So what better way to reflect on these past two years than to share my favorites? Read on for the best eats & treats in the Greater Tampa Bay area!
TAMPA
dine in
★ Acropolis Greek Taverna (Ybor City): quality authentic dishes; vegetable wrap
★ Armature Works (Tampa Heights): upscale food court, can’t miss!
★ Azure at EDITION (Channelside): rooftop bites at The Edition; hummus bowl
★ Bartaco (Hyde Park Village): small portions, great atmosphere
★ Cafe Quiquiriqui (Ybor City): inside hotel haya - if you watched selling tampa, you know - go for the truffle grilled cheese
★ Cali (South Tampa): creative menu, everything is delish; spicy rio burrito
★ Catch 23 (Westchase): coastal kitchen & bar with fantastic seafood
★ Columbia Restaurant (Ybor City): oldest restaurant in FL (1905) & oldest Spanish restaurant in the US; get the paella
★ Donatello (West Tampa): popular old-school Italian scene since the 80s; amazing pastas
★ Élevage (SoHo): located in the epicurean hotel & serves all day; loved their brunch
★ Fat Beet Farm (Hillsborough Ave): I stop by this sustainable kitchen & bakery every weekend — soooo many amazing options especially for takeaway; greens grown on site; truly the best way to get a variety of fresh produce and taste the rainbow; I love the beet & goat cheese salad with chicken; share the quiche & espresso chocolate chip cookie!
★ Forbici (Hyde Park Village): erica salad & sano grain bowl +salmon are incredible
★ Frenchy’s (Dunedin & Clearwater): festive seafood joint; watermelon feta salmon salad — so refreshing in the heat
★ Gourmet Pizza Company (SoHo): true to its name, endless options & can create your own
★ Green Lemon (SoHo): modern Mexican
★ Olivia (South Tampa): reserve this popular Italian spot, otherwise enjoy the full menu at the bar too
★ OnSwann (Hyde Park): kale salad is insane
★ Oxford Exchange (Downtown Tampa): the place to be — a restaurant with a bookstore, coffeehouse & decor/gift shop; make a reservation for breakfast, lunch, weekend brunch
★ Oystercatchers (Tampa Bay Waterfront): secluded & upscale eatery; seafood & steak
★ Rocca (Tampa Heights): fancy Italian, tableside mozzarella cart, reservations needed
★ Rocco’s Tacos (International Plaza): social scene; hundreds of tequila options
★ Rusty Pelican (Rocky Point): sophisticated local seafood & classic American fare since 1978; waterfront sunset views
★ The Screaming Jalapeño (Safety Harbor): bomb burrito bowls & hot sauces
★ Taco Dirty (SoHo): build-a-bowl, the flavor is unmatched
★ Tampa Pizza Company (Westchase): gourmet options & can create your own
★ True Food Kitchen (Midtown): crave-able health food joint recently opened here!
★ Water + Flour (SoHo): sushi, bowls, pasta, pizza — something for everyone
★ Willa’s (North Hyde Park): trendy brunch, next to provisions (its coffeehouse)
Casual eats & juice bars
★ Bare Naked Kitchen (South Tampa)
★ Clean Juice (Hyde Park Village)
★ Escape Root Juicery (Dunedin)
★ Fresh Kitchen (SoHo): build-a-bowl
★ Grain & Berry (Westchase): açaí bowls
★ Haven House (Safety Harbor): open-air eatery & coffee bar; great work space
★ Kale Me Crazy (Midtown): sleek superfood cafe
★ Little Leon (South Tampa): fast-casual healthy bowls & salads, cute environment
★ Lolis Mexican Cravings (Hillsborough Ave): authentic tacos, best takeout
★ LS Organics (Hyde Park): superfood smoothies, wellness shots, takeaway meals
★ Luv Child (SoHo): fun & flavorful Cuban
★ Naked Farmer (Sparkman Wharf + St Pete): locally sourced, seasonal menu; salmon & sweet potatoes always
★ Nature’s Food Patch (Dunedin): artisan market, healthy takeaway meals
★ The Nutrition Factory (Hillsborough Ave): inside gym; satisfying bowls & protein shakes
★ Raining Berries (Citrus Park): açaí, smoothies, coffee
★ Rawk Star Cafe (Oldsmar): best vegan gf raw foods cafe, organic grocery
★ Raw Smoothie Co. (North Hyde Park)
★ SoFresh (Westchase): grain bowls, salads, wraps, tulum quesadilla
★ SOHO Juice Co. (SoHo)
★ Sweet Soul (SoHo): plant-based soft serve, smoothies, açaí bowls
★ Zoes Kitchen (SoHo): casual Mediterranean & Greek
coffee
★ The Blend
★ The Blind Tiger
★ Buddy Brew
★ Cafe Vino Tinto (Safety Harbor)
★ Caffeine Roasters (SoHo)
★ Capital One Café (Hyde Park Village): great place to get some work done with coffee at a discount!
★ DI Coffee Bar (Davis Islands)
★ Flower Crown Kombucha (Tampa Heights): first kombucha bar; also serves nitro cold brew; lovely environment
★ Ginger Beard (Channel District): the pour house on grand central — coffee by day, beer by night; passionate workers; nitro cold brew
★ The Grind (Westchase): iced coffee tastes like cacao; all-day breakfast
★ Jet City Espresso (Hyde Park): walk-up to-go shop, historic home
★ Kahwa (South Tampa): locally roasted coffee, began in St. Pete
★ The Lab (North Hyde Park): greek breakfast sandwich
★ Lady and the Mug (Downtown Tampa): order the nitro cold brew for here (comes in a giant glass); friendliest staff
★ Magnanimous (Tampa Heights): brewery but serves a bomb nitro on tap
★ RULU (Trinity): unexpected hidden gem, located inside a church
★ TüKrō (Dunedin): cozy coffee cafe; great staff
★ Victory Coffee (Channel District): rustic-chic; redeye
★ Willa’s Provisions (North Hyde Park): gorgeous coffee shop; great work space
★ 9th Bar Espresso (Dunedin)
ST. PETERSBURG
eats
★ Baba: hummus & pita
★ Bodega: Cuban sandwiches (tempeh!), specialty juices & smoothies
★ The Canopy at Birchwood: rooftop lounge, private cabanas; cocktails & bites
★ Casita Taqueria: super fresh Mexican cuisine
★ Karma Juice Bar & Eatery: açaí bowls, cold pressed juices, smoothies, coffee, seasonal foods
★ The Library: brunch staples; stunning indoor/outdoor seating
★ Poppo’s Taqueria: made-from-scratch Mexican, street-food style
★ Red Mesa Cantina: tacos & sweet plantains; lively vibe
★ Spinners Rooftop Grille: glamorous seafood restaurant serving (literal) 360-degree views from its revolving dining room
★ Teak: elevated casual dining at the end of the pier
coffee
★ Bandit: owned by the minimalists!
★ Driftwood Kava: coffeehouse; great work space
★ Grassroots Kava: premium kava, coffee, tea & kombucha — the staff knows their stuff; great place to meet people
★ Intermezzo: trendy coffee with a sleek, minimalist style; ideal work space
★ Leaping Llama Cafe: locally owned in Pass-A-Grille; sit inside or take to-go for a stroll along the water
★ Paradeco: roaster that actually feels like paradise inside; specialty coffee, tea, smoothies, toasts, chia pudding
