A last-minute Thursday dinner near Tampa International turned into one of the better meals in recent memory — a Gulf snapper and seabass tie for the table’s favorite, and a Basque cheesecake made once a week by the Spanish-born GM himself.
A one-Michelin-Star Omakase experience in Tampa Heights that earned its star wholeheartedly — the best nonalcoholic drink pairing I’ve ever had, A5 Wagyu, and a chef who seared one side of a piece of nigiri right in front of me.
Upscale tapas near the Tampa Theatre with a chorizo swimming in oil, a flat ceviche, and two French-style desserts that outshone everything Spanish on the menu. The empanadas were the exception worth returning for.
Three months in Tampa searching for a great all-week breakfast spot — Willa’s Provisions near the University of Tampa is the answer, starting with a fig lemon rosemary iced latte and ending with homemade crullers.
A Sunday morning quiche Lorraine at a downtown Tampa French café — flaky crust, smoky bacon, melted Gruyère, and a crookie I’m already planning to come back for.
Downtown Tampa has been on a serious glow-up, and The Pearl on Water Street is Exhibit A. Tucked into the
A traffic jam in South Tampa led to Nene Restaurant, where khinkali dumplings burst with chicken broth, a Ukrainian Napoleon stops you mid-bite, and the beef stroganoff is done properly for once.
Ash Aziz’s Origins delivers four for four — arugula salad, tuna tataki, homemade rolls, and a bouillabaisse worth every drop of broth you’ll soak up with the bread.
A solo celebration two blocks from my hotel turned into four hours of custom cocktails, a meal on the house, and a table full of strangers convincing me to move to Tampa. Three months later, I did.
A cold November evening, a bowl of pasta fagioli, and Tarantelli’s signature tableside spaghetti from a real Parmigiano Reggiano wheel — plus the backstory of a Father’s Day mulligan finally redeemed.
A one-star Michelin Italian restaurant in Tampa with a tableside mozzarella that belongs in the appetizer hall of fame — and a duck entrée that absolutely does not.
Over a decade of attendance, one legendary rain out year, and the best almond crescents in Wilmington — the Greek Festival is always worth showing up for.
