7th + Grove: Soul Food with a Creole Twist in Ybor City
A casual soul-food-meets-Creole night in Ybor City delivers huge portions, a standout fried chicken plate, and two entrees that turn out to be nearly the same dish in disguise.
Lumbre: A Spanish Tapas Discovery Worth Waiting For
A late Tuesday reservation at a brand-new Spanish tapas spot near Willa’s turns into one of the best meals in Tampa – octopus, house-cured anchovies, and croquetas that outclass a well-known downtown competitor.
Columbia Restaurant: 120 Years of History in Ybor City
A reservation ahead of a comedy show turns into a proper meal at the 120-year-old, 1,700-seat Columbia Restaurant – tableside 1905 Salad, a standout red snapper, and another entry in an ongoing key lime pie tour of Tampa.
Blind Tiger Cafe: A Quick Stop After Bloodwork
A post-bloodwork coffee run to a South Howard chain cafe turns up a dirty table, thin breakfast tacos, and a latte too mild to wake anyone up.
Meat Market Steakhouse: Tiny Spoons, Insulated Cups, and Wagyu That Melts
Hyde Park Village’s busiest reservation delivers A5 Wagyu that melts, an oyster mignonette done right, a tableside-flamed key lime pie, and teacups the manager admits came straight off Amazon.
Union New American: A Thursday Night I Wasn’t Planning to Have
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.
Kosen: A Michelin Star That Earned Every Bit of It
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.
Spain Restaurant & Tapas Bar: Great Empanadas, Everything Else Optional
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.
Willa’s Provisions: Tampa’s Breakfast Problem, Solved
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.
Côte France French Café: The Quiche That Made Me Forget About the Crookie
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.
The Pearl on Water Street — Downtown Tampa
Downtown Tampa has been on a serious glow-up, and The Pearl on Water Street is Exhibit A. Tucked into the
Nene Restaurant: A Traffic Jam Led Me to the Best Dumplings in South Tampa
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.