Athena Iluz_Flickr-2.jpg
Athena Iluz_Flickr-2.jpg

Tampa


Tampa used to be known for its strip malls and strip clubs, but now this growing city on Florida’s Gulf Coast is becoming a dining destination.

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Tampa


Tampa used to be known for its strip malls and strip clubs, but now this growing city on Florida’s Gulf Coast is becoming a dining destination.

From historic Ybor City, with its rich Cuban heritage to Seminole Heights, which is becoming a hipster hangout, to downtown, which overlooks the Hillsborough River, you can find cafes, shops, bars, and breweries to keep you busy until the wee hours of the morning.


Photo Credit: Athena Iluz [flickr]

Photo Credit: Athena Iluz [flickr]

The biggest misconception about Tampa is that it’s all strip clubs and chain restaurants.
— Chef Noel Cruz

MORNING | Coffee

Buddy Brew Coffee | Photo Credit: Find. Eat. Drink.

Buddy Brew Coffee | Photo Credit: Find. Eat. Drink.

Buddy Brew Coffee

A specialty roaster and coffee tasting room. They source high quality beans and roast them fresh. Stop in for a cup of coffee, locally-made fresh donuts, sandwiches and fresh-baked goods.

"I love the cortado coffee drink. It is excellent"
FED PRO >  Chef Jeannie Pierola of Edison: Food + Drink

"Their roast and coffee are delicious."
FED PRO > Chef Noel Cruz of Icichoro Ramen

2020 W Kennedy Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33606  | T: 813.258.2739
Oxford Exchange: 420 W Kennedy Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33606 | T: 813.253.0222
www.buddybrew.com  

Kahwa Coffee

Coffee roasted locally in the Tampa Bay Area and they focus on blends over single origin coffees.

"I enjoy Kahwa coffee because it is local and it is roasted right down the street from us every 2 to 3 days, so it’s always fresh. We actually serve it here at the restaurant."
FED PRO > Chef David Benstock of Il Ritorno

400 North Ashley Drive, Tampa FL 33602
Drive-Thru: 3928 W Henderson Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33629

11588 Fountainhead Drive, Tampa, FL 33626
www.kahwacoffee.com


MORNING | Breakfast

Datz

Part deli, part gastropub. They open at 7am to serve breakfast and stay open until 11pm.

"This is a solid go to. Always busy. I like the energy of the spot. Datz Good Hash is a my pick. I am a sucker for corned beef hash.
FED PRO > Chef Noel Cruz of Ichicoro Ramen

2616 S MacDill Avenue, Tampa, FL 33629
T: 813.831.7000 |
www.datztampa.com


FOOD SHOPS

Photographs courtesy of MD Oriental Market

Photographs courtesy of MD Oriental Market

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MD Oriental Market

Aisles filled with fresh vegetables, fresh meats, fresh and live seafood.

“The produce and seafood are always fresh and they always have a lot of hard to find items like live Dungeness crab, live frogs, snails, etc. The pork belly in the prepared food section makes a great lunch.”
- FED PRO > Chef Chad Johnson of Haven

"It is stacked with almost any Asian ingredient needed."
FED PRO > Chef Noel Cruz of Ichicoro Ramen

1106 E Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL 33612 | T: 813.868.1688
10127 E Adamo Drive, Tampa, FL 33619 | T: 813.443.2188
www.mdorientalmarket.com

VSpicery Flavor Shop

Val Herzog opened this spice shop because she was unable to find fresh herbs and spices in the area.

"I like shopping here for dried herbs, spices, oils, and vinegars."
FED PRO > Chef Greg Baker of The Refinery, Fodder and Shine

2913 W Cypress Street, Tampa, FL 33609
T: 813.870.1133 | 
vspicery.com

Sanwa Farmers Market

Founded in 1981 by Tony Leung, native of Hong Kong. He came to Florida in 1980 to find winter growing areas for his specialty Asian produce.

"They always have a great selection of produce and exotic ingredients."
FED PRO > Chef Noel Cruz of Ichicoro Ramen

2621 E Hillsborough Avenue, Tampa, FL 33610
T: 813.234.8428 |
www.sanwafarmersmarket.com


LUNCH

Saigon Deli | Photo Credit: Find. Eat. Drink.

Saigon Deli | Photo Credit: Find. Eat. Drink.

Saigon Deli

Known for their banh mi sandwiches, which comes in four varieties. They also serve spring rolls and classic Vietnamese dishes.

"Off the beaten track for the banh mi. They do incredible justice to a timeless dish."
FED PRO > Chef Jeannie Pierola of Edison: Food + Drink

3858 W Waters Avenue, Tampa, FL 33614
T: 813.887.3888

Brocato's Sandwich

Opened in 1948, they are known for the Devil Crabs - which is like a Cuban crab cake. They also serve Cuban sandwiches.

"I come here for a Cuban sandwich and their deviled crab."
FED PRO > Chef Noel Cruz of Ichicoro Ramen

5021 E Columbus Drive, Tampa, FL 33619
T: 813.248.9977 |
brocatossandwich.com

Arroz con Pollo at Arco Iris | Photo Credit: Find. Eat. Drink.

Arroz con Pollo at Arco Iris | Photo Credit: Find. Eat. Drink.

Cuban sandwich at Arco Iris | Photo Credit: Find. Eat. Drink.

Cuban sandwich at Arco Iris | Photo Credit: Find. Eat. Drink.

Arco Iris

A family-run Cuban diner not too far from Tampa airport. They feature Spanish and Cuban cuisines with special lunch prices.

"Come here for Cuban food and order the roast pork and black beans."
FED PRO > Chef Noel Cruz of Ichicoro Ramen

3328 W Columbus Drive, Tampa, FL 33607
T: 813.879.1357

The 1905 Salad | Photograph courtesy of The Columbia

The 1905 Salad | Photograph courtesy of The Columbia

The Columbia

Opened in 1905, this is Florida's oldest restaurant and the large Spanish restaurant in the world. They serve classic Cuban dishes and have 1,056 wines with an inventory exceeding 50,000 bottles. Expect a mix of tourists and locals

"The 1905 Salad here is a great local dish. It has iceberg lettuce, tomato, baked ham, Swiss cheese, and pimento-stuffed green Spanish olives."
FED Pro > Chef Jeannie Pierola

"This is a quintessential Florida place. I love the formality here. Get a Cuban sandwich or their Shrimp Criollo."
FED Pro > Chef Greg Baker

2117 East 7th Avenue,Tampa, FL 33605
T: 813.248.4961 | 
www.columbiarestaurant.com


AFTERNOON SWEETS, TREATS, TEA

Photograph courtesy of The Oxford Exchange

Photograph courtesy of The Oxford Exchange

The Oxford Exchange

You'll find a restaurant, bookstore, lifestyle gift boutique, co-working space, design studio, Buddy Brew Coffee, and Tebella Tea all in a beautiful renovated 1900s historic building.

"This is a great spot to find a spot and have an afternoon tea or coffee while people watching."
FED PRO > Chef Noel Cruz of Ichicoro Ramen

420 W Kennedy Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33602
T: 813.253.0222 |
oxfordexchange.com

Photograph courtesy of La Segunda Central Bakery

Photograph courtesy of La Segunda Central Bakery

La Segunda Central Bakery

Opened in 1915, they make authentic Cuban breads, sandwiches, and Latin American pastries.

"The best for traditional Cuban bread, because when made right and served warm it is ethereal."
FED PRO > Chef Noel Cruz of Ichicoro Ramen

2512 N 15th Street, Tampa, FL 33605
T: 813.248.1531 | 
lasegundabakery.com


BEER: TASTE, TOUR, DRINK

Photograph Courtesy of Cigar City Brewing

Photograph Courtesy of Cigar City Brewing

Cigar City Brewing

Local microbrewery collaborating with different breweries around the county.

"They weren't the first craft brewery in the area, but they are the brewery that put the area on the map. I'm quite fond of their Invasion Pale Ale."
FED PRO >  Chef Greg Baker of The Refinery, Fodder & Shine

TASTING ROOM
Open Daily | Brewery tours: Wed - Sun
3924 W Spruce Street, Tampa, FL 33607
T: 813.348.6363 |
cigarcitybrewing.com

BREWPUB
15491 N Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa, FL 33624
T: 813.962.1274 |
cigarcitybrewpub.com

Independent | Photo Credit: Find. Eat. Drink.

Independent | Photo Credit: Find. Eat. Drink.

Independent Bar & Cafe

A beer hall with a focus on micro brews and traditional Belgians. They also have a cafe with breakfast, salads, baked goods, grilled cheese and panini sandwiches.

"This is a great Belgium style beer bar and a cafe. They’ve got a good variety of sandwiches and German-style food. You can get a proper bratwurst or leberkäse, but at the same time you can also get a plate of hummus or some charcuterie and cheese. Their beer selection is fantastic. They’ve got 18 taps, plus an entire rare bottle cooler that has one offs and hard-to-find beers. They keep it locked up so you have to go and pick what you want through the cooler and have somebody come and unlock it for you. They are well-researched, well crafted, well-curated beers."
FED PRO >  Chef Greg Baker of The Refinery, Fodder & Shine

5016 N Florida Avenue, Tampa, FL 33603
T: 813.341.4883


COCKTAILS

Photographs courtesy of Ciro's

Photographs courtesy of Ciro's

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Ciro's Speakeasy and Supper Club

A supper club with Prohibition-era cocktails, playing on the speakeasy theme of the 1920s.

"It’s a cool little speakeasy-like cocktail bar and the guys are just awesome. They put out amazing products."
FED PRO > Bartender Toby Maloney of Pouring Ribbons

"I love this speakeasy for cocktails."
FED PRO > Chef Chris Ponte of Cafe Ponte

2109 Bayshore Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33606
T: 813.251.0022 | 
www.cirostampa.com

Haven 

Offering 300 bourbons, 40 wines by the glass, 60 cheeses and a variety of charcuteries.

"To enjoy whiskey."
FED PRO > Chef Noel Cruz of Ichicoro Ramen

2208 W Morrison Avenue, Tampa, FL 33606
T: 813.258.2233
| haventampa.com


DINNER

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STEAKHOUSE | Bern's Steak House

Known for their steaks and impressive wine cellar with over 6,800 selections. The decor is neo-bordello with scarlet red wallpaper and gilded sconces. Wine geeks travel from all over the world to experience this restaurant that opened up in 1956. After you've finished eating steaks the size of your head, you can tour the cellar and then head upstairs to their dessert bar for further indulgence.

Photographs courtesy of Bern's

Photographs courtesy of Bern's

"Bern's Steak House is a must. Three things: caesar salad, Chateaubriand, and macadamia nut ice cream are all you need to order here."
FED PRO >  Chef Jeannie Pierola of Edison: Food + Drink

"You can get anything you desire here. You can go from the most awesome caviar to great cheese to a piece of meat to an incredible wine selection in a place that when you drive by looks like a storage unit. You can’t duplicate this place ever and I think that it is such a treasure for this area. We order everything, I’ll go through six courses of food here."
FED PRO > Chef Zack Gross of Z Grill

"This is one of the oldest restaurants in Tampa. It nails the classic early steak house feel. It is dark with crushed velvet wallpaper and one of the deepest wine selections in the country."
FED PRO > Chef Noel Cruz of Ichicoro Ramen

1208 S Howard Avenue, Tampa, FL 33606
T: 813.251.2421 | 
www.bernssteakhouse.com

Photograph courtesy of The Refinery

Photograph courtesy of The Refinery

NEW AMERICAN | The Refinery

The ever-changing menu features dishes like Coffee Grilled Pork Chop and a peanut butter, cantaloupe, togarashi bacon, and pepper jack burger. Chef Greg Baker says, 'I like to start with country cooking and comfort food, no matter what country it’s from – then see if we can elevate it by merging with other ethnicities or ingredients that on the outside seem to have no connection."

"Come here to eat something different, because their take is so creative. Chef Greg Baker does these cool plays on food. You’re not going to go to a place and eat duck hearts and peanut butter and marshmallow burgers, but that’s what you’re going to get here. The menu changes every Thursday. I look at it every Thursday to see what he’s making."
FED PRO > Chef Zack Gross of Z Grill

5137 North Florida Avenue, Tampa, FL 33603
T: 813.237.2000 |
thetamparefinery.com

Rooster & the Till | Photo Credit: Find. Eat. Drink.

Rooster & the Till | Photo Credit: Find. Eat. Drink.

NEW AMERICAN | Rooster & the Till

"This is the closest place to the Refinery in the neighborhood in that it’s not fine dining. It’s forward-thinking food. The chef and owner [Ferrell Alvarez] is always pushing his limits and you never know exactly what you’re going to be getting. The menu changes fairly frequently with an emphasis on local ingredients and produce. All in all, it's a great dining experience."
FED PRO > Chef Greg Baker of The Refinery, Fodder & Shine

6500 N Florida Avenue, Tampa, FL 33604
T: 813.374.8940 | 
www.roosterandthetill.com

Photograph courtesy of Yummy House

Photograph courtesy of Yummy House

CHINESE | Yummy House

The style of the food is from the Hong Kong and the Southern regions of China. They are known for their seasonal menu and weekend dim sum. It's BYOB.

"Get the salt and pepper shrimp."
FED PRO > Chef Greg Baker of The Refinery, Fodder & Shine

2202 W Waters Avenue, Tampa, FL 33604
T: 813.915.2828 | 
www.yummyhousetampa.com


LATE NIGHT

Ichicoro Ramen | Photo Credit: Seamus Payne

Ichicoro Ramen | Photo Credit: Seamus Payne

JAPANESE | Ichicoro Ramen

A ramen shop located in a former tire shop in Seminole Heights. The crew moved to the area from New York, including Japanese chef Masaru Takaku. Chef / restaurateur Noel Cruz describes Ichicoro. "We have one foot in the tradition of ramen, but are utilizing the Florida bounty and the cultural influences of Tampa."

Open until 1am Thu - Sat
5229 N Florida Avenue, Tampa, FL 33603

www.ichicoroya.com

Photograph courtesy of Fly Bar

Photograph courtesy of Fly Bar

Fly Bar

They have a roof deck bar for sunset views over downtown Tampa's historic district and stay open until 3am for your after midnight needs.

"They have a great cocktail program and close at 3am."
FED PRO > Chef Noel Cruz of Ichicoro Ramen

Open until 3am
1202 N Franklin Street, Tampa, FL 33602
T: 813.275.5000 |  
flybarandrestaurant.com

FED24 To Go


FED24 To Go


Prep for your trip. Take the guide with you by downloading our FED24 To Go version.

Map


Map


Souvenirs


Souvenirs


Old St. Pete Distillery Whiskey

"I think this would make a great gift to take home because it goes to show St. Pete thrives in staying local – including in its spirits."
- Chef David Benstock

Website | Where To Buy

 

William Dean Chocolates 

Hand-painted and stenciled artisanal chocolates made across the bay in Belleair Bluffs by chocolatier Bill Brown.

Website | Where To Buy

Cubano Espress

Cigar City’s Cubano-sytle Brown Ale mates with Buddy Brew Coffee to create this modern version of old school Tampa Cuban Espresso. 

Website

Planning Links


Planning Links


INSPIRATION

READ | Trip Reads for Tampa/St. Petersburg -- Inspirational reading lists for today's traveler.

MUSEUMS | St. Petersburg

SURREALISM ART | Dali Museum
CLASSIC & MODERN ART | Museum of Fine Arts
HISTORY & HERITAGE | Florida Holocaust Museum
ARTISTS AT WORK | Morean Glass Studio and Hot Shop

MUSIC AND THEATER

MUSIC & THEATER | Straz Center
LIVE MUSIC OUTDOORS | Jannus Live
THEATER | St. Petersburg City Theater
THEATER | American Stage

Stay

HOTELS | Room77
APARTMENTS | Airbnb -- book an apartment.

Getting Around

BICYCLE | Coast Bike Share
UBER | Download the app, get a car.

 

FED Pros


FED Pros


greg baker

Executive chef and co-owner of The Refinery and Fodder & Shine in Tampa.

Executive Chef Thomas Tennant MGFD-2-2.jpg

Jeannie Pierola

Executive chef and owner of Edison: Food + Drink in Tampa.

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Chad Johnson

Executive chef of Haven, Élevage, Epicurean Hotel in Tampa.

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Noel Cruz

Restauranteur and chef at Icichoro Ramen in Tampa.


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David Benstock 

Executive chef and co-owner of Il Ritorno in St. Petersburg.

Chris Ponte

Executive chef of owner of Cafe Ponte in Largo.

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Zack Gross

Executive chef and co-owner of Z Grill in St. Petersburg.

Toby Maloney

Bartender and co-owner of Pouring Ribbons in New York, Violet Hour in Chicago, Patterson House in Nashville.

More Guides


More Guides


More Guides

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