Help for Struggling Tampa Bay Restaurants

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Catrina's Tacos And Tequila Bar: Just Guac Away?

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Life at la Dolce Vida is Semi-Sweet
Service is spot on it is located in a prime South Tampa ​location 

la Dolce Vita Pappardelle Bolognese

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BJ's Alabama BBQ vs. Deviled Pig- Where Can You Get The Best Q?

These restaurants are within four blocks of each other and compete for your barbecue dollars. Which one should you pick?

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Bar Hwrd: A SoHo No-No

SoHo is a great place to party but service and food at Bar Hwrd disappoint

Bugs For Dinner? Yep. Happy BugsGiving!

See what happened at the ento-cuisine event sponsored by the Museum of Fine Art in St Pateresburh

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Guthrie's Has Southern Charm But Needs Update

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In the Mood for Italian Food with a Twist? Cena!

Fried artichoke with lemon aioli, on a bed of arugula bresaola salad

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Brunch Pops (Up) at Rooster and the Till

R&T's version of an egg sammy- Cheddar scrambled eggs, house made sausage patty, and hot sauce aioli, on an everything bagel

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Alchemy at the edison:food+drink lab

Seared tuna served with a Peruvian yellow pepper sorbet? Yep!

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​Sunday Morning St Pete Foodie Adventure- Fresh Connection Cafe

Custom-made omelettes, biscuits and gravy, and a house made croissant make the trip easy like Sunday morning!

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Michele Faedo's Tampeño- The Tampa Cuban Culinary Connection

The Cuban sandwich is massive at Michele Faedo's Tampeño Cuisine

King of the Coop? Not so fast..

A Nashville chicken joint fights to be king. Not so sure the crown fits.

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Checking Chicken Salad at Chicken Salad Chick

Offering a variety of different chicken salad dishes, pimentos cheeses, and sandwiches, Chick Salad Chick just opened a new store in south Tampa... Check it out here.

Ever Miss Neighborhood Seafood Joints? Try Blue Sea!

Foodie purists or fried-food-faint-of-heart, move along. These aren't the droids you are looking for.
Ever long for a traditional fried seafood dinner without glam or fuss? People who have been in Tampa a while may miss the likes of the Colonnade, Seabreeze or Mirabella's seafood eateries. At one time, they dominated the seafood scene in the old Tampa. There were no fancy imported clams or fish flown in fresh daily from foreign lands. They offered a classic battered and fried plate of ocean harvest. I had a craving for some and went looking. My quest took me to Blue Sea Seafood Market and Restaurant is in surprising part of town.  Here's the scoop...

Free* Instagram food photography class being offered on April 13, 2019. Click here

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Is a $280 Meal in Tampa Worth It?

We capitalize on an opportunity to eat at one of Tampa's premier foodie spots. Worth it?

Every year Creative Loafing sponsors a holiday auction to benefit the Children's Home in Tampa and typically handles some pretty fab merch. Last year they auctioned off a chef's tasting dinner at Rooster and the Till. It was a chance to help the Children's Home and have a night of food at one of the best restaurants in the area. Bidding on it was a no-brainer! Was it pricey? Absolutely. Was it worth it? Read on....

Hanging with @thisbabeeats for a Foodie Photo Tour  is a blast!

Every once in a while I get to spend time with fellow foodies and  today was one of those times. Kiera Andrews, better known as on social media as @thisbabeeats, hosted a four hour tour of three food halls in Tampa for 30 foodies. Each stop offered samples of delicious food and drink, and lots of opportunities for meeting, greeting and Instagram- ing! See more...

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Finger Licking Good Soul Food in Tampa? Yep!

Al's does it again, parlaying its experience in barbecue and opening a soul food restaurant

With waves of new culinary hot spots hitting the Tampa Bay area is easy to pass over the types of food that have been the foundation of this community for a long time. Al's Finger Licking Good Soul Food opened in December and serves dishes that brings me back to my Southern roots. Fried and baked chicken? Check! Pot roast and liver and onions? Check! Collard greens, black-eyed peas, fried okra? Yaas! Read more..

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The Tampa Bay Times: Best 100 Bay Area restaurants

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Chef Ferrell Alvarez and Ty Rodriguez of Rooster and the Till, who took the top spot for this years best, pose with food critic Laura Reiley

The Tampa Bay Times and food critic Laura Reiley celebrated the announcement of her top 100 restaurants for 2019 with a bash at the Franklin Food Hall Thursday night. A mix of a who's who of Tampa's culinary world and their admirers feasted on a generous offerings of delicious delights from some of the kitchens at the hall. Traditionally the Times and Reiley have revealed a 50 best restaurants list, but she says due to the remarkable increase in quality establishments they broadened the field to 100 for her retrospective tally for 2019. See the entire story and video here

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Pokin' the Bull (Market)

The newly opened market on Himes Avenue is a cross between a market and a restaurant.

We walk in to new Bull Market on Himes Avenue with a sense of curiosity. Is it a market or a restaurant? After all the windows say Eat, Drink, Shop, Local. The former convenience store that morphed into the Vietnam Oriental Supermarket sat empty for years. In 2015  the South Tampa Fresh Market opened here for a short stint but closed following a huge loss due to hurricane Irma in 2017. Enter Bull Market.
During all that time frame (2011 - 2018) a former Farm Stores at Himes and Gandy Blvd.- in the adjacent lot- a drive through coffee shop called Baristas opened, and in late 2017 Big Island Poke took over offering poke and acai bowls, again for drive through only. 
​With the shuttering of the market and the need for a place to prepare warm dishes and have seating for customers, the owners of Big Island Poke opened Bull Market. More..

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California Dreamin' At Cali South Tampa

Another restaurant in the Ciccio portfolio opens on Dale Mabry

The venerable folks over at the House of Ciccio have brought yet another fast food hybrid eatery to South Tampa. On December 16  Ciccio Cali opened it's doors in the former Pei Wei location on South Dale Mabry Hwy. serving food inspired by tours of the California culinary landscape. There are other Cali locations in Brandon, Tampa Palms, and St Pete. This newest location differs from the others by not changing over to table service for dinner, preferring a counter service model. The interior is a nice makeover from the former Asian spot. More..

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Elvis lives on at the Chop Chop Shop

The new location for this Seminal Heights favorite has a lot of history-including Elvis!

The Seminole Heights Asian food favorite Chop Chop Shop opened in its new digs in late October. Originally an Ayre's Diner (there were several around Tampa in the '50s and '60s) it's a place where Elvis Presley reportedly ate, tying it to local folklore. If you listen closely you may still be able to hear Blue Christmas  echoing in the background. The diner housed Nicko's Fine Foods from the 1980's until it closed in late 2017. Read on...

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Farmtable Cucina is a gem in downtown St. Pete

It's all good here at Locale Market

I'm pretty sure, at least for the foodies that I know, a positive review for Farmtable Cucina is a no-brainer. It is a known quantity to the  local food world and was established by culinary rock stars Michael Mina and Don Pintabona in 2014. The overall consistent quality and variety of Locale Market, home to Farmtable Cucina in downtown St. Petersburg, is pretty much unmatched in these parts. I have reviewed some of the other stations in the market like the Poke bowl and the Hamburger counters, as well as their seafood low country boil last year. They are all consistently well done. Here's more

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Eating Breakfast in The Nest. Do it!

After months of waiting the new breakfast eatery opens its doors

In the former home of Your Pie, The Nest Neighborhood Kitchen opened it's doors on November 26 to little fanfare. According to co-owner Perry Dube (who was working the front counter) they are keeping the noise down about being open while they work out the kinks (invariably a smart move). I just happened to see the "open" sign  when driving by went in. The store has been in the planning since at least May 1, 2018 when the "opening soon" sign appeared. It worth the wait. The Nest offers a creative menu putting their own spin on traditional and unique dishes using some in-vogue ingredients (e.g.pimento cheese, and impossible burger meat) and it's really good. ​ See more

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​Giant little biscuits Debut in South Tampa

The biscuits are little but they are big!

02/01/2019 UPDATE- This store closed without notice.
​There's a new Giant in South Tampa. Hey Giant little biscuits started serving their small portion delights from their new shop on South Dale Hwy this week. The buttermilk two-bite morsels were perfected in the Seminole Heights store before bringing them to the new location. Owners Jesse Thompson and  Lee Valenti started their food venture as a community based learning center and grew in to serving biscuits and waffles during the day. As the food enterprise gained traction they began doing pop-up events which garnered even more popularity, culminating in opening a second location. The Seminole Heights location continues as a learning center in the evenings.

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Mad Dogs and Englishmen-
​In the Noon Day Sun

According to its website, Mad Dogs and Englishmen is dedicated to London celebrating the end of the postwar mid 60 's turmoil. Indeed it has been a staple in British pub fare in South Tampa on MacDill Avenue for over 25 years. They serve a righteous fish and chips, a decent Shepherd's pie, and always have an ample supply of Guinness for thirsty pub crawlers. See more...

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I went to the hospital this morning... for breakfast!

Really? This is hospital food?

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National Cheeseburger Day at BurgerFi- There's a trick to it..

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Nebraska Mini Mart- a foodie playground!

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​Nueva Cantina-¡Intentalo! (try it!)

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Clean Up at Taco Dirty

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Sociale Italian Tapas- It's a good concept...but

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Rooster & the Till- A Foodies Paradise

Pork belly on cornbread with clove infused honey is a menu standard and also part of the chef's tasting menu

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Healthy N' Fresh Cafe. It's All That!

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Ichicoro Hits The Bricks for One Night of Awesome

Chef Anthony Carbone and James Maldonado work the Ichicoro side of the house

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This Poke Ain't Hokey
Sushi in a bowl sounds like a great idea 

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Lunch with Gengiz Khan.. Wanna?

The menu includes vegetarian and protein items. There were no barbarians present....

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19 Reasons to Try 18 Bagels Co.
With a little tweaking it will rock

Look at that sandwich! Stacked Corned beef on marble rye.

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It's National French Fry Day
​and Dunkin' Donuts gives it a shot

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The Local - Country in the Neighborhood
This  kitchen mixes country cooking with highfalutin skill

The Devil's Eggs are a delicious variation of this traditional southern dish!

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Rocco's Didn't Rock 
Disappointment reigns at new taqueria

Choosing this popular taqueria may take an hour and a half out of your day

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Relax! Get Urban Comforted

Opened in a former gas station, Urban Comfort has retained some of the original feel

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Old Is New at Petite Piquant

With its new location Petit Piquant continues to deliver deliciousness!

Bianchi's Entoteca- Bring Your Friends!

Expertly curated wine list and excellent food make Bianchi's a go-to

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doormet-Sit a spell. But if you order delivery, you better tip your driver well!

doormet's food is decent but expensive. The delivery services may be outdated though...

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Cheezy's Bistro and Speakeasy
​The $64 question answered (not in a good way)

$64 for this meal? Questionable!

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Byblos for Brunch? Interested!
Check out their Med take on mid-day eating

The newly remodeled eatery no offers brunch. Should you go?

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Cooper's Hawk  
Wine for the masses, not so much for the refined

Cooper's Hawk offers a host of wine products

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We Ate Their Words
Local authors serve up dishes inspired by their books

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Que auténtico!
Acapulco Taqueria ​is the real deal

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Shula Burger Comes to Soho
​Put me in coach!

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2018 Florida State Fair Food
It' fried and elusive!​

This is a Bacon Bomb. It's 6 pounds of ground chuck mixed with bacon and seasoning and smoked for three hours

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​Photog-Foodie Best and Worst of 2017

It was a great year for Tampa Bay food. Here's why.

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Locale Market Rocks it's Low Country Boil
​This ain't your Grandma's clam bake!

Here's what it's all about- Gulf shrimp, craw fish, local 2 Docs clams, Prince Edward Island mussels, house-made alligator andouille sausage, corn on-the-cob and new potatoes

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Michelle Faedo's is Tampeño

Inside Michelle Faedo's Tampeño Cuisine a friendly atmosphere with pop music, and and everybody-knows-your-name feel welcome you.

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The Original Grilled Cheese Fest Returns 
Food trucks offer ridiculously good options on an American standard

The best looking dish of the day was by far the Fried Cheezit from Empamamas. It’s made with American cheese, white cheddar, provolone, smeared with Tampa Girl sauce then battered and breaded in Cheezit cracker crumbles and DEEP FRIED. Are you kidding me? It’s then served with kettle chips and ranch dressing. A gazillion fat grams later…wow!

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​Dessert Hits the Spot at Toffee to Go in South Tampa

Coffee Toffee cake is just one of the dishes at the new Dessert Spot

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Oh Mana Mana That's Good

A new Mediterranean place opens in SOHO featuring Israeli influenced food.

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Piccola Italia Bistro- Don't tell anyone!

The food is so good let's not tell too many people....

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Yummy House Opens YHS (Yummy House South) 
It will take months to try everything!

Click here for free tips on taking better food photos

Need a photography class? Click here

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UPCOMING
​FOOD & DRINK EVENTS

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April

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Ongoing

​Red curry is just one of the great dishes served every week at the St Pete Saturday Morning Market 

See More Restaurant Reviews

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Help for Your Food Photography

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Here's what's wrong. Everything... including standing in the light and casting a shadow on the dish. Just NO! Photo from Yelp

​Stop taking bad food photos!

You've seen them, and maybe even taken them. Those really bad food photos uploaded everyday don't have to happen. With a little practice and some simple tips you will get better food photos in no time! 

Tips for Taking Better Restaurant Food Photos (click here) 

This shot was taken in a restaurant with no special lighting using several of these tips. They're free and they work. C'mon people! No more bad food photos!