spokefish's Profile
New spot in South Tampa- "Wimauma" is up and running
Dr. Todd,
I agree. it's one of my new favorite restaurants in Tampa. They do that nouveau Southern thing well. And what I love about them is that it's all locally-sourced. The menu changes about every other day depending on the ingredients local farmers bring them. It was hands down the best shrimp n grits I've ever had. The citrus mahi mahi and the beef two ways were also incredible. Delicious fried green tomato appetizer as well. The only thing that was a miss were the desserts. We tried a peach cornbread cobbler and some sort of vanilla ice cream over a bacon brownie, the cobbler was too dry and the brownie way too salty for my liking. Sadly they had run out of the pb&j creme brulee, which I would have loved to try.
I'll definitely be back.
Really good breakfast in st Pete?
The best egg benedict I've had in St. Pete is at the Queenshead (25th and Central). It's only available during their Sunday brunch (11-3) and it's worth carving out some time that day to enjoy. It has a delicious orange zest citrus glaze on it with a touch of Sriracha in it, over an English muffin.
TAMPA ADVICE
One of my new favorites is Wimauma (the restaurant, not the town). It's in South Tampa, off Gandy. They do that nouveau Southern thing well. And what I love about them is that it's all locally-sourced. The menu changes about every other day depending on the ingredients local farmers bring them. Best shrimp n grits I've ever had. The citrus mahi mahi and the beef two ways were also incredible. Delicious fried green tomato appetizer as well.
Restaurants in St. Pete
are you kidding me?!? there are great and reasonable restaurants in st pete. you've just got to know where to look for them.
a cheap steak - struggling to think of something on this side of the bay, but my all-time favorite cheap eats is La Teresita in Tampa. worth the 20 minute drive to pay $6 for an incredible palomilla or breaded steak.
an amazing steak regardless of price (but still much, much cheaper than Bern's) - Salt Rock Grill (St. Pete Beach) 1,200-degree citrus- and oak-wood fire pit and incredible choice cuts. their seafood's not bad either or The Queenshead (Grand Central District, downtown St. Pete) their filet mignon with the horseradish mashed potatoes was too die for)
Chinese - ABC Seafood (54th Ave. N.) or Ha Long Bay for great Dim Sum (34th St. N.), Yummy House or China Yuan (both are worth the 20 minute drive to Tampa, both around Waters & Armenia - highly recommend the honey walnut shrimp, salt and pepper tofu and garlic eggplant at both Yummy and China Yuan). as far as cheap take-out shit, well, you get what you pay for. maybe a decent chain like Panda Express would fulfill that need. they're my go-to when I'm in a hurry, i hit the drive-thru and their chicken and mushrooms and orange chicken, two item combo with fried rice for $5.95 never ceases to please.
Sushi - Hook's (on MLK)
Mexican - VIP Lounge (awesome hole-in-the-wall, open late at Treasure Island), Red Mesa and Red Mesa Cantina, Burrito Boarder (downtown)
Italian/Deli - Mazzaro's
Thai-Mexican - Nitally's (three words: chicken panang burrito)
seafood - Backfin Blue (one of my all-time favorites here. i dream about their corn and crab chowder. Gulfport), Island Seafood Market, Ted Peter's, Mid-Peninsula
Southern - Savannah's
Burgers - Ted Peter's (smoked fish place with a bad ass burger, thank you velveeta cheese), Chattaway's (best atmosphere), El Cap (see also, their corn dog bites)
Breakfast - The Dome Grill, Banyan coffee and tea (limited menu, but they make a great breakfast sandwich or breakfast burrito, amazing lunches, too), Pinky's (i try not to leave St. Pete unless I absolutely have to... but then again this one's worth the drive to Tampa every once and a while), The Hangar (at Albert Whitted Airport)
hidden lunch gem - Spice Routes inside the First Unity Church cafe on 4th St. N., call (727) 422-7283 and get them to add you to their email list. each morning they send out the menu for the day (small, but super fresh, changes daily, based on local produce, etc.), you can call in an order for pick-up, go eat in the cafe (live music once a week) or i heard a rumor they're delivering now. inside the church, but not churchy... they kinda keep it separate.
fancy date night - Z-Grille, Cafe Alma
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China Yuan
8502 N Armenia Ave Ste 1A, Tampa, FL 33604
ABC Seafood Restaurant
2705 54th Ave N Ste 3, Saint Petersburg, FL 33714
Yummy House
2202 W Waters Ave Ste 1A, Tampa, FL 33604
Red Mesa Restaurant
4912 4th St N, Saint Petersburg, FL 33703
Red Mesa Cantina
128 3rd St, Saint Petersburg, FL
El Cap Restaurant
3500 4th St N, Saint Petersburg, FL 33704
Dome Grill
561 Central Ave, Saint Petersburg, FL 33701
Backfin Blue Cafe
2913 Beach Blvd S, Gulfport, FL 33707
Chattaway
358 22nd Ave S, Saint Petersburg, FL 33705
Salt Rock Grill
19325 Gulf Blvd, Indian Shores, FL 33785
Cafe Alma
260 1st Ave S Ste 100, Saint Petersburg, FL 33701
Thanksgiving dinner-to-go in Tampa
just shared this on another thread, so thought i'd cross post it here, because it's a quality local restaurant, and they're doing dine in and to-go turkey day dinners this year.
http://www.savannahsstpete.com/
download the takeout menu and check it out for yourself. they're just over the bridge in st pete.
Tampa or Clearwater for Thanksgiving Dinner
one of my favorite local st pete restaurants is serving up homestyle thanksgiving meals, with a southern twist. the buttermilk chicken stuffed with goatcheese is highly recommended, as is the shrimp n grits. they've got more traditional stuff for ya too.
http://www.savannahsstpete.com/ >> click on dining in menu, or go directly here.
http://www.savannahsstpete.com/menus/Savannahs_Thanksgiving_Menu_2010.pdf
Where are the good bagels in Tampa?
I'd second (or third) Clearwater Bagels which are great, but even closer to Tampa is Brandon Bagels... and they're actually the best bagels I've had in Tampa Bay.
942 W Brandon Blvd Brandon, FL
(Brandon Blvd. is also known as SR-60)
