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25 essential restaurants in downtown Tampa everyone should've tried by now

By CL Staff on Fri, Sep 13, 2019 at 6:59 pm

With a flurry of new eateries and trendy hot spots, downtown Tampa is quickly becoming one of the area's best foodie zones. Over the past 12 months, downtown Tampa has become a buffet of new and classic restaurants, from 80s-themed bars, to local fish shacks favorites, to high-end elevated fare. Here are a handful of restaurants worth getting to know in the downtown area.

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Mole Y Abuela

1202 N Franklin St, Tampa, 813-370-1000
This traditional Spanish restaurant features a brunch menu in addition to their extensive dinner menu. Plus, the rooftop bar features a pretty cool setup at night.

Photo via Mole Y Abuela/Facebook

Dio Modern Mediterranean

519 N Franklin St, Tampa, 813-341-2525
The restaurant formerly known as Paninoteca has transformed from a panini place (no, they’re not a meanie) into a full-fledged Mediterranean restaurant. While they still feature fare from the old place, they also include several other options, including Middle Eastern and Italian food.

Photo via Dio Modern Mediterranean/Facebook

Big Ray’s Fish Camp

333 Franklin Street South, Tampa, 813-605-3615
Order a lobster corn dog here and you probably won’t be disappointed, but they feature other seafood options. This convention center-adjacent location shares space with The Sail, so you can grab a drink to go with your grub.

Photo via Big Ray’s Fish Camp/Facebook

Harpoon Harry’s

225 S Franklin St, Tampa, 813-321-4040
They got Cuban egg rolls? Hell yeah. While this place is a bit pricey, they do feature an extensive seafood menu that includes oysters, lobster, and even sushi.

Photo via Harpoon Harry’s/Facebook

GenX Tavern

103 E Jackson St, Tampa, 813-694-7001
Feeling nostalgic? Thinking about Tom Hanks in the movie “Big?” Then GenX Tavern might be for you. They even have adult Capri Suns and fried Twinkies.

Photo via GenX Tavern/Facebook

Bamboozle

516 N Tampa St, Tampa, 813-223-7320
Hopefully they won’t fool you (sorry), but their menu features fresh rolls for lunch, with some pho soup for dinner. Also, their menu includes gluten-free options.

Photo via Bamboozle/Facebook

The Spaniard

5303 W Kennedy Blvd, Tampa, 813-405-1153
Executive Chef Brian Agoncillo features a menu that attempts to incorporate local ingredients to the flavor of this picturesque hot spot. Bring yo friends (shoutout to Kid Cudi) to share some paella.

Photo via The Spaniard/Facebook

Yeoman’s Cask and Lion

202 N Morgan St, Tampa, 813-224-9367
Bottomless Bloody Mary’s and mimosas are a big hit at this British pub. The food is pretty standard UK bar fare, including the Churchill Chips, the Prime Minister Shrimp, and the Royal Pretzel Rolls.

Photo via Yeoman’s Cask and Lion/Facebook

Columbia Cafe

801 Water St #1905, Tampa, 813-229-5511
Located inside of the Tampa History Center, it’s a convenient place to stop by after touring the museum. You can also enjoy a nice, secluded waterfront view.

Photo via Columbia Cafe/https://www.columbiarestaurant.com/Menus-By-Location/Locations/Tampa-Bay-History-Center

Bizou Brasserie

601 N Florida Ave, Tampa, 813-227-9555
Located in the former federal courthouse, Bizou is mostly known for their French cuisine. While their main plates are a bit on the pricey side, they also offer cheaper, small plates for the not-so-hungry Tampans.

Photo via Bizou Brasserie/Facebook

Jerk Hut

513 N Franklin St, Tampa, 813-223-5375
One of three locations throughout the Tampa Bay area, Jerk Hut is a pretty solid choice for chicken lovers.You gotta try that red sauce.

Photo via Jerk Hut/Facebook

Taste

513 S Florida Ave, Tampa, 813-769-8300
Another hotel restaurant? Yes, and this one is located in the Embassy Suites. While Taste was started in Philly, the new location will feature executive chef Graham Zimmerman, in addition to serving “hyperlocal” taps.

Photo via Taste/Facebook

Edison: Food + Drink Lab

912 W Kennedy Blvd, Tampa, 813-254-7111
Chef Jeannie Pierola, a James Beard Semifinalist, heads up this interesting restaurant. If you want to support local legendary chefs, this is the spot to hit up.

Photo via Edison: Food + Drink Lab/Facebook

Eddie and Sam’s

203 E Twiggs St, Tampa, 813-229-8500
If you’re in the mood for a simple slice of pizza, stop by Eddie and Sam’s. Plus, they even have a pretty solid daily deal for two slices and a coke.

Photo via Eddie and Sam’s/Facebook

Garrison Tavern

2909 22nd Ave N, St. Petersburg, 727-321-2400
Chef Richard Sandoval has taken his Colorado-based restaurant and brought it to Tampa, as Garrison Tavern features elevated bar food offerings (courtesy of Executive Chef Julie Miller) such as tacos, barbacoa nachos and burgers. The bar also has two bays with Top Golf bays, including zombie dodgeball (will Daryl Dixon be one of your teammates?).

Photo via Jenna Rimensnyder/Creative Loafing

Osteria

903 N Franklin St, Tampa, 813-563-5000
The menu was created by celebrity chef Fabio Viviani, and features unique tastes like squid ink pasta. This is always an interesting date night spot.

Photo via Osteria/https://osteriatampa.com/

Sparkman Wharf

615 Channelside Dr, Tampa, 813-345-5881
Despite it being hot as hell outside, this is a solid place to go for some serious dining variety, as some of the best chefs in Tampa have shipping container concepts on the grounds. Hey, there’s also plenty of green space for kids to burn off all that apple juice.

Photo via Sparkman Wharf/Facebook

Cena

1208 E Kennedy Blvd, Tampa, 813-374-8840
Even though Chef Evan and his top notch desserts have departed, Cena is still worth the visit. They serve mostly Italian fare at the Channelside location, but be warned, they close Mondays and Tuesdays.

Photo via Cena/https://cenatampa.com/

Spain

513 N Tampa St, Tampa, 813-223-2831
Just got out of a show at the Straz and looking for a place to tons of small plated dishes? Spain might be a good place to start. Their menu not only has tapas, but also Galician seafood.

Photo via Spain/Facebook

Moxie’s

514 N Tampa St, Tampa, 813-221-4510
There are plenty of breakfast options at Moxie’s, and they even have an espresso bar. Their lunch menu is equally extensive, as they feature many different sandwiches.

Photo via Moxie’s/Facebook