38 Best Restaurants in The Tampa Bay Area, Florida

This 1920s-era gas-station-turned-restaurant has been enlarged and is decorated to evoke a European café—think French windows and doors, sparkling glassware, bouquets of fresh flowers, and the soft glow of candlelight. Lunches feature inspired soups, salads, or sandwiches, such as the pesto chicken salad croissant; dinners emphasize local produce and sustainable seafood.

At this colorful local institution, you can veg out on roasted chiles rellenos (cheese-stuffed peppers); enchiladas with vegetables; and a cactus salad that won't prick your tongue but will tickle your taste buds with the flavors of tender pieces of cactus, cilantro, tomatoes, onions, lime, and queso fresco. Tamales, tacos, and tortillas are prepared in dozens of ways.

Sunsets and Gulf views are the bait that hooks regulars as well as travelers who find their way to this somewhat hidden pit stop in historic Pass-a-Grille. Dating from 1977, it's mainly heralded as a watering hole where you can hoist a cold one while munching on one of the area's better grouper sandwiches. (Speaking of this sweet white fish, it's the real deal here, which—be warned—isn't always a guarantee in some restaurants.) There's also a range of seafood and steak entrées, and the crab cakes are legendary. The aforementioned sunsets are best seen from the rooftop sundeck.

Picture this: flip-flop-wearing anglers and beach-towel-clad bathers lolling on picnic benches, sipping a beer, and devouring oak-smoked salmon, mullet, mahimahi, and mackerel. Dinner comes to the table with heaping helpings of potato salad and coleslaw. If you're industrious enough to have hooked your own fish, the crew will smoke it for about $1.50 per pound. If not, there's always what many consider to be the best burger in the region. The popular smoked fish spread and Manhattan clam chowder are available to go. There's also indoor seating at Ted's, which has been a south-side fixture for more than six decades. Closing time is 7:30 pm, so dinner is only for early diners.

Make a date for some of the best Latin cuisine in Tampa. A fixture since 1905, this magnificent structure with an old-world air and spacious dining rooms takes up an entire city block and seems to feed the entire city—locals as well as visitors—throughout the week, but especially on weekends. The paella a la Valenciana, bursting with seafood, chicken, and pork, is arguably the best in Florida, and the 1905 salad (with ham, olives, cheese, and garlic) is legendary. The menu also has Cuban classics such as boliche criollo (tender eye of round stuffed with chorizo), ropa vieja (shredded beef with onions, peppers, and tomatoes), and arroz con pollo (chicken with yellow rice). Don't miss the flamenco dancing show every night but Sunday. This place is also known for its sangria. If you can, walk around the building and check out the elaborate, antique decor along every inch of the interior.

Named after a 16th-century Tocobagan princess, this hot spot was created by the family behind the historic Columbia restaurant in Ybor City. Although diverse, the menu focuses on local ingredients and has an easy-to-detect Southern accent, with appetizers such as alligator hush puppies and okra fries and entrées like pan-seared Florida pompano served with sun-dried-tomato shallot cream and fried carrot ribbons. Set in the refurbished old Tampa Waterworks building, high on the bank of the Hillsborough River, its water views are particularly spectacular at dusk; Downtown is an easy walk away. Beer is brewed on-site, and the creative cocktail menu (go for the Ring of Fire, a spicy creation of vodka, gin, and lychee liqueur) is supplemented with wines from domestic, family-owned vineyards like Silver Oak Winery.

This trendy eatery on equally trendy Beach Drive offers imaginative takes on Italian fare. Ravioli Genovese, stuffed with fresh goat cheese and toasted pine nuts, or lobster mac and cheese with black truffle bread crumbs are some of the more decadent dishes; lighter fare includes colorful salads and flatbreads. Specials often feature local seafood. There's almost always a lengthy wait for a table, even on weeknights, so reservations are really a must. Sitting at the bar, which has an inspired beer, wine, and cocktail menu, is also an option.

Although this SoHo (South Howard Avenue) mainstay earned its wings by offering crowd-pleasing Italian classics, much of its popularity stems from creative takes on such dishes. Carnivores are not slighted here, but it is often more delicious to go meatless, perhaps with the pear sachet (pasta purses packed with pear and three cheeses and topped with a creamy saffron sauce). The grouper alla calabrese (lightly battered and sautéed with red wine, capers, olives, and onions) is another memory maker. Bella's is not too highbrow to ignore pizza and calzones—there are dozens of options. Offerings like these have kept the restaurant popular since 1986. If you're in a rush, there's curbside pickup.

Named for the 17th-century Italian baroque sculptor, this trendy restaurant is something of a gallery for copies of his works. In the former Bank of Ybor City building, it has a classy look and creative takes on Italian classics. The menu includes such fare as penne Sicilia (veal meatballs, homemade sausage, and hard-boiled eggs tossed with pasta and tomato sauce); cioppino à la Cinzano (a stew with fish medallions, clams, sautéed mussels, and shrimp over polenta); and pistachio-crusted grouper.

Seasonal, locally sourced ingredients work equally well in both the surf and the turf columns at Birch & Vine, which has turned The Birchwood hotel into a Downtown destination for hungry diners. The setting is a reimagined 1920s property, but the dishes are contemporary. Things can be loud on weekends, when patrons pack the interior dining room's tables and curvaceous banquettes; for a quieter dinner, reserve on Monday or Tuesday, or opt for an umbrella-covered table on the patio, where the people-watching along and Beach Drive is good, and the view takes in North Straub Park.

The Heilman family has fed hungry diners since 1920, and although this restaurant is very popular with tourists, you'll also rub shoulders with devoted locals. Despite the frequent crowds, the service is fast and friendly. The sautéed chicken is an American classic—arriving with mashed spuds, gravy, veggie du jour, and fresh baked bread. Or try some Gulf shrimp prepared in nearly any way you can imagine, including lightly breaded and fried, tossed with pasta primavera and sautéed vegetables, or served Rockefeller-style.

One of four locations, this regional chain fits right into downtown's hopping dining and shopping scene. The menu is as locally inspired as it gets—from the catch of the day courtesy of local fishing boats to the fresh herbs that literally grow on the walls here. The zucchini fries are a crowd-pleaser as an appetizer, and the Florida pink shrimp and grits is a spicy entrée that can only be done right in the coastal South. For drinks, you'll find everything from locally made kombucha and fresh-pressed juices to local craft beers and signature cocktails.

Known for its creative fare, this waterfront restaurant has a menu that changes frequently, offering such entrées as broiled rack of lamb in herbed pecan crust and red snapper on a bed of lobster hash. The creative grouper options, including medallions, get well-deserved plaudits from many patrons. Bon Appétit has staying power, having served at the same location for more than three decades. It's a great place to catch a sunset over the Gulf of Mexico. There's live music Thursday through Sunday, in addition to a pianist who plays Wednesday through Sunday evening and at Sunday brunch.

Dogs can tag along if you dine on the front patio at this pet-friendly eatery right on the Hillsborough River across from the Amalie Arena. Creative menu items, which vary by season, might include teriyaki-glazed salmon and homemade dim-sum. The bar menu has a nice selection of craft beers and cocktails.

Appropriately housed in a renovated 1920s macaroni factory, this restaurant pays tribute to Ybor City’s sometimes overlooked Sicilian roots. Each dish is lovingly created and transports you straight to an Italian grandmother’s kitchen.

If you drop in for a drink at what is one of the best happy-hour spots in St. Petersburg, it's worth sticking around for dinner. Casual French options include croque monsieur, but there are also more elaborate entrées like bouillabaisse or Atlantic salmon served with smashed peas, baby-carrot confit, and an orange-coriander glaze. The wine list is formidable, and the cocktails are a Friday-evening draw for local movers and shakers. Given the location on bustling Beach Drive, the people-watching here is second to none. If you're around in the morning, stroll over to the attached bakery for a pastry and some coffee.

Within the chic Hotel Zamora, this popular dining spot has been getting much praise from local and national press. As the name suggests, most of the menu's inspiration comes from Spain, but many items—all the creations of executive chef Ted Dorsey—have other influences. Take the romesco butter sea scallops (keep in mind the menu does change a lot). One particularly brilliant creation is the Caesar salad, which has Parmesan custard and white anchovies. The bar here offers an extensive wine list, plenty of craft beers on tap, and handmade cocktails bursting with fresh fruit and muddled spices.

A choice romantic destination as well as an excellent launchpad for a night out, this restaurant offers an astonishing spate of meat, seafood, or veggie small-plate options. You can't go wrong with any of the ceviches, and the paella (featuring vegetables, seafood, or chicken and pork paella) is a good large-plate choice. In the catacomb-like bar downstairs, there's jazz, salsa, and flamenco many nights (the schedule varies each month). While you're here, the sangria is a must.

Four reasons to go: the fried grouper sandwich, the clam "chowda," anything else seafood—including the shrimp po' boy and oyster sandwich—and the beef burgers. It's very popular among locals—just check out the packed parking lot at lunch and dinner. New England–style seafood is a house specialty, including whole-belly clams and lobster, but the grouper and mahimahi are fresh from local waters.

Celebrated Miami chef Douglas Rodriguez has brought his globally inspired flair to historic Ybor City as part of the gorgeous new Hotel Haya. Whether you’re grabbing a drink and a bite at the wraparound bar or luxuriating over a meal in the dining room, this swanky restaurant is rich with an atmosphere that’s upscale and cozy all at once. Rodriguez’s Nuevo Latino-menu features wood-grilled coastal cuisine, an imaginative selection of ceviches, and a range of rum-soaked cocktails.

Quebec native Mike "Frenchy" Preston runs several eateries in the area, including the fabulous Rockaway Grill. Visitors and locals alike keep coming back for the grouper sandwiches, which are moist and not battered beyond recognition. (It's also real grouper, something that's not a given these days.) Frenchy also gets a big thumbs-up for the she-crab soup, and, on the march-to-a-different-drummer front, the grouper egg rolls. In mild weather, eat on the deck, and stay for sunset if you can.

Especially popular for breakfast (served all day), this unassuming landmark squats on the beach and serves cheap sit-down eats—mostly sandwiches, but also (after 4 pm) a wide array of seafood entrées ranging from lobster mac-and-cheese to grilled or blackened mahimahi. Many items have a Greek tinge to them.

Few barbecue joints can boast the staying power of this family-owned and -operated pit stop, which debuted in South Tampa in 1978 and moved to Seffner in recent years. Day and night, it has a steady stream of hungry patrons keen on digging into tender pork spareribs that are dry-rubbed and tanned overnight, smoked for a couple of hours, and bathed in one of a selection of sauces. Kojak's also has a nice array of sandwiches, including chopped barbecued chicken and country-style sausage.

Look for the red wiener-mobile parked on the north side of the highway near Busch Gardens to find this 1950s-style diner that specializes in dogs and fries—perfect bites after a long day of riding roller coasters. Venture inside to find walls dotted with photos from fans and a hot-diggity menu that's heaven for tube-steak fans, with traditional dogs as well as those with a bit more pizzazz. Consider trying the Reuben-style bowwow on a poppy-seed bun or the Mighty Mel, a quarter-pounder decked out with relish, mustard, and pickles. Herbivores, fear not: there's a vegan option on the menu, and it's mighty tasty. To avoid lunch crowds, arrive before 11:30 or after 1:30. Ready for a beer? With a decent list of domestic and import beers, they've got you covered.

Not only do the lounge and piano bar, with their extensive wines and vintage cocktails, lure the after-theater set, but inspired cuisine and superior service also entice. Dinner fare ranges from pompano sautéed with Gulf shrimp, tomatoes, and fresh herbs to pan-roasted chicken breast with anise-scented sweet potato puree. There's also an ever-evolving menu of creative desserts. Inside its Midtown Plaza shopping center location, you'll find a decor similar to New York's better bistros of the 1930s and '40s, but there is plenty of veranda seating for enjoying Sarasota's balmy weather.

Known to locals as "Mise" (pronounced meez), this upscale, modern, Downtown space is a popular lunch spot for Tampa's political and social elite. At night, it transforms into an elegant, understated dining destination with an ever-changing, seasonal menu that offers adventurous yet meticulously crafted modern American cuisine. Inspired by both the seasons and the whim of chef Marty Blitz, the menu changes every week, save for staples like the chicken liver pâté and the rack of lamb. Another thing that doesn't change is the intricacy of every item listed—whether it's tandoori-crusted tofu or pumpkin-spiced rubbed scallops. The long list of boutique wines and specialty cocktails further demonstrates the intelligence and imagination that go into the offerings here. This place is on the western edge of downtown, just across the street from University of Tampa's shining minarets. Parking and entry are behind the building.

Long heralded as one of the best spots for watching sunsets, this place also gets high marks for its fresh seafood. Seared tuna, gator bites, and wasabi scallops are among the more intriguing appetizers on the menu, which also has an assortment of bowls, salads, sandwiches, burgers, and wraps; entrées range from coconut shrimp or grilled salmon with a mango salsa to St. Louis–style barbecue ribs or marinated skirt steak. The restaurant is casual but not too casual, with a bit of a Tommy Bahama feel, so you may want to ditch the beach attire. Be advised that it gets pretty packed around sunset, when a live band plays island music and the margaritas flow.

Follow the crowds to this off-the-beaten-path eatery, where numerous varieties of beer flow as freely as the rolls of paper towels mounted on wire hangers overhead. Seafood selections range from fried scallops and grouper to more elegant options such as blackened tuna, but oysters are the main event here. The all-day menu includes sandwiches and pasta. Come during happy hour weekdays or on weekends if you enjoy making new friends.

Although the fish served at this upbeat restaurant at the RumFish Beach Resort by TradeWinds is deserving of much attention, the ones swimming in the 33,500-gallon aquarium lining the restaurant's back wall are the real draw. The menu consists primarily of local seafood prepared with a Caribbean touch. All three meals are served here. At dinner you'll find grilled jerk swordfish, pan-seared grouper piccata, and Gulf shrimp with stone-ground grits. The massive fish tank's construction was featured on an episode of the reality show Tanked, and it is home to a broad range of residents of the Gulf of Mexico, including a nurse shark, several grouper, and a bright green moray eel, who periodically comes out from beneath its rock. For $25 you can swim in the aquarium during the restaurant's off-hours, and even take a behind-the-scenes tour. If you're eager to catch a game, you'll want to head to the bar, which has multiple TV screens and a decent bar menu.

Tourists and locals converge here to enjoy a lively waterfront atmosphere, but the rock-solid menu is the best reason to come. Don't believe the Caribbean fire-roasted lobster tails are "jumbo"—at 1¼ pounds they're on the small side, but they're twice-cooked, including a finish on the grill, and quite tasty. Those more turf than surf might be interested in the Chicken Rock'n Bleu, which adds fresh spinach and champagne-mushroom sauce into a classic chicken dish. The Dayboat menu features that day's fresh catches prepared in a variety of ways. In fair weather dine on the dock; otherwise ask for a table with a view of the water.