1. Ace of Hearts Pizza Shop

   West Pasco : 3420 Grand Blvd., Holiday, 34690

2. Acropol Family Restaurant

   Largo : 1170 Starkey Road, Largo, 33771

3. Broadway Deli and Cafe

   Dunedin : 730 Broadway, Dunedin, 34698

   BYOB with no corkage fee.Hours: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Mon.-Thurs., and Sat.; 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Fri., 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Sun.

4. Brown Boxer Pub & Grille

   Clearwater Beach : 483 Mandalay Ave., Clearwater, 33767

   In the Pelican Walk Shopping Center the Cafe takes over a spot that used to be an Outback Steakhouse. It has indoor and outdoor dining, 20 flat screen TVs, pub fare and live music.Read more here.

5. Cafe Dufrain

   Editor's pick

   Tampa : 707 Harbour Post Drive, Tampa, 33602

   Boasting one of Tampa's best views, this Harbour Island bistro is one of downtown's best getaways. Get smart eating from lemongrass soups to diver scallops, risotto, short ribs and salmon with frizzled leeks. Flavors come from the Pacific and the Americas, but the style is Tampa lofty. If you p …

6. Cappuccino's Fine Wine and Espresso Bar

   Dunedin : 733 Broadway St, Dunedin, 34698

7. Clear Sky Beachside Cafe

   Clearwater Beach : 490 Mandalay Ave., Clearwater, 33767

   Breakfast with mimosas or bloody Marys, array of flatbreads, pizzas, seafood, live music on the patio. Hours: 7 a.m.-midnight daily.

8. Courigan's Irish Pub

   Downtown St. Petersburg : One Beach Drive SE, St. Petersburg, 33701

   The clean, dark pub serves a full menu of American and British Isles goodies, so it's no smoking inside. The patrons are laid back and cheerful. Softball and kickball teams gather on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays. USF-St. Pete students stop in, and there are some older and younger regulars. The …

9. Dunedin Brewery

   Editor's pick

   Dunedin : 937 Douglas Ave., Dunedin, 34698

   The Scottish regalia is fitting, since the stone-walled Dunedin Brewery looks a bit like a highlander's castle. Equally breathtaking are the ginormous brewing vats inside, which are known for producing nine phenomenal, award-winning beers like the Redhed Red Ale, as well as a swimming selection  …

10. Dunedin Smokehouse

    Dunedin : 471 Main St, Dunedin, 34698

    Open from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sun.-Thur., 11 a.m.-midnight Fri.-Sat.

11. Elmer's Sports Cafe

    MacDill Area : 5206 S MacDill Ave., Tampa, 33611

    The second of two Elmers, this is no junior. It's bigger and comfier than its Ybor brother, with a huge U-shaped bar, tall and regular-size tables accommodating around 150 people. Because it's cleaner than your average bar and there's no smoking inside, the brick walls and painted wood paneling  …

12. Fish Tail Willys

    Countryside : 2543 Countryside Blvd., Clearwater, 33761

    Fish Tail Willy's is an independent, largely seafood restaurant. They have a suave logo, a nice outdoor deck, a spiral-bound menu reminiscent of the Cheesecake Factory or another successful chain. In fact, it seems like the first of a chain. In all its finned finery, Fish Tail Willy's is a fun s …

13. Fly Bar & Restaurant

    Editor's pick

    Downtown Tampa : 1202 N Franklin St., Tampa, 33602

    The brainchild of Tampa native Leslie Shirah, this bastion of hip has since gained a devoted following among Tampa foodies and revelers. Shirah honed the concept during a 15-year stint in San Francisco. And the concept is this: an all-day menu until late, late; a share-it-with-friends approach t …

14. Foxy's Cafe

    South Pinellas beaches : 160 107th Ave., Treasure Island, 33706

    Set just yards off the beach, this pet friendly cafe has six tables seating 24 people and their dogs on a covered patio. Staff happily offers leashed dogs cold drinking water in disposable trays.

15. Fresco's Waterfront Bistro

    Downtown St. Petersburg : 300 Second Ave. NE, St. Petersburg, 33701

    This restaurant at the base of the St. Petersburg Pier offers the kind of quality cooking seldom found on the local waterfront. The menu is long on seafood and chops, but every dish gets extra touches of herbs, pine nuts, fine sauces and other evidence of authenticity and imagination that are th …

16. Gaspar's Grotto

    Ybor City : 1805 E Seventh Ave., Tampa, 33605

    Any place with "Gaspar" in its name must be a beloved place in Tampa. This one is no exception. Owners Eric and Shere Schiller are super-active in the community, often hosting fundraisers and other benefits at the longtime Ybor bar. Krewes love it, thanks to the pirate theme. But even  …

17. Goodfellas Cafe & Winery

    Sarasota : 4571 Clark Road, Sarasota, 34233

    Winemaking store (both fruit and varietal wines) and cafe, with wood-fired pizzas, pastas, paninis, sandwiches; plus gourmet foods, olive oils, imported beers and espresso bar.

18. Grass Root Organic Restaurant

    Editor's pick

    Tampa : 4334 S Manhattan Ave., Tampa, 33611

    Not just vegetarian, but 100 percent vegan. Not just vegan, but much of the menu upholds the tenets of the raw food diet, where nothing is heated above 110 to 120 degrees, which keeps beneficial enzymes alive. Still, this funky outpost in a slightly sketchy neighborhood is not at all about ascet …

19. Kahwa Cafe

    Editor's pick

    Downtown St. Petersburg : 204 Second Ave. S, St. Petersburg, 33701

    True coffee snobs know that freshness counts. What could be fresher than a shop roasting its own beans? Kahwa creates its own blends right in St. Petersburg for distribution to coffee shops and direct to consumers. The shop has now opened its own retail cafe for java lovers who want a cup on the …

20. Mad Dogs & Englishmen

    Editor's pick

    South Tampa : 4115 S MacDill Ave., Tampa, 33611

    Mad Dogs and Englishmen has a sense of humor. Perhaps that explains its longevity. Its new menu sports the old joke: "Two cannibals eating a clown. One says to the other, 'Does this taste funny to you?' " Talking about things tasting funny on a menu? Is this a good idea? Co-owner Wilto …

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