1. 717 South

   Editor's pick

   South Tampa : 717 S Howard Ave., Tampa, 33606

   Half Italian, half Asian and all South Tampa style, the place feels homey. Burgers, duck salad, Thai beef, bread bowls, lasagne, pizza and espresso-seared steak all get uptown presentation and warm neighborhood vibe. Plus miso, pesto and the whims of chef Robert Masson. The bar scene: Swank is t …

2. Acropolis Greek Taverna

   Editor's pick

   Downtown St. Petersburg : 515 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, 33701

   This is not a place for quiet conversation, except at lunch. Pretend you're at a Greek wedding and join in the festivities. What's not to like? Fun atmosphere, reasonable prices. And those fancy Dyson Airblades? They've got those, too.There's food too, of course, reasonably priced Greek standard …

3. Alfresco

   Editor's pick

   Downtown St. Petersburg : 501 Fifth Ave. NE, St. Petersburg, 33701

   This member of the Vinoy resort's restaurants features a fresh Floribbean menu. This small and casual spot is a little hard to find back by the pool, but when you do, you'll appreciate the great service and the opportunity to eat outside on a beautiful day. A favorite is the sweet potato fries t …

4. Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza (Brandon)

   Editor's pick

   Brandon : 1912 W Brandon Blvd., Brandon, 33511

   Known for its high energy atmosphere and signature menu items, ACFP uses 800-degree anthracite coal-burning ovens. Anthracite is known to be the "cleanest" of coals, the pizzas cooking in just four to six minutes. Anthony's is also well known for its popular coal-oven-roasted chicken w …

5. Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza (Clearwater)

   Editor's pick

   Clearwater : 2534 N McMullen Booth Road, Clearwater, 33761

   Known for its high energy atmosphere and signature menu items, ACFP uses 800-degree anthracite coal-burning ovens. Anthracite is known to be the "cleanest" of coals, the pizzas cooking in just four to six minutes and. Anthony's is also well known for its popular coal-oven-roasted chick …

6. Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza (Tampa, N Dale Mabry Highway)

   Editor's pick

   Carrollwood : 13020 N Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa, 33618

   Known for its high energy atmosphere and signature menu items, Anthony's uses 800-degree anthracite coal-burning ovens. Anthracite, said to be the "cleanest" of coals, cooks the pizzas in just four to six minutes. Coal-oven-roasted chicken wings topped with grilled onions and signatur …

7. Aqua Bar & Grille

   Editor's pick

   Rocky Point : 7627 W Courtney Campbell Parkway, Tampa, 33607

   What was Aquaknox at the Westin Tampa Bay was rechristened Aqua Bar & Grille in recently when parent company E-Brands was sold to Tavistock. Chef Matt Mangone unveiled a new menu with dishes like yellowfin tuna tartare, a lovely plate with daikon and pickled chiles and a swoosh of avocado mo …

8. Armani's

   Editor's pick

   Rocky Point : 2900 Bayport Drive, Tampa, 33634

   One of Tampa's top special-occasion and I-need-to-clinch-this-deal restaurants, Armani's has undergone major renovations and has seen new faces in the kitchen in recent years, but some of the traditions at the top of the Grand Hyatt remain unchanged: the antipasto offerings still have an almost  …

9. Backfin Blue Cafe

   Editor's pick

   Gulfport : 2913 Beach Blvd. S, Gulfport, 33701

   Come to the little house under the oaks. Sit on the screen porch or inside. The best of the old favorites (meat loaf, crab cake, prime rib and fish) are served warmly and simply. Harold Russell's efforts will make you want to eat your vegetables.

10. Bamboozle Cafe

    Editor's pick

    Downtown Tampa : 516 N Tampa St., Tampa, 33602

    It's Vietnamese quick-service downtown in all its vibrant, punchy glory, but served up in a way that's accessible and not intimidating. Step in line and order from the board. Fresh rolls are customized to suit, a water-moistened rice paper round cradling vermicelli, green leaf lettuce, chives an …

11. Bamboozle Tea Lounge

    Editor's pick

    Tampa : 109 N 12th St., Tampa, 33602

    The condos in the Channel District filled up enough in 2012 to merit some infrastructure. It was the year cafes, restaurants and boutiques sprouted up outside the still-beleaguered Channelside Bay Plaza. Buoyed by the success of their downtown Bamboozle, Lynn Pham and partners branched out, brin …

12. Banyan Coffee and Tea

    Editor's pick

    St. Petersburg : 689-D MLK St. N, St. Petersburg, 33701

    If you look at the acknowledgements of local author and writing coach Roy Peter Clark's latest book, there's a shout-out to Banyan Coffee and Tea. In fact, lots of local writers might credit Erica Allums's little coffee shop as muse. It opened originally in 2008, but closed after three years so  …

13. Bar Louie

    Editor's pick

    International Plaza District : 2223 N West Shore Blvd. # B202, Tampa, 33607

    This IP hot spot is more bar than restaurant. It offers $1 burgers on Tuesday nights. Also, there are tater tots. Napoleon Dynamite would approve. The '80s soundtrack is a guilty pleasure, especially delicious when taken concurrently with a couple of the 40 beers on tap. The vibe is all funky ar …

14. Bavaro's

    Editor's pick

    Downtown Tampa : 514 N Franklin St., Tampa, 33602

    In Tampa's deliciously blossoming downtown, this is pure Neapolitan know-how. Dan Bavaro spent time roaming Italy, falling deeply in lust with the mosaic-tiled, rounded brick pizza ovens handmade by Stefano Ferrara and his family outside Naples for the past 100 years. He bought one and had it sh …

15. Beach Bistro

    Editor's pick

    Manatee beaches : 6600 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, 34217

    It has won nearly every award it is possible to win in Florida. Foodies and critics go on about the intimate dining room draped, tent-like, with silk; the wine list's exceptional breadth; and the playful French/Floribbean cuisine with sly Pacific Rim accents. One can put on the dog and dine in t …

16. Beach House Restaurant

    Editor's pick

    Manatee beaches : 200 Gulf Drive, Bradenton Beach, 34217

    Once a rundown little place known as the Harbor House, the Beach House got a makeover in 1993 with new owner Ed Chiles, who also owns the SandBar further north on Anna Maria. The formula is simple: reasonably priced food served in a great beachside setting. Adults can sip a frozen cocktail while …

17. Beak's Old Florida

    Editor's pick

    Grand Central District : 2451 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, 33713

    It makes sense in a way. Jamie Farquharson was ready to be out from under his plastic pirates, birdcages imprisoning fake birds and mountains of kitschy Florida memorabilia. He was ready to sell Beak's, one of the stalwart Grand Central District good-time bar/restaurants. And who bought it? Dan  …

18. BellaBrava

    Editor's pick

    Downtown St. Petersburg : 204 Beach Drive NE, St. Petersburg, 33704

    With its location along Beach Drive, it offers a hip yet affordable contemporary Italian menu that leans heavily on wood-fired pizzas (note especially the one with the fried egg on top) and boldly flavored and rustic pastas. Sidewalk seating expands the seating options, and a lively bar keep it  …

19. Ben Thanh Restaurant

    Editor's pick

    Pinellas Park : 4200 62nd Ave. N, # C, Pinellas Park, 33781

    Ben Thanh is the biggest market in Ho Chi Minh City, a beloved institution that over centuries has been destroyed, relocated, reborn and renovated. Pinellas Park's Ben Thanh is a little like that. The Vietnamese restaurant opened in 1994 on 34th Street N, but closed in 2002 when chef/owner Susan …

20. Bern's Steak House

    Editor's pick

    South Tampa : 1208 S Howard Ave., Tampa, 33606

    Naysayers can grouse, but there's no denying the fine meat and one of the world's best and cheapest wine lists. You can drink back through 20 years in Spanish, Italians, Rhones and zins for $75 or less. Lighten up and relax; just exploring the menu's new additions takes time. Dessert takes more. …

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