1. 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  …

2. 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. …

3. Bernini Restaurant

   Ybor City : 1702 E Seventh Ave., Tampa, 33605

   Back in the '90s, Bernini's lionhead roared with hipness, and it's still king of this jungle. The old gold interior is comfy now, the service is both old-pro and young. The menu's modern standards of crisp pizzas, rustic pastas and smart salads make it a fine room for dealmaking dinners or urban …

4. Cafe L'Europe

   Sarasota beaches : 431 St. Armand's Circle, Sarasota, 34236

   Open for lunch and dinner seven days a week.

5. Cafe Largo

   Editor's pick

   Largo : 12551 Indian Rocks Road # 18, Largo, 33774

   Cafe Largo, a fixture since 1986, is aging beautifully. And while menu choices aren't vast, each one gets the same careful treatment: An included house salad is napped with a model Dijon vinaigrette, with a handful of house-roasted sweet peppers, a cube of roasted beet in a sweet-tangy Bagnol v …

6. Cafe Ponte

   Editor's pick

   Clearwater : 13505 Icot Blvd. # 214, Clearwater, 33760

   Cafe Ponte is still a yardstick against which the area's other fine dining restaurants may be measured. The dining room looks positively spruce, its red, sage and black color scheme crisp and stylish; linens and table appointments are top-notch. Servers are courteous and professional even when s …

7. Casanova Restaurant & Lounge

   Downtown Clearwater : 811 Cleveland St., Clearwater, 33755

   The bulk of the menu is devoted to pasta, and take that as a hint. There are classics like papparadelle Bolognese and other dishes that include combinations like saffron and strawberries. Lunch (Mon.-Fri.) and dinner, live music several nights a week.

8. Cassis American Brasserie

   Editor's pick

   Downtown St. Petersburg : 170 Beach Drive NE, St. Petersburg, 33701

   Few restaurant openings have been as anticipated as Cassis American Brasserie, opened at the base of the Ovation tower on the downtown waterfront. Cementing Beach Drive as the "it" spot in St. Pete, its decor is stunning. Yellow walls, unimpeded sightlines across the generously portion …

9. Chart House

   Rocky Point : 7616 W Courtney Campbell Causeway, Tampa, 33607

   The Landry's chain upgraded the Tampa location to its marquee brand in October, spiffing up the dining room and the menu, and keeping the fantastic views of the bay exactly the same. The menu is extensive ... and expensive. If you like your seafood to bite back, try the dynamite grouper, which i …

10. Ciro's Speakeasy & Supper Club

    Editor's pick

    South Tampa : 2109 Bayshore Blvd., Tampa, 33606

    Buy into the pervasive Prohibition era theme and it will pay off. The fare ranges from high-class finger food like truffled popcorn and manchego soft pretzels to seared tenderloin with a stack of fries cooked in duck fat. All that comes after a pick from an extensive cocktail menu where the drin …

11. Citricos Restaurant at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

    Lake Buena Vista : 4401 Floridian Way, Lake Buena Vista, 32830

12. Council Oak Steakhouse

    Editor's pick

    Tampa : 5223 Orient Road, Tampa, 33610

    Council Oak has managed to assemble a competent, thoughtful service staff and to train them well. Owned by the Seminole tribe (as is the restaurant of the same name in Hollywood), Council Oak is a new contender in the great American steak house wars. Morton's, Sullivan's Steakhouse, Don Shula's, …

13. Currents at Hyatt Regency Sarasota

    Sarasota : 1000 Boulevard of the Arts, Sarasota, 34236

14. DaRuMa Japanese Steakhouse

    Sarasota : 5459 Fruitville Road, Sarasota, 34232

15. Della's After Dark

    Brandon : 608 Oakfield Drive, Brandon, 33511

    It would probably be cool enough to just hang out with a glass of wine and listen to the live jazz musicians in the dining room. But that you'll want to try one of the chorizo meatballs, or one of the other beautifully presented dishes from chef Alex DellaGrotta. And if the jazz trio doesn't mak …

16. Derek's Culinary Casual

    Editor's pick

    Sarasota : 514 Central Ave., Sarasota, 34236

    This is true big city, indie style dining: sharp, chef-driven cooking in a plain storefront space in a not-yet-gentrified neighborhood. Choose foie gras, crispy rabbit, killer soups, scallops and peas, chicken and quinoa. Every course is a robust adventure, from small plates to dessert.

17. Euphemia Haye Restaurant

    Manatee beaches : 5540 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key, 34228

    Opened in 1975 on Longboat Key, the restaurant has marched to the beat of its own drum, serving wildly sophisticated and far-reaching food in a lush garden setting. It always wins top honors from local magazines and national food mags as well, and you need only to try the smoked salmon on buckwh …

18. Fetishes Dining & Wine Bar

    South Pinellas beaches : 6305 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach, 33706

    With Wine Bar and tableside preparation of Caesar salad and bananas Foster.

19. Gulf Bistro

    North Pinellas beaches : 15225 Gulf Blvd., Madeira Beach, 33708

    For years this cozy refuge was called Cafe de France. It was a reliable outpost of superb yet simple French fare. It served classic French fare (coq au vin, duck confit, lobster bisque, escargot)at a steady but unhurried pace. Don't worry: it has a new name but not much has changed. This cafe tu …

20. Heilman's Beachcomber

    Editor's pick

    Clearwater Beach : 447 Mandalay Ave., Clearwater, 33767

    Robert Edson Heilman may have passed away in 2007, but his legacy, Bob Heilman's Beachcomber, witness to countless birthdays and anniversaries, lives on. Pinot noir fanatics love it for their own reasons (Burgundy, Oregon, even his own FoxyRock — don't get them started), fried chicken fans …

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