1. 2 Chefs Cafe

   Spring Hill / West Hernando : 3065 Anderson Snow Road, Spring Hill, 34609

2. Alesia Restaurant

   St. Petersburg : 7204 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, 33707

   Opened in a storefront vacated by a scooter shop, Alésia is utterly charming, with a menu of casual French and Vietnamese cafe classics at super-reasonable prices, nothing over $8.50. This isn't fancy French-Vietnamese fusion — it's coffee shop fare, a gooey croque monsieur next to  …

3. 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 …

4. Beaune's at West Palm Wines

   Ybor City : 2009 N 22nd St., Tampa, 33605

   Beaune's Wine Bar is a classy yet comfy lounge, perfect for a first date or an intimate night with friends. Beaune's (pronounced "bones," after the city in Burgundy) opened for weekday lunch in 2009, quietly adding one of the most affordable and delightful lunches in Ybor City. Jim Sirna's wine  …

5. BT

   Editor's pick

   South Tampa : 2507 S MacDill Ave., Tampa, 33606

   B.T. Nguyen-Batley presents the flavors of France and Vietnam with a style of her own, half feng shui, half fashion model. She recently downsized to a smaller 16-table restaurant from her 200-seat space in Old Hyde Park Village. Though the new places will have a different feel and menu from the  …

6. Cafe de France

   Winter Park : 526 S Park Ave., Winter Park, 32789

7. 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 …

8. 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 …

9. 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 …

10. Crepes & More

    Parrish : 8324 US Highway 301 N, Parrish, 34219

    Crepes & More is the kind of coffeehouse/dessert spot where it's easy to linger. A quick hazelnut latte ($3.25-$4.25) can lengthen into a perusal of the menu and a long loiter over a garden veggie crepe ($7.95) given a big wallop of velvety alfredo sauce (a sauce that moistens a number of th …

11. 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 …

12. L Creperia Cafe

    Grand Central District : 2901 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, 33713

    La Creperia Cafe's second location is in St. Petersburg's Grand Central district and features French crepes, from savory to sweet.

13. L'Eden

    Downtown Tampa : 500 N Tampa St, Tampa, 33602

    A new addition to downtown Tampa’s paucity of restaurants is always welcome, and indeed this tiny French bistro has charm. It seems more thronged for weekday lunch, when soups and salads fuel downtown workers. At night, service can be very mixed and the small-plate approach contains some oddit …

14. La Cote Basque French Restaurant

    Gulfport : 3104 Beach Blvd. S, Gulfport, 33701

15. La Creperia Cafe

    Ybor City : 1729 E Seventh Ave., Tampa, 33605

    Specializing in sweet, savory or breakfast crepes, this French cafe seems slightly out of place in Ybor, but the espresso is a welcome change of pace from cafe con leche.

16. La Petite Brasserie

    Clearwater : 2245 Nursery Road, Clearwater, 33764

    A petite version of St. Pete Brasserie, the restaurant features organic, grass-fed beef, French specialties.Hours: Lunch 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Dinner 4 p.m.-10 p.m. Tues.-Fri.; Fri. and Sat. Dinner till 11 p.m.

17. Le Bouchon Bistro

    Editor's pick

    Belleair Bluffs : 796 Indian Rocks Road N, Belleair Bluffs, 33770

    This is French cooking done affordably, from house pates and crepes to roast chicken and Provencal pizza. It's bright, genteel and easy on the wallet.

18. Maison Blanche

    Editor's pick

    Sarasota beaches : 2605 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key, 34228

    Jose Martinez's seven-year-old Longboat Key special-occasion restaurant serves uncompromisingly haute French cuisine in a glamorous, white-curtained dining room designed by architect Franck Hammoutene. It's an evening's theater, a reason to dress up and order a bottle of something nice (300 labe …

19. Michael's Grill

    Editor's pick

    Carrollwood : 11720 N Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa, 33618

    The suburban restaurant's warmly modern decor features sconce wall lamps, hardwood furniture, soft yellows and terra cotta tile. Or sit outside where a few tables under an awning can transform the strip mall eatery into a breezy Euro-style cafe. With the warmth and connectedness of a neighborh …

20. Moulin Rouge French Cuisine

    Pinellas Park : 10525 US 19 N, Pinellas Park, 33782

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