1. Anise Global Gastrobar

   Downtown Tampa : 777 N Ashley Drive, Tampa, 33602

   A small posse of seasoned restaurant pros jumped on the gorgeous space at the bottom of SkyPoint, unveiling Anise Global Gastrobar early in 2013. Its focus is Korean-ish, with a southeast Asian palette of flavors that's fairly hard to pin down. With many of the share-friendly plates under $10, f …

2. Ashley Street Grille

   Downtown Tampa : 200 N Ashley Drive, Tampa, 33602

   Part of the Sheraton Riverwalk, this downtown Tampa restaurant offers views of the Hillsborough River and the minarets of the University of Tampa. Diners enjoy contemporary American food served in a relaxing setting.

3. Avanzare

   Downtown Tampa : 2 Tampa City Ctr, Tampa, 33602

   Located in the Hyatt Regency in downtown Tampa, Avanzare offers a bistro type setting for breakfast and lunch, plus fine dining for dinner. It's located on the lobby level of a five-story atrium and waterfall.

4. 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 …

5. 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 …

6. Bay Bistro at Riverwalk

   Downtown Tampa : 333 S Franklin St., Tampa, 33602

   In the bottom level of the Tampa Convention Center, it has indoor and outdoor seating that looks out on the lovely Riverwalk. Downtown workers can promenade along the wide path before zipping in for an order-at-the-counter salad or sandwich. It's in the vein of Panera, with a short menu of conte …

7. Cafe Crystal

   Downtown Tampa : 502 N Tampa St, Tampa, 33602

8. Cafe Perera

   Downtown Tampa : 601 N Morgan St, Tampa, 33602

   Open only for breakfast and lunch, this casual spot touts its tropical milk shakes, breakfast specials, burgers, sandwiches, salads and ice cream. It also boasts about its Spanish bean soup.

9. Cafe Waterside at Marriott-Tampa Waterside

   Downtown Tampa : 700 S Florida Ave., Tampa, 33602

   The Marriott's casual dining restaurant offers breakfast, lunch and dinner. A bonus is that if the weather is nice, you can enjoy outside dining that overlooks the channel and some of Tampa Bay's largest boats that are docked behind the hotel.

10. Caffe Fresco

    Downtown Tampa : 101 E Kennedy Blvd. # 360, Tampa, 33602

11. Carmen's Sandwich Shop

    Downtown Tampa : 408 E Zack St, Tampa, 33602

12. Champions Sports Bar at Marriott-Tampa Waterside

    Downtown Tampa : 700 S Florida Ave., Tampa, 33602

    Located off the lobby of the Marriott Waterside, this place can get jumping when big events are going on. With that name, you'd expect plenty of TVs and a sports theme. It doesn't disappoint, and actually can be a fun place with its faux tennis courts, "stadium seating" in front of hug …

13. Columbia Cafe

    Downtown Tampa : 801 Old Water St., Tampa, 33602

    The Tampa Bay History Center has hired the right restaurateur. Richard Gonzmart, great-grandson of Casimiro Hernandez Sr., founder of Columbia Restaurant in Tampa's Historic Ybor City, is passionate about Ybor City, about local food history and about Cuban sandwiches (not necessarily in that ord …

14. Crystal Dining Room at the Floridan Palace Hotel

    Downtown Tampa : 905 N Florida Ave, Tampa, 33602

    Looking up, it's a visual smorgasbord: shimmering chandeliers, ornate gilded wrought-iron balustrades and immense white and gold-trimmed drapes Scarlett O'Hara could have made a whole wardrobe out of. But the best is the ceiling, hand-painted medallions and cupids and scrolled crests that nearly …

15. Di' Al One

    Downtown Tampa : 100 S Ashley Drive # 220, Tampa, 33602

16. Eddie & Sam's NY Pizza

    Downtown Tampa : 203 E Twiggs St, Tampa, 33602

    When one of the ginormous cheese pies emerges from the pizza oven, it's easy to lose your cool. You want to stand there, fold a slice in half and inhale. It's pure NYC, get this, made with real New York City water. The pie: Thin, pliable crust but with the right chewy tooth-resistance, it's the  …

17. First Watch

    Downtown Tampa : 520 N Tampa St, Tampa, 33602

    The biggest Florida chain to make brunch a daily specialty, it serves eggs, omelets, pancakes, waffles and crepes as well as sandwiches and salads, spiced from Italian to Cajun. It draws a big-city line Sunday mornings in downtown Tampa and crowds anywhere it opens.

18. 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 …

19. Fresh

    Downtown Tampa : 507 N Franklin St., Tampa, 33602

    There are more than two dozen salad options before you even consider custom possibilities, and nearly as many panini. But before the lunch rush, there are hot and cold cereal offerings, all with accompanying fruits and toppings. They'll add flavors to the milk, too, if you want. A large bowl of  …

20. Gilligan's Hideaway

    Downtown Tampa : 202 N Morgan St, Tampa, 33602

    Located a few blocks from the Tampa Bay Times Forum and next to Shalimar Indian Restaurant, Gilligan's is the kind of place where TV's goofy first mate would duck out from the Skipper. It's a fun and friendly hangout, tucked away in a part of downtown Tampa that isn't too close to the action, ex …

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