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tbt* ultimate bar guide: boozy brunch

Some favorite spots to catch a buzz with bacon.
 
Noble Crust may turn heads as an acclaimed pizza restaurant, but it also holds water as a celebrated brunch destination with a range of midday cocktails and drink buckets.
Noble Crust may turn heads as an acclaimed pizza restaurant, but it also holds water as a celebrated brunch destination with a range of midday cocktails and drink buckets. [ Photo by Noble Crust ]
Published Sept. 15, 2019|Updated Sept. 16, 2019

Let’s face it, brunch is classy, delicious, and has sparked a competitive market for bars and eateries to prove themselves. Here are some favorite places in Tampa Bay that go way beyond bottomless mimosas and Bloody Mary’s.

The Oyster Bar

The Oyster Bar in downtown St. Petersburg has become a hotspot for brunch, as well as seafood, among leisurely locals and students.

Serving signature Oysters alongside $14-18 all-you-can-drink Mimosas and Mary’s, the restaurant’s claim to fame is their decadent selection of shellfish.

The Oyster Bar also offers a buffet with everything from lox and bagels to roast beef, which is delicious and useful for standing up and gauging your mimosa level.

Brunch runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday with drink specials available the moment doors open.

249 Central Ave, St. Petersburg

(727) 897-9728

oysterbarstpete.com

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Crown and Bull

Located in historic Dunedin, the Crown and Bull occupies a space that has been catering to thirsty brunch crowds for over two decades. Recently, they finished major renovations and are ready to continue spicing up your nonchalant noontimes.

On the brunch/breakfast menu there is an array of omelets, eggs benedict, and hearty dishes like steak and eggs or shrimp and grits to stick to your ribs. The drink menu boasts the usual teas and coffees, but during Saturday and Sunday brunches they also offer a full Bloody Mary bar.

Mix, match, and master your favorite variation of the brunch friendly drink and enjoy downtown Dunedin in one of its most reputable establishments. Crown and Bull also operates as a full bar and restaurant but starts serving brunch at 8 a.m. on weekdays, and 11 a.m. on weekends.

319 Main St #5733, Dunedin

(727) 736-5284

crownandbull.com

Bacon-flavored Bloody Mary.
Bacon-flavored Bloody Mary. [ Photo provided by Noble Crust ]

Noble Crust

Noble Crust may turn heads as an acclaimed pizza restaurant, but it also holds water as a celebrated brunch destination with a range of midday cocktails and drink buckets.

As a complement to your eggs ‘n pizza you can order a mimosa bucket which is outfitted with three different flavors of prosecco, orange juice, peach juice, and strawberries. There is also a craft beer bucket with multiple brews provided by Coppertail, Brew Bus, and Crooked Thumb. There are also nine other stand-alone drink options ranging from bacon flavored Bloody Mary’s to gin infused pineapple juice and the “Make An Impact” Cocktail where a portion of proceeds are donated to charity.

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The Southern and Italian influenced meals gather their flare from Noble’s herb farm in Tampa, which adds a hint of localism into its dishes. Enjoy them for brunch, dinner, or a late-night pizza run but don’t miss out on the drinks and specials that customers rave about as their brunchtime favorites.

Noble Crust is equipped with large tables for socializing, a shaded patio, and a bar looking over the open kitchen. There are three locations in St. Pete, Wesley Chapel, and Carolwood.

8300 4th St N, St. Petersburg

(727) 329-6041

noble-crust.com

Wild Flower Café Clearwater

The Wildflower Café eatery and market is a chic spot in Clearwater famous for their breakfast and prideful of their top-shelf mimosas.

Operating as a full-time restaurant and food market, Wildflower produces a variety of delicious eats on a daily basis- including cakes, to-go salads, cookies, and an assortment of jams. But the spot is best known for their breakfast and brunch,

Served daily from 8am-11pm with extended hours for Saturday and Sunday brunch, Wildflower’s breakfast menu offers southern favorites like their highly revered country omelets, with Mimosas, Bloody Mary’s, Wine, and beer available from 9 am. But despite the joint’s colorful drink menu, it still comes off as a family-oriented venue. With a large, dog friendly patio, and a spacious inside seating area, Wildflower asserts themselves as one of Clearwater’s best, most versatile brunch eateries.

Open seven days a week, stop in for lunch, or take some of their premade meals or baked goods to go in beautiful Clearwater.

1465 S Ft Harrison Ave #105, Clearwater

(727) 447-4497

wildflowercafe.net

Mimosa bucket outfitted with three different flavors of prosecco, orange juice, peach juice and strawberries.
Mimosa bucket outfitted with three different flavors of prosecco, orange juice, peach juice and strawberries. [ Photo provided by Noble Crust ]

The Bricks

If you enjoy Ybor City for its flagrant nightlife and edgy bars, you have probably walked past a historic building that bears an ancient face of dark red bricks. This landmark-turned-eatery sits in the heart of Ybor’s cultural district and affectionately calls itself “The Bricks.”

Founded to match the aesthetic and culture of the famous Skatepark of Tampa, The Bricks serves late night dinner and has a long list of delicious beers and cocktails- including an espresso martini that I must have. Recently, the venue has also risen to popularity as a highly successful brunch spot.

Hearty southern favorites like shrimp and grits, messy eggs with bacon and jalapeño on a toasted Cuban roll, and blackened shrimp offered as an addition to any entrée invite Ybor patrons to come and feast. The spot also offers world class brunch cocktails to spice up your weekend function.

The loaded Bloody Mary comes equipped with a pickle, cheeses, and olives, as well as the house mix of additional veggies to beef up your drink. Traditional and grapefruit mimosas are also served alongside “the Highland,” which combines the best parts of a mimosa and a margarita to breath some fire into your Sunday brunch.

All of these drinks are available at dinner as well as brunch, and the Bricks holds a number of additional amenities such as an event space, live music, and great coffee to appeal to all kinds of visitors. Next time you stroll Ybor make sure you pop your head into this dynamic venue to get a taste of what’s happening in South Tampa.

1327 E 7th Ave, Tampa

813-247-1785

thebricksybor.com

The Blind Goat

The Blind Goat in South Tampa is a prime pick for a Saturday or Sunday social. Taking aesthetic inspiration from prohibition-era speakeasies, the bar and eatery is one of the top-rated drinking destinations in Tampa.

The Goat also holds some of the best deals and meals of any brunchery in the area. Breakfast pizza, spicy wings to wake you up, and $15 all-you-can-drink mimosas, Bloody Mary’s, and shock-tops are just a few of their offerings to keep you full and quenched.

In addition to brunch classics, the eatery also offers an extensive list of regular cocktails available for brunch- just in case you’re craving the hair of the dog from the night before.

Stop by the Goat in Tampa for a delicious, boozy brunch, or a nice dinner and high rated happy hour with live music and Wednesday night trivia.

4106 Henderson Blvd, Tampa

(813) 515-7962

blindgoattampa.com