Advertisement

The 22 best Tampa Bay dishes our food critic ate in 2022

A collection of the year’s best dishes at Tampa Bay restaurants, according to our food critic.
 
Tacos at Martha's Mexican Restaurant in Kenneth City were among some of the best dishes our food critic had in 2022.
Tacos at Martha's Mexican Restaurant in Kenneth City were among some of the best dishes our food critic had in 2022. [ HELEN FREUND | Tampa Bay Times ]
Published Jan. 10

What was the best thing I ate last year? It’s a question I ask myself every December, as I whirl through a collection of food photos on my phone, sift through memories of meals and go over notes scribbled to myself tableside the past 365 days.

There was the quesabirria taco I ate on one of the coldest nights of the year, oozing crisp edges of melted cheese and dunked into a warming dark crimson consomme. The crispy-fried latkes paired with caviar over a long, Aperol Spritz-soaked brunch with friends. There was the dreamy raw scallop dish served in a punchy chive-laced cream and fiery strips of cumin- and chile-spiked lamb that made my lips tingle with joy. There was vegan sushi and Dan Dan noodles and the creamiest of panna cottas. There was just so much.

Whittling down my annual rundown of favorite dishes is never an easy feat, but here they are, in no particular ranking or order: my most memorable bites of 2022.

Editor’s note: Several of the dishes listed below first appeared in our weekly Taste newsletter. For updates on the latest restaurant and dining news, sign up here.

This story is part of our Best New Restaurants of 2022 series. Coming on Wednesday: Tampa Bay’s Best New Restaurants of 2022.

Sesame tuna salad at The Tides Seafood Market & Provisions

The sesame tuna salad at The Tides in Safety Harbor features seared ahi tuna and avocado, mango, radishes, onions, cucumbers and tomatoes.
The sesame tuna salad at The Tides in Safety Harbor features seared ahi tuna and avocado, mango, radishes, onions, cucumbers and tomatoes. [ HELEN FREUND | Times ]

I love this charming seafood market and restaurant in downtown Safety Harbor, which highlights regional seafood, meats and produce. I’m particularly smitten with their sesame tuna salad, a tasty combination of seared ahi tuna and avocado, mango, radishes, onions, cucumbers and tomatoes, all served over a bed of fresh greens from Brick Street Farms.

305 Main St., Safety Harbor. 727-699-8433. thetidesmarket.com.

Dan Dan noodles at Dang Dude

Chilled Dan Dan noodles and a smashed cucumber salad are served at Dang Dude at Tampa's Sparkman Wharf.
Chilled Dan Dan noodles and a smashed cucumber salad are served at Dang Dude at Tampa's Sparkman Wharf. [ HELEN FREUND | Tampa Bay Times ]

There’s a lot to love on Dang Dude’s fast-casual menu at Sparkman Wharf in Tampa, but I was particularly wowed by this bowl of fiery Dan Dan noodles. Slick with a creamy Sichuan peppercorn sauce, the thick noodles are topped with fried shallots, which add both flavor and a great deal of dimension. The noodles are great on their own but even better with a few pieces of the spot’s tender lemongrass chicken.

615 Channelside Drive, Tampa. dang-dude.com.

Mussels at Brick and Mortar

A mussels special at Brick and Mortar in St. Petersburg is served with chorizo and white beans.
A mussels special at Brick and Mortar in St. Petersburg is served with chorizo and white beans. [ HELEN FREUND | Tampa Bay Times ]
Dig in to Tampa Bay’s food and drink scenes

Dig in to Tampa Bay’s food and drink scenes

Subscribe to our free Taste newsletter

Get the restaurant and bar news, insights and reviews you crave from food and dining critic Helen Freund every Thursday.

You’re all signed up!

Want more of our free, weekly newsletters in your inbox? Let’s get started.

Explore all your options

Dinner at St. Petersburg gem Brick and Mortar is always a treat, packed with dependable favorites (the tuna tartare, the braised short rib, the burger). But folks would be wise not to miss out on the occasional specials, which on one evening included Prince Edward Island mussels swimming in a rich tomato sauce studded with morsels of chorizo and white beans, served with a charred lemon wedge and crispy toast for dunking.

539 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. 727-822-6540.

Huarache con carne asada at El Huarache Veloz

Huarache con carne asada is served at El Huarache Veloz in Pinellas Park.
Huarache con carne asada is served at El Huarache Veloz in Pinellas Park. [ HELEN FREUND | Tampa Bay Times ]

The specialty at this Pinellas Park Mexican restaurant is the huarache with carne asada, made with a masa dough folded around smashed black beans and fried until golden and crispy. Thick strips of grilled steak, scallions, nopales (prickly pear cactus), queso fresco, cilantro and a red salsa are piled on top — a delightful combination of flavors, texture and lots of spice.

7100 49th St. N, Pinellas Park. 727-525-6028.

Burrata at Timpano

The burrata appetizer at Timpano in Hyde Park Village is served with Sicilian pistachio butter and tomato jam.
The burrata appetizer at Timpano in Hyde Park Village is served with Sicilian pistachio butter and tomato jam. [ HELEN FREUND | Tampa Bay Times ]

The Hyde Park Village restaurant does a unique take on the classic cheese-and-tomato combo, where the soft, creamy orb of burrata is paired with Sicilian pistachio butter and a sweet and sticky tomato jam. Paired with crusty slices of grilled bread, there’s some genius sweet and savory mingling going on. It’s hard not to fall for that kind of grownup peanut-butter-and-jelly appeal.

1610 W Swann Ave., Tampa. 813-254-5870. timpanohydepark.com.

Fish spread at Trophy Fish

Smoked fish spread made with amberjack is served with pickled vegetables and homemade hot sauce at Trophy Fish in St. Petersburg.
Smoked fish spread made with amberjack is served with pickled vegetables and homemade hot sauce at Trophy Fish in St. Petersburg. [ HELEN FREUND | Tampa Bay Times ]

There are few smoked fish spreads I don’t love, but one of my all-time favorites has come to be the one served at Trophy Fish, St. Petersburg’s outdoor cocktail bar and seafood hub. Made with fresh-caught amberjack and served with a bevy of bright and colorful pickled cauliflower, red onions, jalapenos and Fresno chiles, I like to pair it with a dunk in the fiery homemade hot sauce and the crunchy garlic-rubbed crostini.

2060 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. 727-258-7883. trophyfishstpete.com.

Vegan sushi at House of Vegano

St. Petersburg's House of Vegano specializes in vegan sushi.
St. Petersburg's House of Vegano specializes in vegan sushi. [ HELEN FREUND | Tampa Bay Times ]

Who would have thought 2022 would be the year Tampa Bay discovered vegan sushi? At St. Petersburg’s House of Vegano, owner Thalia Tatham makes a convincing argument for throwing out the fish. I love her volcano rolls, made with lion’s mane and king oyster mushrooms, avocados, cucumbers and “spicy krab dynamite.”

655 31st St. S, Suite A, St. Petersburg. 727-506-8627. facebook.com/houseofvegano.

Yellowtail crudo at Haven

Yellowtail crudo is served with fava beans, Fresno chiles, crispy artichokes and a Meyer lemon vinaigrette.
Yellowtail crudo is served with fava beans, Fresno chiles, crispy artichokes and a Meyer lemon vinaigrette. [ HELEN FREUND | Tampa Bay Times ]

Among the many excellent choices at this South Tampa restaurant, I especially loved this take on raw yellowtail, which arrived paired with fava beans and crispy-fried artichokes. Punctuated with little pops of heat from fresno peppers, a bright Meyer lemon vinaigrette tied the whole dish together.

2208 W Morrison Ave., Tampa. 813-258-2233. haventampa.com.

Panna cotta at SIX

Vanilla bean panna cotta with passionfruit is served at SIX at Tampa's JW Marriott Water Street.
Vanilla bean panna cotta with passionfruit is served at SIX at Tampa's JW Marriott Water Street. [ HELEN FREUND | Tampa Bay Times ]

While checking out the rooftop vibes at the JW Marriott at Water Street Tampa, I fell hard for this dessert, a creamy, puddinglike vanilla bean-laced panna cotta. Topped with a passionfruit gel and studded with mangoes and a crunchy brown sugar crumble, it was like a decadent spin on a breakfast parfait, but much, much better.

510 Water St., Tampa. 813-314-6666. sixtampa.com.

Shrimp toast at Noble Rice

Shrimp toast is garnished with fresh herbs, hoisin sauce and tobanjan at Noble Rice in Tampa.
Shrimp toast is garnished with fresh herbs, hoisin sauce and tobanjan at Noble Rice in Tampa. [ HELEN FREUND | Tampa Bay Times ]

A standout dish at this Water Street Tampa Japanese restaurant, the warm toast arrives golden-fried and crispy, tucked beneath a bouquet of fresh mint and other herbs, laced with a sweet drizzle of hoisin and tiny dollops of spicy tobanjan sauce.

615 Channelside Drive, Suite 112, Tampa. 813-542-2021. noblericeco.com.

Latkes at Wild Child

Potato latkes with caviar "bumps" are served at Wild Child in St. Petersburg.
Potato latkes with caviar "bumps" are served at Wild Child in St. Petersburg. [ HELEN FREUND | Tampa Bay Times ]

Brunch at St. Petersburg restaurant Wild Child is always a good time, and the golden-fried, crispy potato latkes are always on heavy rotation. The combo of potatoes, crema, dill and chives creates bites that are equal parts chewy, salty and creamy. Whatever you do, don’t skip the optional caviar “bumps.”

2710 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. 727-954-7425. wildchildstpete.com.

Chargrilled oysters at Roam

Chargrilled oysters are served at Roam in St. Petersburg.
Chargrilled oysters are served at Roam in St. Petersburg. [ HELEN FREUND | Tampa Bay Times ]

The highlight at this St. Petersburg restaurant are the steaks, but don’t overlook their crazy-delicious Louisiana-style chargrilled oysters. Topped in a garlicky Parmesan-laced butter, the oysters arrived bronzed and cheesy — melty in some parts and crispy in others, brightened with a quick squeeze of lemon juice.

3405 34th St. N, St. Petersburg. 727-346-5242. facebook.com/roamsteakhouse.

Cumin lamb at Flaming Mountain Chinese Grill & Skewer Bar

Cumin lamb is served at Flaming Mountain Chinese Grill and Skewer Bar in Tampa.
Cumin lamb is served at Flaming Mountain Chinese Grill and Skewer Bar in Tampa. [ HELEN FREUND | Tampa Bay Times ]

The lip-tingling sparkle imbued by Sichuan peppercorns graces many a plate at this Tampa Chinese restaurant, which specializes in northern Chinese flavors and cooking techniques. That includes this dish, featuring tender strips of lamb swathed in a fiery sauce studded with chiles, onions and scallions.

13520 University Plaza St., Tampa. 813-609-8888. flamingmountainchinese.com.

Mushroom fettuccine at Bonu Taverna

Mushroom fettuccine is served at Bonu Taverna in St. Petersburg.
Mushroom fettuccine is served at Bonu Taverna in St. Petersburg. [ HELEN FREUND | Tampa Bay Times ]

A hearty pasta made with dried porcini and mixed mushrooms, this dish at downtown St. Petersburg Italian restaurant Bonu Taverna is creamy, chock-full of mushroom flavor and an overall decadent delight. Does it have something to do with the healthy drizzle of truffle oil? Possibly.

601 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. 727-623-4505. bonutaverna.online.

Raw scallop at Meliora

A raw scallop dish is served at Meliora, in Sarasota.
A raw scallop dish is served at Meliora, in Sarasota. [ LUIS SANTANA | Times ]

Thin slices of raw scallop arrive swimming in aromatic scallop cream, punchy with garlic and chives, at Sarasota newcomer Meliora. The hot cream gently cooks the scallop, and the result is something akin to the warming, delicate flavors of a quahog chowder.

1920 Hillview St., Sarasota. 941-444-7692. meliorarestaurant.com.

Brussels and bacon flatbread at Gulfport Brewery

The Everyday I'm Brusselin flatbread at Gulfport Brewery features roasted Brussels sprouts, honey-laced goat cheese, bacon and a balsamic drizzle.
The Everyday I'm Brusselin flatbread at Gulfport Brewery features roasted Brussels sprouts, honey-laced goat cheese, bacon and a balsamic drizzle. [ HELEN FREUND | Tampa Bay Times ]

Beyond the great beer selection, I’m a big fan of the flatbreads at this Gulfport neighborhood spot. My favorite is the Everyday I’m Brusselin, which comes topped with a tasty mix of roasted Brussels sprouts, creamy honey-laced goat cheese, crispy slices of bacon and a thick balsamic drizzle.

3007 Beach Blvd., Gulfport. 722-954-4109. gulfport-brewing.com.

Tacos at Martha’s Mexican Restaurant

A selection of tacos at Martha's Mexican Restaurant in Kenneth City.
A selection of tacos at Martha's Mexican Restaurant in Kenneth City. [ HELEN FREUND | Tampa Bay Times ]

The new Kenneth City restaurant features a traditional Mexican menu and a long list of tacos to choose from. Guests can mix-and-match, meaning you can triple up and have carnitas, al pastor and quesabirria on any given night. My favorite? Hands-down, the tender and crispy carnitas.

4747 66th St. N, Kenneth City. 727-290-9725.

Calamari at Miggs Craft Kitchen

A dish of crispy, bronzed calamari is bolstered by the acidity from a juicy tomato compote and a dunk in the accompanying chipotle aioli.
A dish of crispy, bronzed calamari is bolstered by the acidity from a juicy tomato compote and a dunk in the accompanying chipotle aioli. [ HELEN FREUND | Tampa Bay Times ]

This charming Dunedin restaurant has a solid take on the ubiquitous seafood appetizer, featuring crispy, bronzed rings of calamari bolstered by the acidity from a juicy tomato compote and a dunk in creamy chipotle aioli.

1582 Main St., Dunedin. 727-238-8951. facebook.com/miggskraftkitchen.

Buffalo Soul bowl at Florish

The Buffalo Soul bowl from Florish, in South Tampa.
The Buffalo Soul bowl from Florish, in South Tampa. [ HELEN FREUND | Tampa Bay Times ]

I love the bowl selection at this South Tampa plant-based spot, in particular the Buffalo Soul, which features a colorful assembly of Buffalo-seasoned breaded Impossible chicken nuggets, date-roasted sweet potatoes, brown rice and lime-pickled cabbage. The bowl comes topped with toasted pepitas, green onions and a creamy ranch drizzle — just the right combo of crunch, spice and tang.

2307 S Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa. 813-251-9009. eatflorish.com.

Queso birria tacos from Te Invito

Queso birria tacos from Te Invito are served with radishes, onions, cilantro and lime.
Queso birria tacos from Te Invito are served with radishes, onions, cilantro and lime. [ Courtesy of Jesus Bravo ]

Though the quesabirria craze of 2020 seems to have waned some, one of the strongest contenders in the genre remains the version served at popular food truck Te Invito (called “queso birria,” here). The concept hinges on tortillas made from nixtamalized heirloom corn, which renders them incredibly flavorful and aromatic, filled with braised short rib and cheese and fried until crispy and oozing on the flattop.

Outside the Brutalist, 1776 11th Ave. N, St. Petersburg, and other locations. instagram.com/te_invito_tampa.

Dover sole at Lilac

Roasted Dover sole is on the menu at Lilac, a new restaurant at the Edition hotel in Tampa.
Roasted Dover sole is on the menu at Lilac, a new restaurant at the Edition hotel in Tampa. [ HELEN FREUND | Tampa Bay Times ]

You’d expect a timeless classic like this one to be light and buttery, brightened with citrus notes and maybe a little tang from a scattering of capers. This dish at Lilac, the restaurant at the new Edition hotel in Tampa, is all of that, and more: Punchy from a briny porcini mushroom grenobloise, the flaky white fish comes topped with crispy croutons and served with a dreamy de Puy lentil ragout, capped with a smoked paprika cream.

500 Channelside Drive, Tampa. 813-221-4600. editionhotels.com/tampa/restaurants-and-bars/lilac.

Mushroom pierogi at Pierogi Bar

Mushroom and potato pierogi are served at Pierogi Bar in St. Petersburg.
Mushroom and potato pierogi are served at Pierogi Bar in St. Petersburg. [ HELEN FREUND | Tampa Bay Times ]

When the hankering for a pierogi hits, this new Ukrainian restaurant in St. Petersburg is the place to go. I love the pan-fried mushroom and potato versions, paired with a dollop of sour cream and topped with sweet caramelized onions.

6661 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. 727-381-1212. pierogi.bar.