Restaurant Reviews | Creative Loafing Tampa Bay

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Restaurant Reviews

Matthew Neumann's seafood shack Hookin' Ain't Easy is a must-visit gem of the St. Pete food scene

Expect piping hot grouper nuggets, cold beer and sand in-between your toes.

By Kyla Fields

Jun 22, 2023

Greasy paper towels and empty beer glasses on the picnic table. A belly full of blackened grouper...

Owner Matthew Neumann poses at Hookin' Ain't Easy's outdoor bar.

Casa Santo Stefano is a page from Ybor City kitchens of yore

The menu implicitly urges us all to acknowledge the privilege in our lives.

By Jon Palmer Claridge
Jul 13, 2022
At St. Pete's Two Graces the magical atmosphere matches the cuisine

Chef Marlin Kaplan and Lisa Masterson offer safe harbor.

By Jon Palmer Claridge
Mar 3, 2022
At St. Pete's Lingr, balance and surprise are hallmarks of a revelatory meal from chef Jeffrey Jew

Evocative new restaurant from the Bravo and Food Network celebrity chef is a must-visit.

By Jon Palmer Claridge
Dec 17, 2021
Service, menu and ambience make sweet harmony at Tampa’s Rome & Fig

Meet me at the crossroads.

By Jon Palmer Claridge
Dec 3, 2021
Tampa Bay bars and restaurants serving Thanksgiving dinner for dine-in and takeout

We can gather ‘round the turkey this year...but still wear a mask.

By Alexandria Jones
Nov 12, 2021
Seminole Heights Korean fried chicken spot Gangchu finds Chef Noel Cruz hitting the bullseye

But Cruz is much more than a one-trick pony.

By Jon Palmer Claridge
Nov 11, 2021
Willa’s makes for the happiest of meals in Tampa’s North Hyde Park

Eating really good in the neighborhood.

By Jon Palmer Claridge
Oct 7, 2021
Dessert outshined the dinner at Ybor City’s Flor Fina restaurant

Hotel Haya’s upscale Latin restaurant and cocktail bar had us full with joyful anticipation.

By Jon Palmer Claridge
Sep 15, 2021
St. Petersburg’s Urban Stillhouse is a triumph on every level

It's a fun way to emerge from pandemic malaise.

By Jon Palmer Claridge
Jul 30, 2021
Gulfport’s Golden Dinosaurs gracefully mimics the the world of deli meats and hot dogs without the animal cruelty

The allure of deli flavors has sparked tremendous creativity in this kitchen.

By Jon Palmer Claridge
May 6, 2021
St. Pete’s Wild Child is intoxicatingly good and makes you want to travel the world

We’re back in the dining room and surrendering to chef Rob Reinsmith & co.

By Jon Palmer Claridge
Apr 29, 2021
Anju’s Korean fried chicken, bibimbap and tots deliver out of this world comfort food to St. Pete

The only kind of ‘K.F.C.’ you want in your life.

By Jon Palmer Claridge
Apr 2, 2021
At Q, Dunedin chef Cameron Capri cooks up a perfect storm of the best American barbecue

Each of the meats is produced with care and stands alone.

By Jon Palmer Claridge
Mar 24, 2021
Tampa Bay restaurants offering Valentine's Day takeout, meal kits and dine-in specials

You know, if you and your boo have been quarantining together.

By Jenna Rimensnyder
Feb 4, 2021
Saltimbocca isn’t the only takeout star at Tampa Bay takeout favorite Doormét

The 'fit ‘n healthy' perfectly grilled salmon is also one of many bright spots on the menu.

By Jon Palmer Claridge
Jan 22, 2021
Jack’s London Grill in St. Pete is a takeout oasis delivering the food that Brits crave

'We’re still in a world where takeout rules and a safe trip to London is many months away.'

By Jon Palmer Claridge
Jan 4, 2021
St. Pete's Avo’s Kitchen lets you experience a 9,000-mile journey without leaving your living room

Well, you do have to drive there if you're picking up.

By Jon Palmer Claridge
Nov 13, 2020
Tampa’s Taqueria Margarita serves sublime handfuls of old Mexico

They proudly share abuela’s authentic recipes that are homemade with the freshest ingredients.

By Jon Palmer Claridge
Oct 27, 2020
Bodega's new St. Pete locations is still is an efficient, casual solution to your comfort food hunger

Debbie and George Sayegh offer a menu of pressed sandwiches with an online order system for takeout that is easy to navigate.

By Jon Palmer Claridge
Oct 6, 2020
Dunedin’s Bon Appétit pairs decadent to-go food with a scenic drive

You know, since we're not dining in yet.

By Jon Palmer Claridge
Aug 20, 2020

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Food & Drink Slideshows

Photos: Everyone we saw celebrating the Tampa Bay beer scene at Bolts Brew Fest

You came, you saw, and you enjoyed that sweet, sweet Amalie Arena air-conditioning. Bolts Brew Fest returned to the home of the…

By Ray Roa

Aug 12, 2024

Photos: Everyone we saw celebrating the Tampa Bay beer scene at Bolts Brew Fest

The most-anticipated new restaurants coming to Tampa Bay this fall

It's time to fall into some restaurant openings, Tampa Bay. While predicting a restaurant's grand opening date is about as accurate as…

By CL Staff

Aug 9, 2024

Bonchon
308 E Fletcher Ave., Tampa
Bonchon, arguably one of the best South Korean fried chicken chains, is on its way to Tampa. The new Tampa location has been rumored for over a year now, and over the last couple weeks, Bonchon started posting multiple job openings. But according to the company, the new outpost will finally make its debut in the USF area. As of now, no exact opening date for the Tampa location has been announced, though there's some speculation it may open mid to late August.
Photo via Bonchon/website

Photos: Look inside Ybor City's new Sky Puppy Brewing

There’s a lot of history built into the walls at Sky Puppy Brewing. It sits on the site of Casa Bomberos, where…

By Matthew McGovern, Ray Roa

Aug 6, 2024

Sky Puppy Brewing, which will open in Ybor City, Florida in late-August or early-September, 2024.

The summer's 20 hottest new restaurants and bars to open in Tampa Bay

While the temps outside are hotter than ever, so is Tampa Bay's dining scene. Over the last few months, quite a few…

By CL Staff

Jul 26, 2024

Lily's Sweet Treats
601 S Harbour Island Blvd #104, Tampa
Lily’s Sweet Treats debuted in The Pointe on Harbour Island earlier this summer. “Lily’s is inspired by, and named after, my daughter Lily and grandmother Lilian who owned franchise ice cream shops in New York," said said Chas Bruck, Founder of Three Oaks Hospitality in a press release. The new spot, which shares space with pizza joint The Fold, is described as a "nostalgic ice cream spot," that offers "cereals with popular candy and fresh fruit mix-ins."
Photo via Lily's Sweet Treats

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