Vegetarian/health food restaurants in the greater Tampa area

[laurie]

Would like recommendations for spots in the Tampa area, especially Pinellas County, that serve health food/organic/vegetarian food. Suggestions?

[panicattack]

Vegetarian recommendations for Tampa:

1. I agree with all the recommendations for Consciousness Blossoms. Fabulous lunch choice. Try the "Rueben" sandwich. I only wish they had later hours!

2. Grass Root for dinner. Yum! Especially recommended for raw and vegan foodies.

3. If in the USF area, try Kalesia Tea Lounge on Fletcher for lunch. They have a small, but all vegan menu. The teas, bobas, and smoothies are excellent. Staff are very friendly.

4. If Indian is your thing, try Udipi on Dale Mabry. All vegetarian. My husband I think the quality of the food has gone down a bit in the last year based on our last few visits, but we'll probably try there again soon.

5. There is another all vegetarian Indian place (Pure Veg Mirch Masala) on Fowler in the USF area, but based on a poor experience there I don't recommend it.

[rikkikm]

I had 9 people meet at Grass Root for a Thursday night dinner at the beginnig of January. I had to pull tables together myself because no one was helping us- I had made a "reservation". Took 10 minutes to get menus, 25 minutes to get water and then the waiter spilled an entire glass of water on one of the guests- he was soaked and it was a cold night. Him and his wife subsequently left without eating. They also charged $1.00 for each glass of what I'm pretty sure was tap water. Then I had the owner giving me some sob story about how they aren't staffed like a Red Lobster or Olive Garden and have a hard time handling a group. And she KEPT HARPING on it. (BTW, I would never hold an independent restaurant to the same standards as a chain, but if you call yourself a restaurant, you should be able to operate like one on a basic level.) Then she said that because of our party, she would no longer accept reservations for large parties. Oh thanks- what a way to treat your customers- blame them for your problems. Some of the members said she made them uncomfortable. It was a disastrous night.

But the food tasted fine, although the shake that I ordered and expected with my meal was brought to me as dessert.

[rhnault]

wow! way to alienate 10 potential return customers....

[rikkikm]

Re: Udipi: Ate there once in 2006, but they have repeatedly had 15-20 critical Health Code violations- in April and September of 2007- so I'm definitely wary at this point.

[sunshine842]

Don't forget Wild Oats in the Target plaza at Dale Mabry and 275 -- not the cheapest, but great food.

I dont shop for groceries there, though -- Nature's Harvest is better anyday. (make sure you try the vegetarian chocolate chip cookies...awesome)

[wishbugger]

3 places I suggest:
a. Consciousness Blossoms (Tampa Road in Palm Harbor) is really good for lunch and I would love to try breakfast. It has a yoga/Indian motif and some outside seating. Very pleasant.

b. Bunny Hop Cafe, which is in the natural foods grocery located in the plaza on the corner of Cleveland St. and Missouri. FABULOUS, huge, organic soup/salad bar.

c. Rollin Oats, on MLK near 30th Ave. in St. Pete: Rapidly becoming my favorite lunch spot in St. Pete. Delicious, filling vege favorites, like wraps, etc. And Nachos!

I wish I could find a decent health food dinner restaurant.

[laurie]

Thanks for the recs for Consciousness Blossoms. I'd passed by it once and wondered if it was any good. I'll need to try it out soon. I also noticed a place in downtown Clearwater, on Cleveland, that's open til 7:00 most evenings (I can't remember the name). Does anyone know the place and if so, is it good?

[Echo123]

I second Consciousness Blossoms. Love their Neat Loaf and still go there for it even though I finally got my hands on the same recipe. :)

[drnailz]

Wow......would you share that recipe. I have looked all over for something even similar and can't find it. Deb

[Echo123]

I used this recipe and it turned out VERY well:
http://www.pocketpig.com/weblog_archi...

[alisonw]

I just had the Neat Loaf this weekend from Consciousness Blossoms and it was amazing. I am trying out Vegetarianism and I would love to make that neat loaf. I live in New Orleans and don't have access to Consciousness Blossoms. Are you willing to share or tell me how to get it? I had it with the mushroom gravy and mashed potatoes. yum, yum.

[oshun]

Check out Consciousness Blossoms on Tampa Rd and Lake St George Dr, just east of US 19 in 7-11 Plaza, its a vegetarian lunch place, dinner only on Fri nights.

Also, Palm Harbor Natural Foods - grocery store with Deli section and seating on Curlew and US 19, in plaza with Publix. Both my favorite places in the area.

[Tandoori Girl]

rshally, what's grass roots like? and what are the hours?

[rshally]

Grass Roots Organic Cafe on Florida Avenue in Tampa Heights. You WONT be dissapointed

[patken]

In Pinellas County for light lunch-fare dining such as sandwiches, salads etc. go to Nature's Finest Foods (another grocery store that also has seating)
6651 Central Ave
St. Petersburg, FL
33710

[Tandoori Girl]

I'm at a loss for a SP recommendation but in Tampa, Nature's Harvest is a grocery store that has a lunch counter. It is in a strip shopping center on MacDill Avenue just north of Cypress. Unfortunately, the long-time veggie restaurant The Natural Kitchen closed recently after almost 30 years on Kennedy Blvd. in Tampa.