? Tampa/St Pete's Best Eats

[sarapeater]

I'll be in Tampa/St Petes for a few days in April. Looking for some ideas at all levels, from crab shack to fine dining, something(s) I cannot get anywhere else. Ideas? thanks

[LunasMom]

Here is a post I just started, although no one has responded.

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/395861

[HeatherFL]

I agree with Cafe Ponte. Very good.

If you have time and want something small and fine dining, maybe try Six Tables-the one in South Tampa on Henderson. We're actually dining there tonight and the idea popped in my head to post it here. It's a Fixed Price Menu for six courses-$80. This doesn't include wine or alcohol. We dine with Richard (and his wife Amy) every so often and are never disappointed.

Link: www.sixtablestampa.com

[sarapeater]

just to follow-up...the best food I had was at Keegan's Seafood Grille and the Candy Kitchen (ice-cream)

The best location I went to was the Sandbar on Anna Maria Island.

I also ate at pretty much every minor league/spring training park in Tampa Bay (tigers, yankees, threshers)...which means a lot of hot dogs...was really impressed by the selection in Clearwater

[donh]

?Selection of hot dogs at the stadium in Clearwater. This must be new.

[sarapeater]

selection - variety of food in general

[Gar]

For upscale dining, I would suggest Cafe Ponte. We enjoyed it when we went and it seems to get talked about quite a bit on the boards.
I would also suggest looking at Red Mesa in St. Petersburg. It's not much to look at from the outside, but the food is wonderful.
Bern's in Tampa gets a lot of buzz. Personally, I don't get it, but a lot of people really enjoy it. So it is something to consider, I guess. It's a Tampa institution.

[Check Please]

St Pete does have a few decent cuban sandwiches. Cuban Delight Cafe
@ 2950 49th Street has a wonderful Cuban sandwich. Huge pieces of really tender pork on great bread ( that probably comes from Tampa!) They have other great cuban specialities also. Really inexpensive. The Floridian on Treasure Island is pretty good also.

[Tandoori Girl]

don't know where yur staying but tampa has better cuban than st. pete. Places that win the contests in Tampa are Castellano and Pizzo deli or Wrights Gourmet, both in south tampa. For great atmosphere and more of a local twist to your cuban try La Ideal in West Tampa. It looks like a dive on the outside but inside it is true tampa latino. Be sure to order your cuban pressed (hot and toasty).

there's this local chowguy that goes all the way to homosassa to get his cubans :) but we love him anyway. you should search the site for some of the cuban sandwich threads. you'll discover more than you've ever wanted to know about cuban sandwiches.

[sarapeater]

thanks. I noticed you (TG) have some favorite places for Cuban sandwiches...want to tell me more about them?

[Tandoori Girl]

Just in case those posts don't mention it, the Crab Shack is on Gandy Blvd. in St. Petersburg less than a mile from the Gandy bridge. It's an old place with lots of atmosphere.

[rhnault]

Crab Shack has one of my favorite blue moon indulgences. Fried seafood. My favorite is the shrimp, grouper, and scallop combo with potato salad and cole slaw.

[sarapeater]

thank you

[HeatherFL]

Here are three threads that will give you a lot of information and ideas for the Tampa Bay area (including Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater and other small towns in those vicinities.)

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/368294

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/129768

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/129646