Greek$$north-hyde-park
Psomi on North Howard Avenue in Tampa holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand for Chef Christina Theofilos' Greek daytime kitchen and bakery. The patio fills first.
Order: Octopus ceviche, house-made dolmades and a Greek coffee.
Tip: Closed Monday and Tuesday; breakfast and lunch Wednesday to Friday, brunch on weekends.
Mexican$$palma-ceia
Streetlight Taco on Henderson Boulevard is Chef Michael Brannock's Bib Gourmand taqueria, nixtamalizing heirloom corn in house for every tortilla.
Order: Three tacos on house-nixtamalized tortillas and a side of esquites.
Tip: Counter service with a small bar; arrive before 7pm to avoid the queue.
Nepalese$$carrollwood
Gorkhali Kitchen in New Tampa holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand for Himalayan and Nepalese cooking, with steamed buff momos and thali platters built tableside.
Order: Buff momos with chili sauce and the chicken thali platter.
Tip: Strip-mall room with no frills; bring a group and order across the thali, momo and biryani sections.
New American$$$seminole-heights
Rooster and the Till in Seminole Heights holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand for Chef Ferrell Alvarez's modern American small plates with Asian and Italian accents.
Order: Pork belly steam buns and the night's hand-cut pasta.
Tip: Intimate dining room; book through Resy and ask for the chef's counter if available.
American gastropub$$palma-ceia
Datz in South Tampa is Tampa's bacon-hoarding comfort-food gastropub since 2009, with the city's biggest brunch and a 100-tap craft beer wall.
Order: Biscuits and Crazy at brunch or the Cheesy Todd burger at dinner.
Tip: Brunch Saturday and Sunday from 8:30am to 3pm; the patio fills first.
American$$north-hyde-park
Oxford Exchange on Kennedy Boulevard runs a bookstore, restaurant, coffee bar and TeBella tea bar in a sunlit conservatory with a retractable glass roof.
Order: Buttermilk pancakes at brunch with the maple butter and a flight of TeBella teas.
Tip: Toast named Oxford Exchange among America's top 20 brunch spots; arrive before 9am on weekends.