The restaurants worth a reservation in Tampa, from neighbourhood bistros to the new classics.
The restaurants worth the trip in Tampa: bistros, neo-classics, neighbourhood favourites, and the rooms locals book first.
31 places
Order Dry-aged Delmonico medium rare with French onion soup and a tour of the kitchen and wine cellar after dinner.
Bern's Steak House in Tampa's Hyde Park has dry-aged beef in house since 1956 and pours from the largest restaurant wine cellar in the world.
Order 1905 Salad tableside, Cuban sandwich with the house Cuban bread, and the Spanish bean soup.
The Columbia Restaurant on East Seventh Avenue has plated 1905 Salad and Cuban sandwiches in Ybor City since 1905 and is Florida's oldest restaurant.
Order Charbroiled oysters with paprika butter, pompano off the barbacoa.
Ulele on the Tampa Riverwalk in Tampa Heights cooks native-inspired Floridian fish, alligator and pompano over a 10-foot open barbacoa grill.
2 of the restaurants on this list serve mexican.
Order Half-dozen seasonal oysters, the dry-aged burger and whatever pie is on the rotating dessert menu.
The Pearl on Water Street in Tampa is Cameron Mitchell's downtown gastropub, an oyster room and tavern with a pie-only dessert menu by an in-house pastry.
Order Mozzarella pulled tableside followed by agnolotti del plin and the tagliatelle al ragu.
Rocca in Tampa Heights holds a Michelin star for Chef Bryce Bonsack's Piedmont-trained pastas, hand-pulled tableside mozzarella and modern Italian tasting.
Order Steak frites medium rare, the onion soup gratinee and a fresh croissant from Boulon Bakery counter on the way.
Boulon Brasserie at Water Street in Tampa serves modern French classics, a working in-house bakery and a brunch menu that lands among the city's best.
Order The pork belly steam buns and whatever pasta is on the chalkboard that night.
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 Octopus ceviche, house-made dolmades, and a Greek coffee with the bougatsa.
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 Three tacos on house-nixtamalized corn tortillas plus a side of esquites and the chile de arbol salsa.
Streetlight Taco on Henderson Boulevard in South Tampa is Chef Michael Brannock's Bib Gourmand taqueria, nixtamalizing heirloom corn in house for its tacos.
Order A plate of steamed buff momos with chili sauce and the chicken thali platter for two.
Gorkhali Kitchen in New Tampa holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand for Himalayan and Nepalese cooking, with steamed momos and big-bowl thalis the table builds.
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Order Palomilla steak with yellow rice and black beans, a side of yuca fries, and a cafe con leche at the counter.
La Teresita on Columbus Drive in West Tampa has run a Cuban counter and dining room since 1972, owned by the Capdevila family across two generations.
Order The jerk chicken roti plus a glass of rum punch, with the rum cake as the late finish.
Madame Fortune in Ybor City runs Caribbean food and a vinyl record bar from a back room of Roast Deli and Bakery on East Seventh Avenue. The room fills.
Order Margherita pizza out of the wood-fired oven, the carbonara, and a Negroni at the bar before the wait clears.
Bavaro's in downtown Tampa opened in 2009 as Florida's first traditional Neapolitan pizzeria, with wood-fired ovens and pastas from a Ferrara family recipe.
Order Biscuits and Crazy at brunch with buttermilk biscuits, sausage gravy, two eggs.
Datz in South Tampa is the city's bacon-hoarding comfort-food gastropub, open since 2009 for big-plate brunch and gut-busting comfort dinners.
Order Buttermilk pancakes with the maple butter.
Oxford Exchange on Kennedy Boulevard in Tampa runs a bookstore, restaurant, coffee bar and TeBella tea bar, with a sunlit conservatory and Buddy Brew Coffee.
Order Pad thai from the noodle line, guay tiew beef noodle soup, and mango sticky rice from the dessert tables.
Wat Mongkolratanaram on Palm River Road runs a Sunday Thai market every week from 9am until 1pm, with food cooked by temple volunteers under live-oak trees.
Order The Cuban sandwich pressed crisp and a slice of the famous rum cake to take home.
Wright's Gourmet House on Dale Mabry Highway has run a Tampa sandwich and bakery counter since 1963, famous for Cuban sandwiches and the legendary rum cake.
Order Eight-piece nigiri omakase plus the toro hand roll and a cold sake pairing.
Noble Rice at Sparkman Wharf is the minimalist Japanese sushi room flying bluefin and uni from Toyosu weekly, recognized in the Michelin Guide.
Order Tableside guacamole, the birria taco trio, and a mezcal flight from the Oaxacan section.
Jotoro at Sparkman Wharf is Michelin-starred Chef Joe Isidori's modern Mexican kitchen, with tableside guacamole, birria tacos and a deep mezcal list.
Order The chef's tasting menu with the whole grilled fish course and the mezze opening.
Lilac at the Tampa EDITION hotel runs Chef John Fraser's Mediterranean prix-fixe menu with Greek heritage, locally sourced ingredients and an open-kitchen.
Order The full chef's-counter tasting menu with the wine pairing; the menu changes seasonally.
Ebbe on Franklin Street downtown holds a 2026 Michelin star for Chef Ebbe Vollmer's 10-seat Scandinavian chef's-counter open-fire tasting in 12 courses.
Order The signature omakase menu with the seasonal sake pairing; the wagyu course is the standout.
Kosen on Palm Avenue in Tampa Heights holds a Michelin star for Chef Andrew Huang's 12-seat chef's-counter omakase featuring 20-plus courses.
Order The full tasting menu ($295); the bluefin tuna course and uni handroll are the benchmarks.
Koya on West Platt Street in Hyde Park holds a Michelin star for Chef Eric Fralick's 8-seat omakase, with bluefin tuna and uni flown from Toyosu weekly.
Order The Farmer bowl with grilled chicken and the citrus farro salad; pick the seasonal vegetable side.
Naked Farmer on Water Street in Tampa runs a fast-casual farm-to-table kitchen with locally sourced bowls, salads and Florida grouper sandwiches.
Order A garden bowl built from the day's farm pick plus a slice of seasonal sourdough.
Fat Beet Farm holds the 2026 Michelin Green Star for sustainable cooking, sourcing produce from its own working west Tampa farm and regional partners.
Order Roman-style pizza al taglio, the cacio e pepe and the bistecca alla fiorentina for two.
Forbici in Hyde Park Village runs modern Italian from a Roman-pizza-cut-with-scissors angle, with handmade pasta and a bistecca alla fiorentina.
Order Bone-marrow starter, dry-aged ribeye and the heirloom tomato salad when in season.
Union New American in Westshore runs a modern American chophouse menu with dry-aged steaks, big seasonal salads and a serious bourbon list. Open.
Order Wood-fired sausage pizza, eggplant parmesan and a glass of Chianti from the Italian-only wine list.
Noble Crust in Carrollwood runs neighborhood Italian-American with wood-fired pizzas, fresh pasta and a Southern-Italian heritage on the entree side.
Order Mansaf lamb shank with yogurt sauce, the chicken shawarma wrap and the knafeh for dessert.
Petra on Kennedy Boulevard in Tampa has served halal-certified Jordanian and Palestinian dishes since 2004, with mansaf and shawarma as the table builders.
Order Tableside Caesar followed by veal saltimbocca with a glass of Brunello.
Donatello on Dale Mabry has run formal Italian service in Tampa since 1984, with tableside Caesar prep, osso buco and a captain-led wine program.
Order Tonkotsu ramen with the slow-cooked chashu, karaage on the side and a bao bun.
Ichi Koroshi revived Seminole Heights ramen inside the Jug and Bottle shop on North Florida Avenue, with the tonkotsu broth and bao that built the area.
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