Tampa Seasonal Food: What to Eat by Season 2026

What is in season in Tampa, and what to order when the market changes.

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31 OctLocal produce, baked goods and gourmet foods

Spring

Florida sweet corn: Florida's sweet corn harvest runs February through April, with Plant City and the Hillsborough farms supplying Tampa farmers markets. Best at Seminole Heights Sunday market.
Florida strawberries: Plant City's strawberry harvest peaks late February through April. The Florida Strawberry Festival runs the first week of March with Parkesdale Farm Market as the year-round retail anchor.
Hearts of palm: Florida swamp cabbage hearts of palm peak in spring; Ulele on the Riverwalk runs it as a side, and farmers markets sell jarred.
Spring mullet: Florida mullet runs in the Bay early spring; smoked mullet shows up at fish markets and as appetizers at Old Florida restaurants like Skipper's.

Going to Florida Strawberry Festival?

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Florida mango: Florida mango (Kent, Keitt, Tommy Atkins) peaks June through August, sold at Hyde Park Sunday market and the international markets in West Tampa.
Lychee: Florida lychee harvest peaks late June through July; available at Asian markets in Tampa and as a cocktail garnish at Tanto in Seminole Heights.
Florida grouper: Grouper season runs through summer; Frenchy's in Clearwater, Ulele in Tampa Heights and Doc Ford's in St Pete run grouper sandwiches off Gulf catches.
Datil pepper: Florida heritage hot pepper from St Augustine; appears as a hot sauce on Tampa Cuban sandwiches and at the deviled crab counters in late summer.

Going to Tampa Bay Margarita Festival?

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Stone crab claws: Stone crab season opens October 15 and runs through May 1. Joe's Stone Crab in Miami leads but Tampa's seafood shops at the Sparkman Wharf carry fresh claws weekly.
Blackfin tuna: Gulf blackfin tuna peaks October through January. Noble Rice at Sparkman Wharf runs blackfin nigiri off Florida catches plus weekly Toyosu imports.
Florida oysters (Apalachicola): Apalachicola Bay oysters peak in cooler months; Bern's Steak House and The Pearl on Water Street run them by the half-dozen.
Citrus: Florida citrus (Honeybell, Murcott, navel) peaks November through January; the Tampa farmers markets sell direct from Polk County growers.

Stone crab claws (continued): Stone crab season runs through May 1; jumbo claws cost the most and are best mid-season (January, February). Joe's Stone Crab Miami plus Sparkman Wharf fish counters in Tampa.
Mullet (smoked): Florida mullet smokes through winter as the traditional Old Florida fish; Ted Peters in St Pete is the regional standard, plus markets in Tampa and Crystal River.
Florida strawberries (early): Plant City strawberries start appearing December and January, before the February-March peak; farm stands sell direct from picking through the spring.
Cuban Nochebuena pork: Tampa Cuban Christmas Eve tradition: whole roasted mojo pork served with yuca, black beans and yellow rice. La Teresita and the Cuban bakeries take Nochebuena orders by late November.