Tampa Bay restaurants get plenty of local and national accolades. But any thorough examination of our dining scene isn’t complete without recognizing our rich history and tradition of black-owned restaurants in the region. In honor of Black History month, here are some incredible spots you should check out.

Pop Goes The Waffle 5004 Tangerine Ave. S, Gulfport Owner Sara Fludd is changing the way you eat this breakfast staple with her inventive flavor concoctions. With items such as the Hot Cheeto Waffle Dog and Shrimp & Grits topped waffle, it’s no surprise this success story is getting ready to open a Gulfport storefront this spring. Photo via Pop Goes The Waffle/Instagram
Thee Burger Spot 3917 N Tampa St, Tampa, 813-993-3926 Voted Best In The Bay for three consecutive years, get your burger fix in the form of a fair-style donut burger or the out-of-the-box pizza burger on a texas toast bun. Photo via
Loaded 1901 Drew St, Clearwater, 727-271-2200 Home of the No. 1 rated baked potato of Tampa Bay, this niche eatery caters to lovers of this comfort side dish. This spot offers potatoes doused in toppings ranging from salmon and shrimp or cheeseburger fixings. Photo via Google Maps
Chief’s Creole Cafe 901 22nd St S, St. Petersburg, 727-498-8979 Carolyn Brayboy is putting in the work to keep her late mother-in-law’s recipes alive. Jambo – a Jambalaya and Gumbo hybrid – and beignets are cooked up with the knowledge that they’re making Mary Brayboy (or Chief to those who knew her best) proud. Photo via Chief’s Creole Cafe/Facebook Credit: Photo via Chief's Creole Cafe/Facebook
7th and Grove 1930 E 7th Ave, Tampa, 813-649-8422 Bringing comfort food that could nourish the coldest soul, 7th & Grove offers an elevated dining experience for those in search of southern charm in new ways. Their themed menus offer wings and loaded fries on Rockstar Monday or fried catfish tacos on Taco Tuesday. Photo via 7th and Grove/Instagram Credit: 7th and Grove/Instagram
Main Course 4205 S MacDill Ave Suite H, Tampa, 813-898-2106 Run by a female veteran–and truly personifying what it means to be a girlboss–Main Course refines the familiar comfort meals with their “Boujee Biscuits” and the truly boujee lobster and waffles with champagne syrup. Photo via Main Course/Instagram
COPA 1047 Central Ave, St. Petersburg, 727-623-9199 A combination hookah and tapas bar with a latin flair, this St. Pete spot offers a vibrant experience to juxtapose what one would expect from a typical hookah lounge. The team of brothers Maxim and Sebastien Thuriere hope to get you coming back for more with their COPA tostones and craft cocktails. Photo via COPA/Instagram
Queen of Sheba Ethiopian Restaurant 11001 N 56th St, Temple Terrace, 813-872-6000 Spices imported directly from her family in Keffa, Ethiopia, owner Seble Gizaw puts her heart and soul into every dish served in her restaurant. The food is served in a traditional mesob made of straw, and is meant to be eaten handheld using the pancake-like bread injera as your utensil. Photo via Google Maps
Ti Bamboo Dr M.L.K. Jr St N, St. Petersburg, 727-800-5373 A Bob Marley mural welcomes all incoming guests to the Jamaican-style lounge, serving up plates of curried goat and chicken for the authenticity seekers. If you’re playing it safe, jerk chicken pasta and jerk shrimp po’boys offer that flare for those testing the waters. Photo via TiBamboo/Instagram
Grant’s Crabs and Seafood 13030 Starkey Rd, Largo, 727-584-2722 Grant’s offers a wide array of seafood including mussels, tilapia, and grouper alongside their signature flavored crabs. Owner Will Grant has been in the restaurant business for 32 years, having served his “stuttah buttah” covered crabs to big names like Angela Bassett, Keyshawn Johnson, and Michael Alstott. Photo via Grant’s Crabs and Seafood/Facebook
Heavy’s Food Truck Location varies, 727-280-3651 Rob Lancaster and Kendrick Scott have a combined 31 years of cooking experience under their belt, meaning this star-spangled unit has experienced hands crafting this eclectic mix of meals being served. Check out their Facebook or hit their line to see where the truck will be serving their shepherd’s pie casserole and prime rib for the day. Photo via Google Maps
Duality Vegan Cafe 10865 Cross Creek, Tampa, 813-548-3426 Southern soul reimagined for the vegan palette, cousins Monique and Amirah (Perry) Muhammad are working to break out of the norm that plant-based eats can’t be affordable. Photo via Google Maps
Ray’s Vegan Soul 953 Central Ave, St. Petersburg, 727-415-9030 ”Plant-based alchemist” Chef Ray wants to give his community a healthier take on traditional dishes. Catch them on “Soul Food Sunday” where they offer different menu items for pickup every week from 1 – 4 p.m. Photo via Ray’s Vegan Soul/Website
Al’s Finger Licking Good Bar-B-Que 1609 Angel Oliva Senior St, Tampa, 813-956-0675 With humble beginnings out of a concession stand in 2003, this Tennessee-style BBQ joint has cemented its place as a homegrown eatery for the residents of Ybor. Al runs the storefront alongside his wife Jackie and daughter Tia to serve their slow-roasted meats that can get up to eight hours of love in the smoker. Photo via Al’s Finger Licking Good Bar-B-Que/Facebook
Burnz Restaurant Bar & Grill 1704 N Howard Ave, Tampa, 813-964-6093 Bringing multicultural flavors in an elevated setting. Make sure to stop by in your Sunday best to get a taste of their chicken wing lollipops or braised oxtail. Photo via Burnz Restaurant Bar & Grill/Instagram
Jerk Hut Island Grille and Beach Club 1241 E Fowler Ave, Tampa, 813-977-5777 Heralding themselves as “Everyone’s favorite Jamaican restaurant”, Jerk Hut has a variety of island specialties such as Jamaican patties, oxtail soup, and of course, jerk chicken. Photo via Jerk Hut Island Grille/Instagram
Lorene’s Fish House 927 22nd St S, St. Petersburg, 727-321-7297 Known for affordable prices and big portions, this seafood shack menu lists items such as garlic crab and a shrimp-n-grouper platter. Photo via Google Maps
Flavaz Jamaican Grille 6467 US-301, Riverview, 813-488-5114 When they were unable to find authentic Jamaican food in the Riverview area, this local family decided to take matters into their own hands. “Belly bussin’” coco bread and vegetarian rasta pasta are just a few options on the menu. Photo via Google Maps
Yuppi 1821 E 7th Ave, Tampa, 813-530-5363 After losing his culinary professor job due to Covid-19, executive chef Kyle Luke kick started his career in the restaurant business as merely a social experiment. Now home of the “Yuppi wings”, they aim to serve not only a good meal, but positivity on a plate. Photo via Yuppi/Instagram
Zin’s House of Flavors 1916 N Nebraska Ave, Tampa, 813-474-7000 A newly renovated location has given Zin’s an extra edge in their already seasoned menu selection. Wash down the multitude of flavored wing options with the house-squeezed “Slush Yo’ Mouth” lemonade. Photo via Zin’s House of Flavors/Instagram
Mama’s Southern Soul Food Restaurant 3701 E Dr Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Tampa, 813-769-9552 Over 15 years of Tampa history makes this restaurant a landmark of southern hospitality, Chef Reaves being known to check in on patrons as they enjoy their meal. Fried catfish nuggets and hush puppies just like mama used to make can be found on the long list of menu items. Photo via Google Maps
22 South Food Hall 642 22nd St S, St. Petersburg, 727-592-1267 An artisan food court crafted for the foodies of the bay, the current stalls on display include eateries with offerings of Jamaican, BBQ, and many more. The hall has a goal of offering a space of incubation for culinary entrepreneurs’ dreams, using a historic venue as its vessel. Photo via 22 South Food Hall/Instagram
Big John’s Alabama BBQ 5707 N 40th St, Tampa, 813-623-3600 Steve Harvey-approved entrees and made-to-order specialties gives the late “Big John” a legacy in Tampa Bay that goes back three decades. Photo via Google Maps
Yah Mon 301 W Platt St Unit C, Tampa 813-605-5800 Located in the heart of Hyde Park, owner Janise Thompson drew inspiration from her grandmother’s restaurateur background when deciding to bring Caribbean staples such as brown-stew chicken and roti to the Bay area. Photo via Yah Mon/Website
Mr. B’s Southern Kitchen 3401 N Nebraska Ave, Tampa, 813-333-5338 After being revived with a “Restaurant Impossible” makeover, co-owner Calvin Jefferson is able to continue his mission of making a menu that showcases meals he grew up with. Photo via Mr.B’s Southern Kitchen/Facebook

Magazine journalism student with an affinity for music writing. Brandalynn has previously written for Glitter Magazine and was the editor-in-chief/contributor of USF's Her Campus chapter.