Retro House reopens in Ybor City with full coffee menu and brand new dining room A go-to spot for dim sum and Cantonese eats just reopened in Tampa with a brand new dining room and specialty coffee counterpart. Retro House, located at 934 E Henderson Ave. on the outskirts of Ybor City, is now open from 7:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday after a three-month pause due to renovations and building updates. At the start of 2025, Retro House had to temporarily close to fix its roof that had sustained damage from Hurricane Milton. While these renovations took a bit longer than expected, the Chinese restaurant and its coffee shop counterpart is finally open for dine-in service. Retro House starts brewing coffee at 7:30 a.m. while its full food menu of dumplings, baos, rice bowls and Hong Kong-style noodles is available starting at 11 a.m. Its coffee shop portion boasts a stacked pastry case filled with housemade cookies, danishes, savory breakfast items and more.—Kyla Fields
St. Pete’s beloved Nicko’s Pizza and Subs reopens after Hurricane Helene thanks to community support When Hurricane Helene barreled through Tampa Bay in September 2024, St. Petersburg’s Old Southeast neighborhood found itself submerged under record-breaking storm surges. Among the many businesses devastated by the flooding was Nicko’s Pizza and Subs, a local favorite at 1239 4th St. S. The family-owned restaurant suffered catastrophic losses, with nearly two feet of water destroying 80% of its equipment, from coolers and freezers to ovens and kegerators. Everything below four feet had to be gutted. But six months later, thanks to an outpouring of community support, Nicko’s is back. Owners Nick and Erin Faraone officially reopened the doors last month, determined to serve the neighborhood that refused to let them go under.—Sofía García Vargas
Slim Charmer, a new cocktail bar and tasting room from Wild Child team, now open in St. Pete A brand new concept from a familiar hospitality team just made its long-awaited debut in St. Pete’s Grand Central District. Slim Charmer, located at 2706 Central Ave. adjacent to its sister concept Wild Child, soft opened a few weeks ago and now serves its first wave of customers from 5 p.m.-11 p.m. Wednesdays-Thursdays and 5 p.m.-midnight on Fridays-Saturdays. The new bar and restaurant specializes in martinis and “eclectic small plates” and only offers 26 seats between its bar and actually-slim dining room.—KF
Closings
St. Pete’s Wayward Goose bar and pool hall closes this month After a decade serving drinks and hosting art shows, the Wayward Goose has been cut loose from its downtown St. Pete building. Owners of the bar at 48 Dr. M.L.K. Jr. St. N announced its closure on Instagram last week with a chalkboard drawing of its blue-beaked mascot roasted like a Thanksgiving turkey and the words, “F*ck we’re cooked.” The Goose was one of St. Pete’s last pool halls, and just christened new tables last month. Known for hosting the work of local artists on its brick walls, the final show will feature work from Regan McCreight and Dana Donkle through its last day on Sunday, April 20.—Selene San Felice
That’s a wrap for EVOS, the health-conscious fast-food chain that started in Tampa After nearly three decades of flipping burgers with a health-conscious twist, Tampa-based fast-casual chain Evos is closing its final three Florida restaurants — marking the end of an era for fans of its air-baked fries and organic milkshakes. The company did not mention a reason for closing in its April 4 announcement. Its locations in Carrollwood and South Tampa are already shuttered. The St. Petersburg location closed yesterday, Friday, April 11.—SGV
Events
Tampa Bay Taco Week 2025 kicks off Thursday, with specials on both sides of the bridge Here’s something taco-bout this weekend. Tampa Bay Taco Week kicks off Thursday, April 10 bringing with it 10 days and nights of special deals on tacos and drinks at 18 different Bay area restaurants, taquerias and cantinas. A portion of the proceeds from Tampa Bay Taco Week, brought to you by Creative Loafing, go to the nonprofit Humane Society of Tampa Bay.—Ray Roa
Creative Loafing’s all-you-can eat Brunched event comes to downtown Tampa this month Fuck that oatmeal you’ve been eating every morning. It’s time to get Brunched. Creative Loafing Tampa Bay’s annual celebration of Tampa Bay’s best indulgent breakfast-lunch combo offerings is back, now at a new location, the Le Meridien Hotel featuring Sal Rosa. Everglazed Chicken & Donuts, Oystercatchers, and Latitude 28 are just a few of the restaurants sampling bites, with more restaurants being added to the lineup. Of course, it wouldn’t be brunch without booze. Some of Tampa Bay’s best bartenders will compete for the coveted title of Best Bloody Mary. The winner, voted on by guests, will earn bragging rights and a feature at this year’s Best of the Bay event in September.—SSF
A chicken nugget festival gets saucy at Shuffle Tampa this weekend If you’re serious about chicken nuggets, you can skip the drive-thru on Saturday, Aprl 12. Shuffle Tampa hosts Nugget Fest, where attendees can fill up a bucket with nugs from Saucin Wings and The Fishin Chicken food trucks. The menu includes classic and Buffalo nuggets, some with sweetness, spice, and Doritos and Hot Cheetos-crusted. Tampa Hot Sauce’s Chef Jose has the sauce with flavors like peach habanero, hot garlic, and Florida strawberry. Get in with nuggets à la carte for $11, or spend $35 for admission and unlimited nuggets. No vegetarian nuggets, but the food trucks and bar will have their full menus available).—SSF
St. Pete’s Dalí Museum hosts an evening wine and food tasting this month It’s easy to feel under the influence while walking through St. Pete’s Dalí museum, and now the venue is giving patrons a chance to catch a literal buzz while strolling the galleries. Set for later this month, Los Vinos de Dalí is a three-hour evening where the museum lets ticketholders stay past closing and sample wine and food all while enjoying full access to the museum—including “The Subversive Eye” exhibit—while enjoying live music and the Dalí Dome.—RR
Keel Farms blue it again with blueberry festival running through April Plant City’s sweetest tradition is back. The Keel Farms Blueberry Festival started last weekend, but for anyone thinking they blue it there’s still lots of time to go. The festival runs every weekend in April, except Easter Sunday. The fresh-made wines and ciders will be ready to pour, and the whole family can get in on u-pick berries (while they last). Come hungry for the blueberry shortcake eating contest.—SSF
ICYMI
Treasure Island’s Thunderbird resort to be demolished—and rebuilt The Ikki Woo-Woo is about to be the Ikki Wah-wah. Ownership at the Thunderbird Beach Resort says it’s demolishing—then rebuilding—the iconic, 68-year-old Treasure Island hotel. In a social media post, ownership pegged the difficult decision on damage from last year’s back-to-back hurricanes. “After extensive evaluations and much deliberation, we were left with no choice but to move forward with a full redevelopment of the hotel,” they wrote. The silver lining is that ownership, which said 80% of the resort has substantial damage, plans a complete rebuild that preserves the “…heart, soul, and charm that guests have come to love.”—RR
Local cooks can win $10,000 in Feeding Tampa Bay’s ‘Epic Chef’ competition—but the applications are due Sunday, April 13 Feeding Tampa Bay is still accepting applications for the 10th anniversary of its Epic Chef competition where $10,000, the Marty Blitz Award, and a custom knife roll will go to the chef who battles their way to the end of the “Chopped”-style cooking showdown. Prize money used to be set at $5,000, with four chefs in the running, but in another 10th anniversary twist, the nonprofit expanded the field to include six chefs who will create a dish for guests to vote and taste on during a kickoff event set for Monday, June 23.—RR
Tampa chef Jacob Rios talks winning ‘Chopped,’ Puerto Rican influence, and more Tampa Bay’s culinary scene recently added another star to its roster—Jacob Rios. Last February, the executive chef at Tampa’s Union New American, took home the top prize on Food Network’s “Chopped,” during the Feb. 18 bacon-themed episode. Born and raised in Ponce, Puerto Rico, Rios has spent years refining his craft in some of the nation’s top restaurants and hospitality brands, including Disney Springs Resort, Kona Grill, Wolfgang Puck, and Ceviche Tapas Bar and Restaurant.—SSF
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This article appears in Apr 10-16, 2025.