A professional portrait photograph showing Lindsey Grove. Captured in a centered medium close-up shot against a smooth studio gradient backdrop, public health leader and political candidate Lindsey Grove smiles directly at the camera. She wears dark hair pulled back into a low ponytail, dark red lipstick, a light blue open-collar dress shirt, and a dark blue blazer under soft studio lighting.

Creative Loafing voting guide 2026: St. Petersburg City Council, mayor, referendums and charter amendments

Linsey Grove, Ken Welch, and Gabriel Hament among candidates that should be sent to city hall.

by CL Staff October 23, 2026October 26, 2026

Creative Loafing Tampa Bay’s 2026 voter guide includes recommendations and endorsements for St. Petersburg’s city council and mayoral races, plus the referendums and charter amendments.

A campaign portrait photo showing Democratic candidate May Thach. Captured in a centered medium shot outdoors, non-profit professional and Florida House District 61 candidate May Thach smiles warmly off-camera. She wears long dark hair with soft waves, drop earrings, a white ruffle-trimmed sheer blouse, and a dark blue pinstriped vest, standing in front of a softly blurred garden courtyard with tropical foliage under warm natural sunlight.

News & Views

Creative Loafing voting guide 2026: Pinellas state representatives, county commission, and school board

May Thach and Lindsay Polega-Quigley deserve to go to Tallahassee.

by CL Staff October 23, 2026October 26, 2026

A news press photograph showing Neil Manimala at C. Blythe Andrews Jr. Public Library in Tampa, Florida on July 9, 2026. Captured in a centered medium shot, candidate Neil Manimala speaks into a hand-held black microphone while addressing an audience. He is bald with a trimmed beard and dark-rimmed glasses, wearing a textured navy blue blazer over an open-collar white dress shirt with a blue name tag pinned to his lapel, set against a plain light wall background under soft indoor lighting.

News & Views

Creative Loafing voting guide 2026: Hillsborough County Commission, School Board and referendums

Voters have a unique opportunity to shape their county government for generations.

by CL Staff October 23, 2026October 26, 2026

Multiple illuminated vintage pinball machines, including an X-Men themed machine, lined up indoors at The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York

Food & Drink

New elevated Mexican spot opens in downtown Tampa, St. Pete gets a pinball bar, and more in local food news

Plus, James Beard winning author Steven Raichlen is on town talking barbecue, Clearwater GreekFest is here and more in our weekly food news round-up.

by CL Staff October 23, 2026October 23, 2026

A news photo showing Mayor Ken Welch at The Hub Innovation District in St. Petersburg, Florida on March 27, 2024. Captured in a medium shot over the shoulders of attendees seated around a conference table, St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch sits at the head of the meeting wearing a light pink button-down dress shirt, a red tie, and glasses with a gray beard, looking forward as a colleague in a black blazer seated beside him listens intently under bright indoor office lighting near a window.

News & Views

St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch deserves another term

Charlie Crist is likeable, but I don’t trust his reasons for running.

by David Warner and CL Staff October 19, 2026October 19, 2026

Food & Drink

V Modern Italian debuts in North Hyde Park, Dr. BBQ heads to Clearwater Beach and more in Tampa Bay food news

Plus, Rene’s Mexican Kitchen needs some help, Oktoberfest reschedules and more in our weekly food news round-up.

by CL Staff October 9, 2026October 9, 2026

Arts & Entertainment

[Photos] Everyone who stepped into Creative Loafing’s Best of the Bay 2026 photo booth

Roll call!

by CL Staff October 9, 2026October 9, 2026

An outdoor architectural photograph by Annalise Mabe showing Coco's In the Heights in Tampa, Florida on Sept. 29, 2026. Captured in a wide shot under a clear blue sky, the blue and black single-story venue features a covered outdoor patio on the left with picnic tables, bench seating, and overhead string lights. On the right, a black ordering counter with a four-panel window is decorated above with painted murals of palm trees, ocean waves, and stylized text reading "Coco's", set against a lawn forecourt with trees in the background.

Food & Drink

Coco’s lands in Seminole Heights, Taste of the Beaches heads to Pinellas, and more in Tampa Bay food news

Plus, we get a glimpse at downtown Tampa’s new Mexican steakhouse Matilde, Pete’s Bagels is on the move, and more in our weekly food news round-up.

by CL Staff October 2, 2026October 2, 2026

Exterior view of The Tides Seafood Market & Provisions building located at the corner of 3rd Ave N and Main St, featuring blue brick walls, large glass windows, and outdoor wooden seating.

Food & Drink

Safety Harbor’s The Tides gets some NYT love, La La Sangria Bar says goodbye, and more in Tampa Bay food news

Plus, Taco Dirty pulls out of Riverview, a rundown of the area’s best gas station restaurants and more in our weekly dining round-up

by CL Staff September 18, 2026September 18, 2026

Food & Drink

Pura Vida opens at Water Street, the Tampa Bay Food Fight returns, and more in local food news

Plus, Lolita’s Coastal Cocina opens in Clearwater Beach, Wines of Spain returns to Ybor City, Salsa Con Ron is back and more in our weekly food news round-up.

by CL Staff September 11, 2026September 11, 2026

Rooftop lounge at O-Ku Tampa overlooking trees, waterfront views, and surrounding architecture at sunset.

Food & Drink

Tampa Bay’s hottest new restaurants to open this summer

What follows are some of the most popular new restaurants to debut in Tampa Bay over the last few months.

by CL Staff September 9, 2026September 11, 2026

Food & Drink

Seminole Heights wants a Trader Joe’s, Rocky Point is getting a Yard House, and more in Tampa Bay food news

Plus, St. Pete’s Historic Manhattan Casino is back, Lucky Tigre celebrates fourth anniversary with a lumpia eating contest and more in our weekly food news round-up.

by CL Staff September 4, 2026September 4, 2026

High-angle aerial photograph showing Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, captured on October 2, 2015. The shot highlights the domed stadium's distinct tilted white roof structure surrounded by blue accent walkways and extensive parking lots, bordered by major roadways, surrounding commercial buildings, and green trees extending toward Tampa Bay in the background under a light blue sky.

Food & Drink

Taste of Pinellas to return in 2027, following 13-year hiatus

The festival was once a decades-long staple in downtown St. Petersburg and will happen at The Trop in February.

by Colin Wolf and CL Staff August 25, 2026August 25, 2026

Two people holding iced Buddy Brew Coffee drinks outdoors, featuring cold brew with foam and a purple iced tea.

Food & Drink

Pinellas gets a Buddy Brew, a Michelin-Bib earning chef heads to Ybor City, and more Tampa Bay food news

Plus, Tampa Bay gets the country’s first combination Buffalo Wild Wings Go and Jimmy John’s (Buffalohns?), and more in our weekly food news round-up.

by CL Staff August 14, 2026August 14, 2026

Arts & Entertainment

Dunedin Fine Arts Center celebrates wearable ART 20: Platinum

by CL Staff August 14, 2026August 14, 2026

A low-angle outdoor photograph showing the storefront facade of Mercado West in St. Petersburg, Florida. High-mounted on a clean off-white building exterior, large 3D block letters spell out "MERCADO" in bright lime green, casting dark shadows onto the wall face. Below the signage, large glass windows reflect trees under a clear, bright blue sky in natural daylight, with green and yellow decorative balloons visible along the bottom edge of the frame.

Food & Drink

Mercado West closing in St. Pete, Pinellas County gets a Shake Shack and more in Tampa Bay food news

Plus, celebrity chef Fabio Viviani hosts a St. Pete cooking demonstration and more in our weekly food news round-up.

by CL Staff August 7, 2026August 7, 2026

News & Views

Streetlight Taco heads to Clearwater, foot-long tortas in Hyde Park, Guy Fieri at Boozy pig, and more in Tampa Bay food news

Plus, new smash burgers in Westshore, Temple Terrace gets a cheese steak joint, historic happy hours at Hotel Flor and more in our weekly food news round-up.

by CL Staff July 31, 2026August 6, 2026