Foxy’s Café is a little taste of western New York somehow transported to the beach. Located just off Gulf Boulevard on Treasure Island, the restaurant’s interior is nothing fancy, though there is an eye-catching wood bar flanked by the usual TVs. There’s outdoor seating as well, but it’s right next to the parking spaces. But the food hits all the favorites from back home — including excellent wings, beef on weck (hard to find locally), and the usual pizza and entrees of a neighborhood pub — and it’s like you’re sitting just miles from the Canadian border rooting for a football team that used to feature O.J. Simpson. We’ve found the staff attentive and the dinners reasonably priced, and all the visiting relatives from Buffalo have approved. 160 107th Ave., Treasure Island, 727-363-3699.
Food & Drink
Runners-up: Ella's Americana Folk Art Cafe, Datz
Watch: Greg Baker shares the secret dish he makes for his wife Michelle that he never makes for anyone else. The winners of several Best of the Bay awards this year, including Best Restaurant Tag Team, Greg & Michelle spoke with CL's David Warner during the Best of the Bay awards reception Sept. 19 at Creative Loafing.
When St. Pete changed its drinking curfew to 3 a.m., the downtown area exploded with new bars. Instead of continuing to try luring drinkers from St. Pete over the bridge to Tampa, a few popular SoHo hangouts set up sister establishments in the ’Burg. In November of 2011, World of Beer and MacDinton’s opened their doors, catering to patrons who put a premium on drinking beer over mixed drinks, and who prefer to sing along to cover bands rather than dancing to DJs. MacDinton’s Jannus, 242 First Ave. N, St Petersburg, 727-565-0544, macdintons.com/Jannus-St-Petersburg; World of Beer. 100 Fourth St. S, St. Petersburg, 727-823-2337.
Outside of France, good baguettes are hard to come by. You know the kind. They crackle, and spray you with crumbs when your teeth pierce the crisp, chewy crust to reveal what seems an impossibly airy interior. Luckily, Café de Paris Bakery brings France to you in the person of master baker Xavier De Marchi. He’s the real deal, and so is his bread. 2300 Gulf Boulevard, Indian Rocks Beach, 727-593-0277, cafedeparisbakery.com.
Tampa has done an amazing job of attracting members to its guild from all aspects of the business; there are “cocktail bartenders,” but also club bartenders and dive bartenders. It’s inspiring to see a small community come together and work harmoniously. I was lucky enough to return to Tampa for their Sunset Tiki party and experience that same energy. I find myself taking pages out of their book here in Boston.
David Delaney Jr is the VP of Boston USBG.
