Seffner residents no longer have to call Pizza Hut for a stuffed-crust pie. American Pizza Oven, opened a few months ago in the Pine Square Village plaza at 12008 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., has included stuffed crust on its something-for-everyone menu, alongside traditional pizzeria grub — among them sandwiches, salads, boneless wings and mozzarella sticks.
Pie options — which come in 10-, 14- and 18-inch sizes — include specialty builds like Hawaiian and supreme; guests choose between red or white sauce, too. For the most dedicated pizza lovers, there’s even a basket of pizza fries and a pizza burger on hand.
Another new pizza purveyor, Atlas Gourmet Pizza, recently debuted at 11584 Fountainhead Drive in Tampa’s Highland Park neighborhood. The place offers classic and jazzed-up recipes by the slice and pie. But there’s also a lineup of salads, garlic knots and desserts, including cookies and gourmet ice pops from The Hyppo.
Don’t wanna dine in? Atlas has no problem accommodating takeout and delivery orders.
• Part of the Westchase Town Center in Tampa, the Seafood Exchange Grill & Bar is cooking up a bill of fare with some undeniable NOLA influence. A catfish po’ boy, seafood gumbo and shrimp étouffée are among the many items featuring Louisiana flair, while other crowd-pleasing favorites — grilled oysters, a pulled pork hoagie and key lime pie included — round out the offerings.
Draft and bottled beers, wine and cocktails are on hand as well. Expect signature sippers like Gator Bite Punch, which showcases three types of Bayou Rum (silver, spiced and Satsuma), orange and pineapple juices, fresh lime, and grenadine.
• The Bean Arrow, launched Oct. 13, is Oldsmar’s latest destination for a fine cup of java. The cozy shop spotlights a varied menu of drinks (think cappuccinos, cold brew, organic teas and smoothies), in addition to bags of specialty beans available for purchase. And on the food side, patrons can enjoy cold sandwiches, crêpes and pastries.
Open-mic events are regularly hosted, and specials and discounts are offered from time to time. The Bean Arrow has done a $2-off latte and crêpe combo in the past, for example, but it’s bound to pop up again, right?
• In downtown Tampa, Chez Faby took over the 500 N. Tampa St. building formerly home to L’Eden Café & Bar. French staples — such as the egg-topped croque-madame, crêpes and fresh croissants — do live on in an intimate setting, though.
• Also in Tampa, shrimp tostadas, ceviche and roasted seafood-stuffed pineapple are a few of the dishes showcased at El Pescador, on top of usual suspects like tacos, burritos and tortas. Though the restaurant, which premiered Oct. 23, is a seafood-forward Mexican taqueria at 19062 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., steak, chicken and pork aren’t forgotten.
A local food craze continues at 1514 E. Fowler Ave. with Poke Express, where a menu of signature and build-your-own poke bowls — plus sushi burritos and hibachi — is served. The Tampa eatery celebrated its grand opening last month.
And one of the most exciting things that’s part of this roundup: Michelle Faedo’s Tampeño Cuisine, which CL first wrote about in June, announced its grand opening at 1218 Ray Charles Blvd. in Tampa as Jan. 5. The doors open at 7 a.m. (!), and Mayor Bob Buckhorn is set to be on-site before noon.
This article appears in Dec 14-21, 2017.