I missed some local food and drink happenings while on vacation, including the openings of Ulele and Goody Goody inside Tampa International Airport. The second locations for these two Columbia Restaurant Group concepts debuted on March 24 at Airside C, alongside their new sibling Café Con Leche Ybor City which serves up Tampa roasts from Naviera Coffee Mills, to-go sandwiches and perhaps the best part: freshly made churros.
Local brands Bavaro's, Louis Pappas and Fitlife Foods are among the latest round of TIA additions, too, which require a boarding pass to reach.
• The Sea Salt crew has started offering lunch at the centerpiece of its downtown St. Pete restaurant: the bar. In addition to a recently extended happy hour from 4 to 7 p.m., the roomy bar now highlights a $12.95 lunch menu of three mains (think chicken Milanese and rigatoni Bolognese) and your choice of a beer, wine or soft drink. Entrees will change regularly, according to executive chef Kenny Tufo. The offer is available between 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m.
• Also in St. Pete, nu-comer called NuMex Chile (get it?) is taking shape in the Grand Central District. The restaurant's focus? Chile pepper-driven cuisine.
Across the street from the Garage at 2710 Central Ave., Numex plans to embrace the culinary culture of New Mexico — which includes street food and the fiery green Hatch chiles that seem to accompany every Land of Enchantment meal (there's an entire festival dedicated to the stuff) — while giving its dishes a little twist with one-of-a-kind flavor combos. The restaurant expects to open in two to three months, according to its Facebook page.
• Two weeks or so ago, the first Florida location for North Carolina-based Clean Juice premiered to Tampa. Clean Juice Carrollwood — inside the Village Plaza at 13138 North Dale Mabry Highway and franchised by Michelle Piniella and Tara O’Grady — specializes in a variety of organic cold-pressed juices and cleanses. The shop's large lineup also showcases smoothies, protein smoothies, bowls, and items like almond and avocado toasts, as well as organic coffee, tea and shots (think wheatgrass or matcha and pineapple).
Clean Juice, founded in 2014, has opened three corporate shops, a juice truck and signed on 47 franchise units in eight states, including South Carolina, Louisiana and Pennsylvania. Four other Tampa Bay locations are slated to get their own Clean Juice: South Tampa, St. Pete, Westchase and Clearwater.
• BeerCheez Craft Beer Bistro recently appeared in Oldsmar, featuring a casual something-for-everyone menu and 25 taps at 3980 Tampa Road. In Seffner at 1812 S. Parsons Ave., Spanglish on Parsons opened its doors last week with Latin American-style breakfast, lunch and dinner. And what St. Pete Beach-based Hotel Zamora is calling "Happier Hour" has launched at its 360° Rooftop and Castile restaurant lounge; from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, patrons can order lead bartender Robby Rossello's signature sangrias (red, white and seasonal flavors), by-the-glass cabernet and chardonnay, wells, and select draft beer for $5, plus half-off bar snacks (at Castile only).
This article appears in Mar 30 – Apr 6, 2017.