Twenty-three Tampa Bay restaurants (27 if you count Sarasota) were recognized by the annual Golden Spoon Awards. Earlier this week, Florida Trend announced the coveted dining honors, which are divided into three categories: Golden Spoons, Hall of Fame and Best New.
While the magazine didn’t switch up its Hall of Fame winners — Cafe Ponte (Clearwater), Bob Heilman’s Beachcomber (Clearwater Beach), Marchand’s Bar & Grill (St. Pete), Maritana Grille (St. Pete Beach), Bern’s Steak House (Tampa), Columbia Restaurant (Tampa), and Mise en Place (Tampa) — what did change was the list of eateries that earned Golden Spoons and the Best New title.
St. Pete Beach’s Best of the Bay-winning Grace, opened in Pass-a-Grille last year, was the only local named as Best New.
As for those Golden Spoons, they went to Rusty’s Bistro (Clearwater), Caretta on the Gulf (Clearwater Beach), The Black Pearl (Dunedin), Salt Rock Grill (Indian Shores), Parts of Paris (Safety Harbor), Annata (St. Petersburg) FarmTable Cucina (St. Pete), Il Ritorno (St. Pete), Parkshore Grill (St. Pete), Sea Salt (St. Pete), Cena (Tampa), Edison: Food+Drink Lab (Tampa), Ichicoro Ramen (Tampa), Pané Rustica (Tampa), and Rooster & the Till (Tampa).
This article appears in Nov 29 – Dec 6, 2018.