In Tampa Bay, we're surrounded by water — lots of it. Along the Gulf, Bay and Intercoastal waters, there are plenty of eateries with gorgeous views to choose from; here's a taste of a few.
ARMANI'S Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay, 2900 Bayport Drive, Tampa, 813-207-6800, armanisrestaurant.com. Spectacular views and impeccable service along with stellar prices. The Northern Italian menu is largely excellent, especially any veal dish. Start with the huge antipasto bar, where you can choose from dozens of little bits of tasty food, then try their expensive-but-worth-it reserve red wines by the glass for a decadent experience.
CADDY'S ON THE BEACH 9000 W Gulf Blvd, Sunset Beach, 727-360-4993, caddysotb.com. Serving a sizable menu of seafood, burgers, bar fare and breakfast for three squares a day right on Sunset Beach.
CAFE DUFRAIN 707 Harbour Post Drive, Tampa, 813-275-9701, cafedufrain.com. A casually elegant restaurant with expansive views of the channel. Chef Ferrell Alvarez is passionate about utilizing local, seasonal ingredients in his artistic menu of New American cuisine.
CAJUN CAFE ON THE BAYOU 8101 Park Blvd N, Pinellas Park, 727-546-6732, cajuncafeonthebayou.com. It's Mardi Gras year-round at this Cajun joint on Cross Bayou in Pinellas Park. Serving a large menu of traditional dishes like Po' Boys, boiled crawfish, etoufeé and even alligator cooked in a myriad of methods. They also stock a huge array of craft beers on draft and in bottle.
CHART HOUSE 7616 W. Courtney Campbell Causeway, Tampa, 813-289-7773, chart-house.com. Another spot in Tampa with a stunning view, Chart House offers a daily selection of fresh fish for lunch and dinner, as well as an extensive collection of fine wines and desserts. Reservations recommended.
COLUMBIA CAFE 801 Tampa Bay History Center, Old Water St. #1905, Tampa, 813-229-5511, columbiarestaurant.com. Enjoy waterfront views on the Riverwalk, as well as an abbreviated Columbia menu — tapas, sangria, and of course, the "1905" Salad™. Live music on the outdoor terrace every Friday and Saturday night.
COLUMBIA RESTAURANT SAND KEY 1241 Gulf Blvd., Clearwater, 727-596-8400, columbiarestaurant.com/clearwater. Offering the full Columbia menu with views of the Intracoastal from both the Mediterranean dining room and the outdoor deck.
COLUMBIA RESTAURANT ST. PETE 800 2nd Ave NE, The Pier, St. Pete, 727-822-8000, columbiarestaurant.com. Yet another incarnation of the local Spanish-Cuban chain, this Columbia also offers the full menu and a panoramic view of Tampa Bay from the fourth floor of The Pier.
FRENCHY'S ROCKAWAY GRILL 7 Rockaway St., Clearwater Beach, 727-446-4844, frenchysonline.com. Serving fresh seafood, steaks and more right on Clearwater Beach. Parking may be hard to find and getting a table could prove to be a long wait, but worth it for the sunset view and to-die-for She Crab soup.
FRESCO'S WATERFRONT BISTRO 300 2nd Ave NE, St. Pete, 727-894-4429, frescosbistro.com. Dine on the waterfront deck overlooking the Pier and enjoy the seafood-heavy, Caribbean-influenced menu. A hot spot for Sunday brunch and late-night drinks.
THE HURRICANE 807 Gulf Way, Pass-A-Grille, 727-360-9558, thehurricane.com. This rambling faux Victorian is a Pass-A-Grille landmark, a big draw for seafood-seeking tourists and fans of the wide-angle sunset vistas from the Hurricane Watch bar on the rooftop.
ISLAND WAY GRILL 20 Island Way, Clearwater, 727-461-6617, islandwaygrill.com. Island Way Grill packs them in with modern, open décor, fresh seafood, generous flavors and a prime view of the Intracoastal. Fresh seafood, sushi, wood-fired grill, a huge wine list and Sunday brunch are highlights.
OYSTERCATCHERS Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay, 2900 Bayport Dr, Tampa, 813-207-6815, hyatt.com. Serving seafood and Modern American cuisine in a gorgeous seaside dining room. The incredible Sunday brunch buffet is not to be missed.
THE PUB WATERFRONT RESTAURANT 20025 Gulf Blvd., Indian Shores, 727-595-3172, thepubwaterfrontrestaurant.com. Yet another venture by St. Pete restaurateur Steve Westphal, The Pub offers a huge menu of seafood and Florida-centric cuisine on three outdoor decks overlooking the Intercoastal.
PHILTHY PHIL'S 678 75th Ave., St. Pete Beach, 727-367-9977, philthyphilsbarandgrill.com. Hidden away on Sunset Way with a waterfront view, second-floor deck dining, and killer Bloody Marys and smoked fish spread.
SALT ROCK GRILL 19325 Gulf Blvd, Indian Shores, 727-593-7625, saltrockgrill.com. While the menu is simple, consisting of a raw bar selection, in-house aged steaks and fresh seafood cooked over the open wood fire grill, it's the gorgeous view of the Intercoastal that makes this spot worth visiting.
SLOPPY JOE'S 10650 Gulf Blvd., Treasure Island, 727-367-1600, sloppyjoesonthebeach.com. Reasonably priced seafood, sandwiches and such. The second-story outdoor deck is a great place to watch the sun go down with a cold beer or margarita in hand.
SLOPPY PELICAN 677 75th Ave., St. Pete Beach, 727-360-7100, sloppypelican.com. Two-story waterfront dining (and drinking) with the best-looking (if startlingly young) female servers, cheap drafts and tasty food at nominal prices, plus a great view of the sunset. The Pelican hosts beach bar crawls every weekend, weekly beer pong tournaments and Sunday brunch.
THAT'S AMORE 700 Harbour Post Drive, Tampa, 813-221-9889, thatsamore.com. Offering Southern Italian cuisine on the Tampa Channel. Prices may be steep, but the large-portioned, decadent homemade desserts and tableside singers make it worthwhile.
UNDERTOW BEACH BAR 3850 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach, 727-368-9000, undertowbeachbar.com. The parking lot can be crowded and the bikini-clad bar staff less than welcoming, but the view of the beach (and the beach volleyball) can't be beat. Offering breakfast, lunch, dinner and a huge array of craft beers 7 days a week.
WOODY'S WATERFRONT CAFE AND BEACH BAR 7308 Sunset Way, St. Pete Beach, 727-360-9165, woodyswaterfront.com. Great burgers and fish sandwiches and a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere have made this a day-and-night destination for locals and snowbirds of all ages and stripes. It's right on the water, a Gulf inlet with a view of the southern tip of Sunset Beach and some notably ugly condos. But the water's a tonic no matter what the surrounding real estate looks like.
This article appears in Jul 7-13, 2011.