To brighten up the final days of 2020, the Tampa Bay food and drink industry is adding a few newbies to the roster. Most of the action is going down in the ‘Burg with sushi spots, cigar bars, upscale eats, and forthcoming grilled cheese joints. In Tampa, a cereal concept made its debut and there’s a fresh fast-casual face coming to Brandon in the spring. We also say goodbye to the fairly shortlived Rawk Star Cafe and hello to its replacement Driftwood Kava and Roastery. In other news, St. Pete’s Beach Drive is set to have some switch-ups in 2021 with new locations for both Ceviche and The Moon Under Water. Don’t forget to have a clean mask handy while you explore all of the new changes in Tampa Bay’s food scene.
Opening
Cerealholic Cafe and Bar Making its debut on New Year’s Eve, Cerealholic’s menu is full of food our inner kids enjoy including milkshakes, fries, and tater tots. Stop by for a “Hit the Road Jack,” one of Cerealholic’s signature burgers made with Apple Jack-infused meat topped with applewood bacon and a fried egg nestled in a waffle hash brown bun. The shop is open daily from 7 a.m.-1 a.m. for breakfast, dinner, and a late-night snack. 1909 N. 15th St., Ybor City. cerealholic.com – Alexandria Jones
Cigar Paradise Royal Lounge Enjoy puffing on a hand-rolled stogy? You’re in luck. The new cigar bar in town offers an array of cigars and is pouring up handcrafted cocktails. Cigar Paradise is rooted in Cuban tradition, boasting nearly 200 years of experience in using ancestral techniques to specialize in the art and manufacturing of handmade cigars. The space hosts a custom HEPA filtration and ventilation system allowing customers to enjoy cigars inside the lounge without the worry of any lasting odors. 400 Beach Dr. NE Suite 142, St. Petersburg. @cigarparadiseroyallounge on Instagram.
Eastern Kitchen Making its debut in fall, the menu is inspired by Pan-Asian flavors including Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and Thai. Expect a selection of soups and salads, and bowls which, for the most part, are vegan with the option to add meat. EK also has a variety of fried rice and noodle dishes like ramen, pad thai, and stir fry udon. There’s also an entire page of the menu dedicated to sushi rolls, bowls, and combos. 5226 4th St. N., St. Petersburg. easternkitchensushi.com
E.B.I. Sushi While the resto scaled down its menu to reduce the amount of staffing in the building to ensure the safety of staff and guests during the pandemic, E.B.I. still has a fairly healthy selection. There’s a selection of soups, salads, and plates like teriyaki, garlic shrimp, and poke. The sushi menu is stacked with samplers and a variety of rolls for newbies and seasoned sushi enthusiasts. 7900 4th St. N., St. Petersburg. ebiflorida.com
Hogan’s Hangout After over a year of waiting, WWE Hall of Famer, Hulk Hogan, has finally opened the doors to Hogan’s Hangout on Clearwater Beach. The two-story restaurant is 6,500-sq. ft. and features 29 TVs. Its menu is full of appetizers like poke tuna nachos, a “Nashvillan” flatbread made from spicy glazed Nashville chicken chunks, plus other options including salads, burgers, and pasta. 499 Mandalay Ave., Clearwater Beach. hoganshangout.com
Social Roost Kitchen and Bar The long-awaited concept finally opened on Dec. 27. The full-service poultry-forward restaurant’s menu is constructed of globally inspired chicken dishes, and host a full bar pouring up craft cocktails. 150 1st Ave. NE, St. Petersburg. eatatsocialroost.com
Coming Soon
Aussie Grill The fast-casual restaurant is an offshoot from Bloomin’ Brands, the parent company of Outback Steakhouse. The latest Tampa Bay location is set to make its debut in spring 2021, with its menu stacked with handhelds like sandos, burgers, as well as large plates with ribs, sirloin, and chicken options. You can also opt for salads and vegan plates. 1426 W. Brandon Blvd., Brandon. aussiegrill.com
Ceviche The restaurant is moving a little further down Beach Drive, taking over the home of The Moon Under Water. But have no fear, The Moon Under Water will be relocating as well to a yet-to-be-announced location. Construction for the new Ceviche location begins in February, with a projected opening date in March. The restaurant is scheduled to close at 10 Beach Dr. NE on Jan. 9, so get your last eats at the OG location before it makes the move just a few doors down. 332 Beach Drive, St. Petersburg. ceviche.com
Driftwood Kava & Roastery Taking over the former home of Rawk Star Cafe, Driftwood’s second location is shooting to open the first week of 2021. The menu hosts espresso drinks, kava, kratom, as well as smoothies, juices, acai as well as bites. 740 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. driftwoodkavacoffeecafe.com
Fo’Cheezy Celebrity chef Robert Hesse is expanding his concept, Fo’Cheezy wiht a second location in downtown St. Pete. The buildout of the specialty grilled cheese joint starts January 2021 within the former Five Guys space, which means prime late-night eats for nightcrawlers stumbling out of downtown St. Pete’s first block bars. 111 3rd St. N., St. Petersburg. Focheezy.com
GulfPerk After Dark The GulfPerk Cafe made its debut in early 2019 serving up specialty coffee drinks, alongside a menu of baked goods, breakfast eats like bagels, avocado toast and croissants as well as fresh sandwiches and salads. In the coming weeks, the coffee bar will launch “GulfPerk After Dark” offering beer and wine after regular service hours. A date for the official launch has yet to be announced. More details to come. 3107 Beach Blvd. S., Gulfport. @gulfperkcoffeebar on Facebook.
Island Fin Poké The Orlando-based fast-casual chain announced a plan to open 20 new locations over the next few years. One location is open currently in Wesley Chapel with new locations in Sarasota and Tampa Bay expected to open in 2021. Island Fin Poké provides guests with boat-to-bowl, locally- and responsibly-sourced ingredients to customize the perfect bowl with endless possibilities. Co-founder Mark Settington hopes to give customers a bit of Hawaii in each meal. islandfinpoke.com – Alexandria Jones
Closed
Rawk Star Cafe St. Pete The health-focused cafe closed its doors for good on Dec. 19. The cafe proudly served nothing but 100% organic, GMO-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, vegan and raw menu items. Won’t be long until its replacement is up and running.
ICYMI
South St. Petersburg Marketplace The first South St. Petersburg Marketplace launched last month providing fresh foods to underserved neighborhoods. One thing that sets South St. Petersburg Marketplace apart from other local markets in Tampa Bay is residents with SNAP/EBT benefits can use them to purchase fresh foods. The market is every Tuesday from 4 p.m.-8 p.m. @SouthStPeteMktPlc on Facebook.– Alexandria Jones
Support local journalism in these crazy days. Our small but mighty team is working tirelessly to bring you up to the minute news on how Coronavirus is affecting Tampa and surrounding areas. Please consider making a one time or monthly donation to help support our staff. Every little bit helps.
Want to know everything going on with Tampa Bay’s food and drink scene? Sign up for our Bites newsletter.
This article appears in Jan 7-13, 2021.
