Florida’s first Pepper Lunch location opens in Tampa Bay this weekend
Popular Japanese DIY teppanyaki chain Pepper Lunch is finally ready to introduce its sizzling hot plates to Florida. The new outpost will debut this Friday, March 7, at 4699 Park Blvd. in Pinellas Park. According to a press release, the first 100 guests on Friday will receive a free “Beef Pepper Rice,” one of the restaurant’s flagship dishes. The first 50 guests on Saturday-Sunday (March 8-9) will also get a complimentary bowl of the same meaty dish. Founded in 1994, Pepper Lunch prides itself on getting customers in and out of its restaurants for under $20. Menu items include steaks, seafood, teriyaki and pasta-based dishes, plus “Pepper Rice”—all served in sizzling pans for patrons to mix and cook themselves. The new location is a prototype for Pepper Lunch, and will be the chain’s first attempt at all-kiosk ordering (with one “hospitality host”) and “optimized table tracking,” says the company.
Popular wing chain Duff’s will open in former Ella’s location in Seminole Heights
A chicken wing staple with a cult-like following is coming to Seminole Heights this spring. Buffalo-based chicken chain Duff’s Famous Wings says it will open a new location in the former home of Ella’s Americana Folk Art Cafe, which closed last September. The company made the announcement on social media yesterday, adding that the new outpost should debut sometime in May, and that “more locations are on the way.” Named after the founder, Louise Duffney, the first Duff’s opened in 1946 in the suburbs of Buffalo, New York, and has since grown to multiple locations in the area and Texas. According to the website, this will be the first Duff’s location in Florida. Known for its Buffalo-style wings, the menu also spans everything from fish and steak sandwiches, burgers, wraps, salads, chicken tenders and more. There’s also a beer and wine list. Duff’s is no stranger to Tampa Bay. Last summer, the company hosted a pop-up event at GenX Tavern in downtown Tampa.
20 truly beachside bars and restaurants across Tampa Bay
After two back-to-back hurricanes, Tampa Bay’s beachside restaurants and bars are still recovering, and many have yet to reopen. So it goes without saying that our local tiki-bars, fish shacks and beach bars need your support now more than ever. Whether you’re in town for spring break, or you’re a resident looking for a weekend staycation or sunset happy hour, here are a handful of local bars and restaurants that are right on the sand and open for business.
Pasta Packs hosts ravioli-making classes, lunch service and more at new Water Street pop-up
In the space that formerly housed fast-casual concept Crisp & Green are a pair of brothers that are bringing fresh pastas and laid back lunches to Tampa’s bustling Water Street. Out of its new temporary space at 1055 E Cumberland Ave. in one of Tampa Bay’s fastest-growing districts, Pasta Packs is “offering an ever-evolving lineup of immersive food events for locals and visitors.” Owners Nic and Greg Bryon are still operating Pasta Packs out of their South Tampa headquarters at 4334 S Manhattan Ave., but are able to serve a wider clientele out of the large Water Street space. “A lot of people on this side of town maybe haven’t experienced what we do, so it’s cool to have a new audience of sorts,” Greg tells Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. “The walk-up factor is completely different from our other location, and so far, I think the Water Street residents really like the convenience of the take-home pasta packs.”
The brothers describe their temporary pop-up as a “unique space that blends delicious food, engaging classes and creative collaborations in a lively setting.”
In addition to its weekend lunch services and regular cooking classes, folks can pick up freshly-made pastas that Chef Nic makes on a daily basis. These packs contain pasta, sauces, garnishes and heating instructions and come in a variety of flavors and styles that can change with the seasons. – Kyla Fields
‘Goblet of Wine’ brings a ‘Wizarding Wine Fest’ to Tampa Theatre this weekend
There’s never a shortage of wine in Tampa, and this month is especially flush thanks to Busch Gardens’ two-and-a-half-month Food & Wine Festival which includes nearly two dozen concerts from the likes of Hoobastank, Robin Thicke, Flo Rida, Luis Fonsi, and more. And for a one-weekend only throwdown, look no further than Tampa Theatre, which hosts its annual wine festival, themed this weekend for the “Harry Potter” movie series. Over two days, the historic theatre (which almost met the wrecking ball in the early-’70s) stages a silent auction, Friday wine and restaurant tasting, then the Saturday wine pairing banquet—all to raise money for the venue’s ongoing preservation. – Ray Roa
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This article appears in Mar 6-12, 2025.