Beach season is here, so here’s a new roundup of the latest food news to help you reach your goal of giving two shits about looking “good” in your swimsuit, because where there’s a Willa’s there’s a way, people. Click through each concept name to go deeper.
Now open
Caddy’s on Madeira Beach The sixth location for the local chain opened last week just in time for spring break. The spot right on the sand is two stories, with bars on both floors, waterfront views, and plenty of outdoor seating with picnic tables. It’s open from 11 a.m.-11 p.m. daily. 14080 Gulf Blvd., Madeira Beach. caddys.com
‘Giraffe Bar’ at Busch Gardens Featuring panoramic indoor and outdoor views of the Serengeti plain, the new bar soft opens on March 19 before officially cutting the ribbon on March 26. Mixologist-curated cocktails, wine, beers and frozen drinks are on the menu and sport names like “The Hungry Tusker,” “Thorn and Berry” and the “Masai Margarita.” The Proud Pour wines include “Save the Bees” Pinot Noir and “Save the Oceans” Sauvignon Blanc, which both support wildlife conservation efforts worldwide. Giraffe Bar also features a new, chef-curated menu of shareable apps, but if you want to feed any giraffes at Busch Gardens you’ll still have to do that by booking a separate tour. You really think they’d let your drunk ass feed animals from a patio bar? 10165 McKinley Dr., Tampa. buschgardens.com
Hungry Lion St. Leo University’s new food truck mostly lives in San Antonio but makes trips to St. Leo's Tampa Education Center in West Tampa. The 34-foot truck’s menu includes student-friendly options including burgers, sandwiches, pizzas, and soups. A few sandwiches are named after Saint Leo community members like Abbot Issac’s Special, Mac Daddy Hernandez, Cillo Burger, and Frank’s Tomato Basil. saintleo.edu
Willa’s Tampa American restaurant, bar and cafe Willa’s—the brainchild of Tampa natives Nate Siegel and Merrin Jenkins—is officially open in North Hyde Park. The much anticipated concept made the announcement last week, adding that it’s operating at 70% capacity, plus implementing safety measures.The family-friendly concept has been on the mind of locals since December 2019 and just announced plans to finally open in January. Housed within a 4700-square-foot, century-old industrial warehouse, nearly everything on the Willa’s menu is made in house, from the bread to the tonics. In a testament to its mission to serve the classics, the signature dish—named after Merrin’s great-great-grandmother and 19th-century Tampa pioneer, William Lowry—is a rotisserie chicken. “The kitchen staff uses the whole bird to make stock and bone broth from scratch for dishes like Chicken & Rice Soup, Schmaltz Potatoes and more,” Willa’s wrote in a press release. Hours for Willa’s are Wednesday-Sunday, 5 p.m.-10 p.m., and expanded lunch hours and weekend brunch are to come. Its sister concept Willa’s Provisions opens next month. 1700 W Fig St., Tampa. willastampa.com—Ray Roa
Coming soon
Corner Club Tampa chef Suzanne Crouch (formerly of Cass Street Deli and Ella’s Americana Folk Art Cafe) will drive the kitchen, and you can still smoke in the back, when the revamped neighborhood favorite reopens next month. 1502 E Sligh Ave., Tampa. Corner Club Tampa on Facebook
Eden Asad Yusupov and Kevin Stowe of the Phoenix Hospitality Group, owners of the new Aisian-fusion Haiku restaurant, are keeping busy with the upscale nightclub which looks like it’s opening soon at the spot once occupied by disgraced Tampa nightclub Franklin Manor. Though the owners would not confirm an opening date to CL, the club’s social media pages are full of pictures that would make one assume that the place is pretty close. There are pics of a rainbow assortment of signature cocktails including the “Holy Water” made of Bacardi, lime juice, coconut, mint and blue curacao. A rep once again confirmed to CL that neither Eden or Haiku have any connection to the problematic Nocturnal Hospitality Group. 912 N Franklin St., Tampa. edentampa.com
King of the Coop Another week, another new location for Seminole Heights’ hot chicken heavyweight King of the Coop. Tampa Bay Business Journal wrote that Coop owner Joe Dodd is teaming up with another spicy boi, Cigar City Brewing’s Joey Redner, to open a dining garden behind Ybor City’s Cigar City Cider Mead. Two weeks ago, Dodd told CL that his Nashville hot chicken concept was opening its third location in Westchase. Dodd told CL the concept is an extension of Cigar City’s kitchen and has to clear some city permits, but Redner told TBBJ that it could be open within three to six months. 1812 N 15th St., Ybor City. kingofthecoop.com—Ray Roa
Relocating
Kuba Cocina Late last month, Kuba Cocina (fka Hemingways) let fans know it was leaving Armature Works for a new location in Tampa—now we know that new spot is the original Seminole Heights home of The Refinery. The new address will be home to “Cuban cuisine, a sultry speakeasy and an outdoor rooftop bar perfect for sipping sangria all day long.” 5910 N Florida Ave., Tampa. kubacocina.com
ICYMI
Chef Nathan Hardin is hosting a seafood pop-up at downtown Tampa's Pour House this weekend It happens in celebration of the bar's 11-year anniversary and is built around a not-so-fancy seafood fest featuring lobster, crab, and crab rolls. In addition to seafood rolls, Hardin’s menu features caviar “bumps” for $7—making for a cheap way to discover whether or not you like the salty eggs. Hours for Hardin's Gather pop-up are Friday, March 19, 5 p.m.-10 p.m., Saturday, March 20, noon-5 p.m. and Sunday, March 21, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. @gathertpa on Instagram
Korean grocery chain H Mart to open first Florida location in Orlando The store will be the first H Mart location in both the city and the state. H Mart is the biggest Asian supermarket chain in the country, with nearly 100 stores and was part of the inspiration for Michelle Zauner's critically-acclaimed memoir "Crying In H Mart." 7501 W Colonial Dr., Orlando. hmart.com—Matthew Moyer
This article appears in Mar 18-24, 2021.