It may not have the panache of Bern's Dessert Room, but South Tampa's got a sweet new destination. The latest arrival to South Howard's "Restaurant Row," La Casa Dolce Italian Dessert Café, holds its grand opening this Wednesday (Dec. 7).
The café is an incarnation of the small gelato parlor of the same name on John's Pass in St. Petersburg, but the new location has a much larger menu and ample seating. It offers 30 flavors of gelato along with sorbet, smoothies, pastries, muffins, panini sandwiches and all types of coffee. The café will also serve beer and wine for SoHo revelers who like a little buzz with their sugar fix.
General manager Colleen Mugnai said the place (former home of gay bookstore/ café Tomes and Treasures) has lots of seating, couches, a fireplace, patio seating and wireless Internet. She hopes it will be a "place where people want to stay and hang out for a while."
La Casa Dolce, 406 S. Howard Ave., is open 6 a.m.-10 p.m. Sun. through Thurs. and 6 a.m.-midnight Fri. and Sat. Call 813-259-0002.
Deli and market opening in downtown St. Pete
First came Publix, a boon for downtown grocery-shoppers. Now, condo-dwellers have another reason to rejoice: Mickey Huguet, owner of the popular Snell Isle Market, is opening a second location downtown.
Mickey's Kork and Kleaver, located at 30 Beach Drive in the Hampton Inn's retail space, will be similar to the Snell Isle outlet, but won't carry groceries. The focus downtown will be on "more higher-end stuff," offering a deli of fine meats, imported cheeses, baked goods, wine and beer.
Huguet is aiming to open on Thurs., Dec. 15.
She also talked about plans for a new Snell Isle Market, projected for Feb. 2007. The current store is slated to be torn down to make way for condos, but a new building will be constructed in the vacant lot next door.
Caprice Bistro takes over Tio's
They've officially changed the name, and the new menus have been sent to the printer, but the transition won't be complete until January. The new Caprice Davis Islands Bistro at 238 E. Davis Blvd., formerly Tio's Latin Café, is now operating with an interim menu including salads, soups, sandwiches, steaks, pasta and fish.
Owner Laurie Black took over Tio's in August. This is his first move in the Tampa restaurant scene, but he has 30 years experience in the industry in Scotland.
The reason for the change: "Too many Latin cafés in Tampa," Black said. "People are looking for something different. They want to be more adventurous in their eating." He hopes to bring another dimension to the Tampa dining scene, providing affordable and innovative dishes.
Caprice is open for lunch 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Mon.-Sat.; the dinner menu will be available 5-9 p.m. Mon.-Thurs., and 5-10 p.m. Fri. and Sat. 813-258-8100.
Goody Goody gone
To passersby, the unassuming yellow and green building was nothing to attract attention. But to those in the know, Goody Goody was a landmark of Tampa dining. Since the early 1930s, the eatery served up its famous burgers and pie. The landmark joint at 1119 N. Florida Ave. sold its last burger on Nov. 30. News of the closing brought in hordes of customers for their last Goody Goody feast.
Owners Michael and Susan Wheeler sold the property for $1.25 million to the Prashad Family Trust in September. The property will most likely be developed for a high rise.
Bonefish and Lee Roy Selmon's opening at Tyrone
Tyrone Square Mall will add two new restaurants to its directory early next year. Construction is underway on the north side of the mall to make way for Outback-owned Bonefish Grill and Lee Roy Selmon's.
The restaurants are set to open a month apart — Bonefish in late January and Selmon's in late February. This will be the eighth Bonefish and the fourth Selmon's in the Tampa Bay area.
Know of restaurants opening or closing? E-mail anne.arsenault@weeklyplanet.com.
This article appears in Dec 7-13, 2005.