HILLSBOROUGH TampaCarrollwood/Northwest Tampa
Jasmine Thai Restaurant, 13248 N. Dale Mabry (813-968-1501). No doubt this is one of Tampa's best Thai eateries. The dominant Thai influence, Indian-Chinese, with an added emphasis on fresh herbs and spices such as cilantro, garlic, lemongrass, mint and chilies, make this a cuisine to savor; almost like no other. $$
Vallarta Mexican Restaurant, 13731 N. Dale Mabry (813-264-7691). The Jimenez family puts plenty of tasty dishes on the table, all served with zesty homemade salsa and guacamole. Large portions of well-known favorites like chimichangas, quesadillas, burritos and taco salads make up most of the long menu, all made with better ingredients and fresher flavors than you'll find if you run for the border. Dinner platters will fill you up for under a tenner. Smaller lunch portions start at $3.50. $
Central/West Tampa
Donatello, 232 N. Dale Mabry (813-875-6660). Some of the area's best Northern Italian cuisine also exhibits some of the finest service in town. Favorites include capellini d'angelo, agnolotti with cream and Parmesan and an excellent prosciutto di Parma. Be sure to have at least one of the desserts: Neapolitan cake, chocolate-drenched profiteroles, tiramisu, or fresh fruit tarts. $$$
Mambo's, 4423 N. Armenia Ave. (813-873-1995). This classic fonda, or neighborhood cafe, is one of the best places to taste the home cooking of Puerto Rico. Step into the cafeteria-style serving line and choose from savory entrees like plantain fritters stuffed with seasoned, ground chicken or adobe-seasoned pork roasted with green bananas, as well as traditional treats like octopus salad. Flavors are fresh, portions are generous and prices are low. Dinners cost $4.99 to $8.95. $
New City Diner, 1002 N. Himes Ave. (813-877-2088). Like a blast from the past, hot cups of joe and heaping platters of food are served up in the bustling atmosphere of an old-fashioned stainless steel diner. But there's nothing old-fashioned about the menu. Look for Roger Lenzi's first-class, creative New American cuisine on a menu that changes daily, all at low-dough prices, with entrees priced between $5.95 to $14.95. Look for dishes like nouvelle meatloaf with wild mushrooms, Cajun-spiced pork roast Mediterranean grilled lamb. Diner food just doesn't get any better than this. $Tampa — Davis Islands
Estela's Mexican Restaurant, 209 E. Davis Blvd. (813-251-0558). Enjoy traditional Mexican specialties while dining al fresco or inside this charming cantina. Excellent fresh salsa, smoky enchiladas and tasty margaritas are menu highlights. Great lunch specials and no less than 25 dinner combinations. Fresh fruit and carrot juices are squeezed to order. $
Pipo's Latin Cafe, 238 E. Davis Blvd. (813-253-8100). At lunch, expect Pipo's traditional Cuban cafeteria-style food and service, with large servings, modest prices and the best mojo roast pork in the Bay area. The food goes upscale with an infusion of Latin, Caribbean and Old World influences. $$
Downtown Tampa
Mise en Place, 442 W. Kennedy Blvd., Suite 250 (813-254-5373). Owners Marty and Marianne Blitz create a culinary happening in this smart brasserie-style eatery. Billed as a Neo-American Bistro, Mise En Place is located just across from the University of Tampa. $$$
Tampa — Hyde Park
Bacchus Sushi and Noodles, 720 S. Howard Ave. (813- 254-0004). Expect flash and fusion in both food and decor at this high-energy addition to the late-night dining scene. The menu has an Asian accent but offers American-friendly sushi, sashimi, tempura and noodle bowls, along with big steaks and pork cutlets. Most dishes come in small portions for one-from-column-A and two-from-column-B fun, but Bacchanalian appetites will appreciate the huge, whole snapper wok-sautŽed, with crispy noodles, vegetables and a savory sauce. Prices range from $6 to $19. $$
Bern's Steak House, 1208 S. Howard Ave. (813-251-2421). Famous for its wines and prime steaks, this restaurant is one of the most remarkable in the world. A perennial Wine Spectator award-winner, the new 212-page wine list weighs in at about 8 pounds with approximately 7,000 selections. There's a superb list of caviar from around the world, a selection of 1,800 dessert wines and spirits, an antiquarian bookstore and a huge selection of outrageous desserts in the upstairs dessert room. $$$
Ciccio & Tony's, 1015 S. Howard Ave. 813-251-8406. Expect a casual, crowded atmosphere and fresh flavors at this New Yawk Eye-talian styled eatery that's been a long time mainstay of the SoHo neighborhood. The menu is Italian-based, but can range from pasta platters to Pacific Rim-flavored tuna and imaginative wraps. $$
Hugo's Spanish Restaurant, 931 S. Howard Ave. (813-251-2842). A friendly Spanish/Cuban eatery on bustling Howard Avenue. It's not gourmet city and it's not fancy, but it's darn good. Black beans and yellow rice are among the best in town; a whopping plateful easily feeds at least two hungry caballeros. $
Le Bordeaux, 1502 S. Howard Ave. (813-254-4387). For Provencale cuisine, you can't get better. Meats and fish are fresh, and a blackboard menu that changes daily always has a great selection. $$$
Sally O'Neal's Pizza Hotline, 1319 S. Howard Ave. (813-251-0220). Wrap your mouth around a piece of pizza that will please you plenty. The Pizza Hotline is a longtime favorite in Hyde Park, turning out first-rate pizza made with top-quality ingredients. A favorite is the chicken artichoke pizza: a white pizza that has layers of ricotta, mozzarella and provolone; a dash of Romano and feta; with onions, garlic and herbs. Good calzones and pastas, too. All together now: Yuuuuuuum! $
The Wine Exchange, 1611 W. Swann Ave. (813-254-9463). David Tyler and crew pair fine wines with good food. For appetizers try the country stufel, wild mushrooms in pastry with a horseradish sauce or their spicy island cakes with jerked crab in honey yogurt sauce. There are soups, salads, innovative pizzas, pastas and a good choice of savory entrees, including a grilled lamb tenderloin with a cream sauce over fettuccini. $$South Tampa/
Palma Ceia/Interbay
Cafe B.T., 3324 W. Gandy Blvd. (813-831-9254). B.T. Nguyen will graciously welcome you to her casual, yet sophisticated cafe and introduce you to the fresh fusion flavors of French and Vietnamese cuisine. At lunch, try light fare like salads packed with a profusion of fragrant herbs and fresh dressings. At dinner, focus on some of the most creative daily specials around. Our favorites include duck breast with a buttery mango sauce and baby grilled lobster tails spiked with Dubonnet. A wine list is available. Entrees range from $12.95 to $24.95. $$
CaffŽ Italia, 3114 Bay to Bay Blvd. (813-831-0600). Leave it to savvy chef/owner Andre to create some of the most awesome cuisine Italiano in town. For starters try the melanzane, thinly sliced eggplant in extra virgin olive oil. Continue with the radicchio and endive salad. Follow with at least one pasta selection, like Andre's cappellacci di zucca, homemade spinach pasta with squash in a light tomato cream sauce. $$$
Dong Phuong, 3636 Henderson Blvd. (813-874-2919). Closed Sunday and Monday. This dinky cafe, which shares space with an Asian grocery, serves the basic refreshing Vietnamese noodle dishes and pho, the meal-in-a-bowl. A good spring roll, grilled shrimp and pork over noodles and Vietnamese filtered iced coffee costs under $8. The market offers bargains on fresh herbs and Asian produce. $
Tampa Int'l Airport/Courtney Campbell Causeway
Castaway, 7720 Courtney Campbell Causeway (813-281-0770). Seafood is the popular fare here, especially the chef's creations, including a luscious grouper Capri, a filet baked in an herb and wine sauce topped with a sun-dried tomato-basil cream sauce and sauteed shrimp. Also noteworthy is swordfish with island fruit salsa. Carnivores will savor the choice center-cut New York Strip. $$$
CK's Revolving Rooftop Restaurant, Tampa International Airport atop the Marriott Hotel (813-878-6500). CK's will make your head spin with its stellar view, atmosphere and cuisine. Great seafood pasta packed with mussels, lobster and scallops in a pesto pomodori sauce. Don't leave without a slice of their Key lime pie, a many-times Best of the Bay winner. $$$
Roy's, 4342 Boy Scout Blvd., Tampa (813-873-7697). This chain restaurant bases its menu on the cuisine of famed Hawaiian chef Roy Yamaguchi, who describes his style as French-inspired Euro-Asian. So look for plenty of Pacific fish, such as opa, ono, butterfish, seared mahi mahi (dolphin fish) with grilled fresh oyster Chinese black bean sauce, or seared Hawaiian fish in roasted macadamia lobster sauce. Beef lovers will go for slow-braised and charbroiled short ribs of beef with natural jus and butter sauce. A large, well-executed wine list complements the menu. $$$.
Town N Country
Nicki's Omelette & Grill, 6805 W. Hillsborough Ave. (813-888-9365). This unpretentious little diner serves bargain-priced breakfasts that will fill you up for under a fiver, seven days a week. Folks line up for the fluffy omelets. Choose from a huge menu variety or design your own omelet from a list of meats, cheeses and vegetables. $
Satsuki Japanese Cuisine, 5537 Sheldon Road (813-884-4128). This small, refined little restaurant is at once exotic and homey, clean as a whistle and affordable. The sushi bar seats eight, serving fresh, well-prepared sushi with daily specials. Menu offerings include soba and udon, delicious Oriental noodles in spicy broths. Try tempura-udon, well-prepared shrimp tempura served alongside a bowl of thick noodles in hot, fragrant broth. Asian beers, hot or cold sake and green tea ice cream round out the meal. Dinner entrees under $10. $Tampa — Busch Gardens/USF/Temple Terrace
Skipper's Smokehouse, 910 Skipper Road (813-971-0666). Skipper's has always been the place to kick into high gear with killer reggae, blues, rock and world beat, but did you know it's also the place to kick your taste buds into high gear? Spice up your night with smokehouse favorites like hickory-smoked alligator ribs and new wild flavors, like lobster stirfry with soy/ginger sauce over linguine, Florida crab cakes with black bean salsa and orange-crusted perch with mango salsa. $$
Taj, 2734-B Fowler Ave. (813-971-8483). Regulars will tell you it's the best Indian food in town. There are a number of good curries, from sweet kormas to spinach, prepared with vegetables, lamb, beef or seafood. Have plenty of naan, their addictive bread, and some luscious ice cream. $$
Trang Viet Cuisine, 1524 E. Fowler Ave. (813-979-1464) and 8502 N. Armenia Ave. (813-931-5119). Lunch and dinner daily. Tasty, healthy Vietnamese cooking with a French flair, featuring fresh, home-grown herbs and daily market specials. Weekday lunch specials are a bargain. Lively dinner menu, like cook your own seafood fondue, or chicken in a clay pot. Homemade desserts are special. Try banana cake (banana and coconut cake topped with peanuts). Beer & wine. $
Tampa — Ybor City
Carlino's, 1915 14th St., Ybor City (813-241-4646). Adult dining does exist in Ybor. You'll find it at Carlino's, tucked away inside the restored Don Vicente de Ybor Historic Inn. Chef John Eric Kern tempts mature taste buds with fully defined flavors in dishes like pan-seared Chilean sea bass with creamy mushroom risotto, chestnut-crusted rack of lamb and filet au poivre with foie gras. An excellent wine list offers an array of choices for first-rate food and wine pairings. $$$
Cauldron Restaurant, 2302 Seventh Ave. (813-248-5694). One of the area's best authentic sources of West Indian cuisine. A hefty selection includes curry goat, oxtail, jerk chicken and pork, stew beef, and that wonderful marinated fresh fish called escovitch. And don't forget the Red Stripe. $$
Cafe Creole, 1330 Ninth Ave. E. (813-247-6283). If you're into Cajun or Creole cuisine, this is perhaps the very best Tampa has to offer. Whether it's Andouille sausage or one of the best etouffees and gumbos in town, you can find it at this popular spot in Ybor. Great bar and lots of fun to boot. Louisiana oysters and crawfish are among the very best. $$
La Tropicana, 1822 E. Seventh Ave. (813-247-4040). A local gathering spot for great Cuban coffee, super sandwiches and good conversation. $
PINELLASClearwater
Bunny Hop Cafe & Nature's Food Patch, 1225 Cleveland St. (727-443-6703). If you're craving fresh, healthy foods, try this combination of natural foods market, deli and cafe. Graze at the 50-item salad bar, order a sandwich on fresh-baked bread or a smoothie made with just-squeezed juices, or pick from the deli's huge selection of good, and good-for-you foods to go. Choose individual entrees like fresh sushi, tofu egg salad sandwiches and free-range turkey breast sandwiches, or complete dinners like teriyaki tofu with brown rice and mixed veggies, or lentil loaf with mushroom gravy, garlic mashed potatoes and mixed veggies. Complete dinners average $5 to $6. $$
Fred's Famous Bar-B-Que, 2257 Gulf-to-Bay Blvd. (727-799-FRED). Fred really does have a whole slew of national and international awards, but the best testimony to his barbecue is the crowd of neighbors who pack this place nightly, chowing down on meaty, fall-off-the-bone pork ribs, grilled or smoked chicken, smoked brisket, sausage and corned beef. Sauces are sweet, but overall, flavors are spicy. Be sure and try extra-thick milkshakes. Dinners start at $7.50. $$
Jillian's Bistro & Piano Bar, 13575 58th St. N., in the Icot Center Summit Building (727-538-7776). You work hard. Reward yourself at Jillian's, where diners are spoiled with rich, intensely-flavored cuisine served in casually elegant, but romantically delicious surroundings. Must-haves are the Bay area's best filet mignon, crispy, spicy Szechwan duck and herb-rubbed rack of lamb, or you can just make a meal from fabulous appetizers, like venison tenderloin, sealed seared scallops, or tuna carpaccio. $$$
North Clearwater/Countryside
G. Bellini's Brick Oven and Rotisserie, 2544 McMullen Booth Road 727-724-5716. Classy but casual, this place is packed at happy hour and on weekends when local folks flood in for crisp, creative pizzas touched with the smoky flavor of a wood-fired oven and rich pasta dishes packed with everything from prosciutto to lobster. Juicy chicken and steaks and an affordable wine list round out a satisfying menu. $$
Sukhothai, 2569 Countryside Blvd. #3 (727-724-2995). Thai dishes and an elegant Eastern ambiance combine to create a romantic adventure. A class operation. $$
Travis Bistro, 28530 U.S. 19 N. , 1.2 miles south of Curlew Road (727-712-9101). Travis is an elegant little oasis amid the nightmare traffic of U.S. 19, where Robert Masson, one of the Bay area's best chefs, presents a menu filled with dishes that will lure you back again and again. Beef lovers will be smitten with the succulent filet mignon stuffed with crab meat and Saga blue cheese, for $22.95, while seafood lovers will swoon over the award winning seafood lasagna, blending spinach pasta, shrimp, scallops and crab meat stuffing with four cheeses and tomato butter sauce for $18.95. Not enough? Try lamb, chicken, quail and venison. $$
Tri-City/Feather Sound
The Grill at Feather Sound, 2325 Ulmerton Road (727-571-3400). One of Clearwater's dining hot spots, this restaurant was named Best New Restaurant in our 1996 Reader's Poll. Menu includes something for everyone: fabulous steaks, succulent lumpfin crab cakes, colossal shrimp cocktail, an outstanding house salad and desserts that are truly to die for. Don't miss their special creme brulŽe and mousse-like chocolate torte. Great place for a special evening or impressive business lunch. $$$.
Carmelita's Mexican Restaurant, 5042 East Bay Drive (727-524-8226). Fresh, homemade Mexican flavors at bargain prices. The best appetizer is the crunchy, tasty taquito. Combo platters are heaped. Sopa de tortillas, chicken-rice-corn soup, makes a meal in itself. Be sure and try sangria soda, a great alcohol-free choice for lunch or the designated driver. $$
Dunedin
Bayou Bistro and Mudbug Lounge, 456 Causeway Blvd. (727-736-6467). Chef/owner Karen Thomas serves up some fine Cajun food in this funky restaurant and bar. Everything is fresh and made from scratch, right down to the blackening spices on the thin-sliced, gator tail filet. Don't pass on dessert, a huge slice of bread pudding with spiced rum sauce, or is that yum sauce? Oversize appetizers are priced from $3.95 to $6.95, po boys $5.25 to $7.25 and entrees $9.25 to $13.95 $
Cafe Alfresco, 344 Main St. (727-736-4299). You'll enjoy leisurely meals on the patio overlooking the Pinellas Trail. Menu specialties include crisp fresh salads, creative pastas and mouth-watering grilled items such as grilled chipolata sausages, Tandoori pork medallions and roasted duck with balsamic raspberry glaze. Don't miss the delicious ice cream creations. $$
Casa Tina, 369 Main St. (727-734-9226). Got some extra hot sauce on hand? Bring a bottle to this cozy gourmet Mexican and vegetarian restaurant and they'll buy you a drink. (Forget about Tabasco, though; that doesn't count.) The menu has heart-healthy items, including a good ceviche (fresh marinated seafood). Also featured are heavenly wild mushroom quesadillas, fresh roasted poblanos stuffed with cheese, a dish of mole verde and mole poblano and corn tamales juicier than ever before. $$
Gulf Beaches/North
Bob Heilman's Beachcomber, 447 Mandalay Ave., Clearwater Beach (727-442-4144). Experience the famous Back-to-the-Farm Chicken. Plump, tender pieces of fresh chicken are lightly fried, crisp, moist and heavenly, served with fluffy, fresh whipped potatoes, pan gravy, fresh vegetable and bread baked on the premises. Extra portions of veggies, slaw and rolls are complimentary. Good continental selection of other traditional-style meals. $$$
Frenchy's Rockaway Grill and Beach Club, 7 Rockaway St., Clearwater (727-446-4844). For reasonably priced seafood, this beach spot is a favorite of locals as well as snowbirds. She-crab soup, grouper and a variety of other local seafood are just a few of the specialties offered. Great place to go for a rendezvous, or to dine al fresco. $$
Shephard's Waterfront Restaurant & Tiki Bar, 601 S. Gulfview Blvd., Clearwater (727-441-6875). Recommended for its Sunday brunch, this Clearwater Beach spot is a glutton's delight, where every meal is an all-you-can-eat bargain buffet of chef-prepared foods. A perfect weekend includes leisurely grazing through the $13 Sunday buffet featuring eggs Benedict and an omelet station, along with shrimp and carved beef, before retiring to the beachside Tiki Bar to sip a margarita and listen to the live band. $Gulf Beaches/South
Brunello, 3861 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach (727-367-1851). Paolo has put together another cutting-edge Northern Italian menu. Begin with pan-fried lump crab cake with roasted red pepper sauce, continue with a magnificent risotto with portobello mushrooms or ossobuco di vitello in rosemary vegetable sauce. Finish with magnifico gelati or another of their homemade desserts. $$$
Dockside Dave's Grill and Bar, 13203 Gulf Blvd., in the Charterboat Center, Madeira Beach (727-392-9399). Locals know this humble bar and grill is the place to go for a good, old-fashioned Florida fish fry. Fresh-off-the-boat black grouper and shrimp are bathed in a rich batter, then fried up with a golden, crackling crust. Best-ever onion rings get the same treatment. Good seafood pastas and chowders are also worth trying. If a great grouper sandwich isn't your idea of heaven, then try the grilled half-pound burger, beef on weck, or Italian sausage sandwich. Menu prices range from $4.25 to $11.45. $
Sea Critters, 2007 Pass-a-Grille Way, St. Pete Beach (727-360-3706). It's AAA approved, but that's not all. There are fresh finfish and shellfish, dockside dining, fresh salads and sandwiches and a chance to feed their catfish, too. A full bar and a kiddie coloring menu add to the playfulness of this peachy beachy eatery. $$
Yoji Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi Bar, 4615 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach (727-367-6762). Open for dinner only. Teppan yaki chefs perform tableside as they cook softshell crab, shrimp, filet, lobster and chicken in spicy sauces on an iron grill. Be sure and try gyoza (traditional sautŽed dumplings) and fresh selections from the sushi bar. Entree prices run from $7.95 to $26.25. $$
Gulfport
Backfin Blue Cafe, 2913 Beach Blvd. S. (727-343-2583). Closed Tuesdays. Quaint little Cafe with classy food, in the heart of an arty district. Great prime rib and meat loaf, excellent fish. Don't miss the corn purŽe with lump crabmeat or the crab cakes. Great desserts, too. Laid-back, casual and definitely tasty. $$
La Cote Basque Winehouse, 3104 Beach Blvd. (727-321-6888). Expect affordable French foods au gratin, braise and others, plus continental-style dining with prices that are easy to live with. $$
Largo
Cafe Largo, 12551 Indian Rocks Road (727-596-6282). A continental style eatery popular with locals as well as tourists for many years. There's great attention to detail paid to the menu as well as the service. Check for monthly specialty dinners that feature a fine taste of French cooking. $$$
Pastino's, 11750 Clearwater-Largo Road (727-559-0506). Pastino's calls itself a neighborhood pizzeria, but when was the last time you saw gnocchi with wild caribou at your corner joint? Pastino's menu runs from mild to wild. Pizzas include Wild Bill's Western steak special, the taco pizza, and even a lobster supreme pizza with lobster, sun dried tomatoes, garlic, basil and olive oil, topped with white cheddar and mozzarella. Pasta dishes range from linguine with clam sauce to ravioli with exotic wild game stuffing. Entrees are priced from $5.95 to $15.45. $$
Palm Harbor
Blue Heron, in the Shoppes at Cloverplace, 3285 Tampa (727-789-5176). Some of the freshest seafood and fowl you'll ever taste. The cuisine at this upscale favorite is a blend of the best techniques and ingredients that encompass Mediterranean, Caribbean, Pacific Rim and New American cuisines. $$$
St. Larry's, 34980 U.S. 19 (727-786-0077). St. Larry's feels like a chummy private club, with small, intimate dining spaces, a great bar and plenty of hobnobbing among the patrons, but don't worry; they'll be only too glad to have you join the fun. An eclectic menu that changes daily can offer anything from smoked lobster egg roll with fresh blueberry sauce to angus filet sautŽed with cultivated and wild mushrooms in a brandy brown sauce and topped with Maytag Blue Cheese. Fish lovers can look for dry-packed scallops and large shrimp sautŽed in a rich Asiago cream sauce or authentic Maryland crab cakes. The extensive bar offers a great wine list and a huge collection of single malt scotch. $$
A Taste Of Tokyo Sushi and Yakitori Bar, 3428 Tampa Road (State Road 584) in The Village at Lake St. George (727-787-6235). Closed Monday. Like a visit to Japan. If you've never tried sushi before, this is the place to start. Superior sushi bar, yakitori bar, old faves like tempura, new faves like gyoza, pan-fried Japanese dumplings. $
Safety Harbor
Green Springs CafŽ and Gathering Place, 122 Third Ave. N. (727-669-6762). This quaint neighborhood cafŽ, housed in a cozy, old wooden house hides a secret — there's a CIA-trained chef in the kitchen, turning out deeply delicious dishes like lamb porterhouses, fine cuts of rich lamb, pan-roasted with a port wine reduction and served with wilted greens, or Pacific salmon topped with a lush lobster sauce and baked with asparagus and spinach en papillote or in a paper sack. For a meal in a bowl, order the spicy gumbo made with dark, delicious roux, loaded with chicken and chunky vegetables. Entrees range from $11.25 to $18.75. $$
Safety Harbor Resort Cafe, 105 N. Bayshore Drive (727-726-1161). If you think eating healthy means giving up delicious flavor, then you need to try the spa meals at this renowned resort. The casual cafe offers imaginative appetizers, like grilled portobello mushroom with candied figs and Maytag bleu cheese drizzled with aged balsamic vinegar or try pan-fried lump crab cakes with mango and scotch bonnet aioli garnished with carrot hair and frizzled leeks. Dinners range from guava-glazed and grilled duck breast served with sweet potato pancakes and sautŽed greens with chili-vinegar drizzle to a rich seafood bouillabaisse seasoned with allspice and sherry. Lunch entrees 7.50-$9.95, dinners $11.50-$16.50. $$
St. PetersburgCentral St. Pete/Tyrone
Ajanta Indian Cuisine, 5005 34 St. N., inside Mirage Hotel (727-525-1181). Once upon a time, you had to drive to the far side of Tampa to taste the savory, seductive flavors of Indian cuisine, but no more. Ajanta serves up a fine feast of dishes that celebrate the Indian tradition of using a large variety of very fresh spices to turn foods as simple as lentils or potatoes into surprisingly sophisticated dishes. Be sure and try tandoori chicken, or like jinga masala, shrimps bathed in a subtly spicy sauce, and check out daily lunch specials and the Sunday buffet. $$
Athenian Gardens, 6940 22nd Ave. N. (727-345-7040). You probably can't get more delicious family-style Greek food at affordable prices without driving to Tarpon Springs. This is the exception. Swift, efficient service and tasty food. The hefty gyros sandwich is a feast. Full dinner menu. $
Carmelita's Mexican Restaurant, 5211 Park St. N. (727-545-2956). Fresh, homemade Mexican flavors at bargain prices. The best appetizer is the crunchy, tasty taquito. Combo platters are heaped. Sopa de tortillas, chicken-rice-corn soup, makes a meal in itself. Be sure and try sangria soda, a great alcohol-free choice for lunch or the designated driver. $$
East Wind, 6139 Park Blvd. N. (727-541-6377). One of the best deals in town for real, honest-to-goodness Vietnamese cuisine. A friendly chef/owner-husband/wife team consistently creates an amazing melange of tastes; the freshest fresh rice rolls, the best whole fried fresh fish with herbs and spice, and noodle soups that will make anyone's day look brighter. $$$
Downtown St. Pete
Bertoni Italian Restaurant, 16 Second St. N., Jannus Landing (727-822-5503). Chef Bertoni transformed this old night club into a casual, tony bistro serving fine Italian cuisine. Servings are large. Split them if you like a meal with more than one course. The portobello mushroom in puff pastry is a delightful starter; the ginger cream a perfect ending. Fill in the middle with fine pastas and filets. $$
Coney Island Sandwich Shop, 250 Ninth St. N. (727-822-4493). Great dogs, bowls of chili, and milkshakes at 1926 prices, or almost. Also great homemade chili dogs. $
Grand Finale, 1101 First Ave. N. (727-823-9921). This creative bar and bistro is mere blocks from the Tropicana Field of dreams, but light years away from hot dogs and Cracker Jacks. Instead, you'll find one of St. Petersburg's premier destinations for fine dining. The style flirts with Asian ingredients fused with French accents. Try sophisticated starters like seared foie gras drizzled with black pepper caramel, and entrees like seared red snapper served with black truffle risotto or grilled pork tenderloin served with curry-scented and caramelized root vegetables. Entrees $15-$24. $$
Midtown Sundries, 200 First Ave. S. (727-502-0222) This eatery offers an inviting, club-like atmosphere with plenty of entertainment, including billiards, video games, TV and live music. Affordable food, like hamburgers, chicken fingers, fish and steak, made fresh in-house make this a good choice for casual dining. Most entrees run from $5.95 to $11.95. $$
Northeast St. Pete/Gateway
Harvey's Fourth Street Grill, 3121 Fourth St. N. (727-821-6516). An all-encompassing menu includes 20 appetizers, a full range of large salads, burgers and sandwiches; entrees served with half-portions; pasta and plenty of decadent desserts. An ample wine list and a good late-night menu. $$
Mazzaro Coffee and Italian Market, 2909 22nd Ave N. (727-321-2400). Open Monday through Saturday. Foods are prepared the old-fashioned way. Incredible bread is baked in a wood-fired brick oven, and their coffee is roasted in an antique roaster. Take-out deli with cold meats, cheeses, sandwiches, lasagna, meat loaf, dry goods like pasta, olive oil, herbs, olives. $
Siam Garden Thai Restaurant, 3125 Ninth St. N. (727-822-0613). Wake up your tired taste buds with the spicy flavors of Siam Garden's dinner entrees. Choose from favorite noodle dishes like pad Thai, or try something special like crispy, deep-fried frog legs in garlic black pepper sauce or whole fried snapper served in a chili-garlic sauce. Plenty of good, inexpensive lunch entrees too. $$
Tierra Verde
El Pass-O Cafe/Mad Pepper Co., 1120 Pinellas Bayway, Suite 114 (727-867-6267). Brioon Enterprises are the hot heads responsible for setting Tierra Verde on fire with the spicy tastes of chipotle shrimp and great daily specials. Beef for burritos is slow roasted. Ask for a sampling of their homemade hot sauces. Entrees cost $8.95-$13.95. $$
Native Seafood and Trading Co., 5901 Sun Blvd., at Shopper's Village of Isla Del Sol (727-866-8772). Just off the beach, Native Seafood is a tropical paradise just waiting to delight you with good service, well-chosen wine list and some of the best fresh fish in these waters. You'll rave about the smoked shrimp spread, the oak-planked salmon and the daily specials grilled over hardwood. It's definitely worth trading with the natives. Prices range from $6.95 to $18.95. $$
Tokyo Bay Restaurant, 1501 Sun Blvd., Bayway, in Isla Del Sol's Shopper's Village (727-867-0770). Chef Eiji Jose Sonogi slices up a sushi jamboree at this casual sushi haunt a stone's throw from Pinellas' south beaches. Try the Yumbo Combo II with California rolls, tuna and salmon, or really live it up with his Japanese Fishing Boat. You'll catch an eyeful (and a mouthful) of exotic cargo, including nigiri tuna, uni sushi and three superb rolls. $$
Tarpon Springs
Costa Restaurant, 521 Athens St. (727-938-6890). This intimate 120-seat inexpensive gem serves broiled snapper or octopus with garlic and oregano and traditional Greek entrees like dolmades, and lamb baked with orzo pasta and you-peel-'em shrimp. $
Hellas, 785 Dodecanese Blvd. (727-943-2400). Talk to the locals; they'll tell you this is the best food in town. Sample the Saganaki (flaming cheese) and pickled octopus, but don't stop there. Have a Greek salad with fresh feta, a bowl of avgolemono (lemon and egg soup), one of the fresh fish dishes, then finish with a plate of just-baked Greek pastries (baklava, bougatsa and chocolate flogeres) from their bakery next door. $$
Mr. Souvlaki, 510 Dodecanese Blvd. (727-937-2795). Take a weekend, or just a lazy Sunday afternoon to browse through the Tarpon boutiques, then stop for lunch or dinner; but definitely souvlaki, a delectable shish kabob marinated in Mr. Souvlaki's secret herb-spice blend in a blanket of warm pita bread, topped with ripe tomatoes, onion and a remarkable tzatziki sauce. $$
OUTER LIMITS
The Academy, 3131 Flightline Drive, Lakeland (863-648-2004). Talk about adventures in dining! The American Culinary Arts program serves a gourmet lunch or dinner every Monday through Thursday at Lakeland Regional Airport, about a 40-minute drive from Ybor at other than rush hour. A four-course gourmet lunch is served at noon for $9.95 plus tax. A four-course gourmet dinner is served at 7 p.m. for $16.95 plus tax. The menu changes daily, and all dishes are prepared entirely from scratch by advanced student chefs. Reservations are required at least a month in advance. A map can be faxed to you. $$
This article appears in Apr 26 – May 3, 2001.