25 hard-to-get restaurant tables in Tampa Bay that are always worth the wait

Lilac

500 Channelside Dr, Tampa, (813) 771-8022
This new Mediterranean restaurant is on the ground floor of The Tampa Edition hotel, and helmed by Michelin-starred chef John Fraser. A menu highlight is the four-course prix fixe dinner, which highlights vegetable-forward selections like Handmade Herb Fusilli and Tuna Tartare Mont Blanc and more. Dress your best, because this intimate dining room is not for slouches.
Photo via Google Maps

Ponte Modern American

1010 Gramercy Ln, Tampa, (813) 582-7755
Renowned chef Chris Ponte’s new Midtown restaurant features modern American cuisine with French and Italian influences.The menu has a variety of steak and seafood options like Chilean sea bass, New Bedford scallops, Denver steak Wagyu and Kansas City bone-in. Ponte also owns the sleek Italian restaurant Olivia and New American concept On Swann.
Photo via Google

Wild Child

2710 Central Ave, St. Petersburg, (727) 954-7425
Vibrant neighborhood bistro and cocktail bar Wild Child made its big debut in 2020 and is a partner project of The Bends owner Matt Kaye and Rob Reinsmith, former executive chef at Noble Crust. Featuring indoor and outdoor seating, the concept serves up exotic cocktails, as well as a seasonal menu, spanning items like mushroom and kale paella, octopus al pastor, and more.
Photo via Wild Child

Noble Rice

615 Channelside Dr #112, Tampa, (813) 542-2021
Noble Rice, a modern Japanese restaurant that recently opened a new location in Sparkman Wharf, features a menu with nigiri and sashimi, as well as appetizer-style shareable plates, ramen bowls, grilled dishes and desserts. Diners can expect high quality selections such as bluefin tuna otoro, hokkaido scallops, and uni. There is also an extensive Japanese whiskey selection and signature cocktails that include the Hibiscus 75, a blend of Roku gin, hibiscus syrup, lemon and sparkling wine. Frank Anderson, Noble Rice’s executive chef, was most recently the creative culinary director at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.
Photo via Google Maps

Edison: Food+Drink Lab

912 W Kennedy Blvd, Tampa, (813) 254-7111
Acclaimed chef Jeannie Pierola’s Industrial gastropub sells inventive American plates inspired by the chef's experiments. Dishes like cracker-fried red snapper with smoked cheddar grits and sugar snap tomato bacon salsa and sushi with fois gras are just examples of what to find the inventive menu. You're going to want to RSVP for this spot. But if you ignore this advice and just pop in, then at last head to the bar while you wait, and make it an Edison's signature cocktail, which features fire from Lima a cilantro-infused Fontana Pisco, lime juice, jalapeño simple syrup, and egg whites.
Photo via Edison

Ulele

1810 N Highland Ave, Tampa, (813) 999-4952
Tampa Heights' Ulele focuses on native Florida ingredients and flavors, with visually appealing dishes. Prepared on a round 10’ barbacoa grill, popular dishes like alligator hush puppies and tomahawk pork chops are local faves on the menu. Diners can soak up the scenic view of a natural spring while sipping on a drink from the in house brewery.
Photo via Google

Steelbach

1902 N Ola Ave, Tampa, (813) 693-5478
Located in Armature Works, Steelback is a modern steakhouse with a southern drawl. The assortment of steaks is aged 4-7 weeks, trimmed and cut to order, then cooked over 1000-degree oak and mesquite open fire grille. While known for the steaks the menu highlights other selections like, the crisp pork belly and cat-ironed seared swordfish. The drink menu is loaded with selections from a huge whiskey bar and signature drinks such as La Septima made with Michter’s Rye, Bacardi 8, Alvear Pedro Ximenez Solera 1927, Cynar, Angostura Bitters.
Photo via Google Maps

Boulon Brasserie

1001 Water St, Tampa, (813) 768-9988
Boulon Brasserie is a brand spankin’ new innovative dining experience within downtown Tampa’s Water Street development. Featuring modern interpretations of French classics, the menu spans breakfast, lunch and dinner, and features seafood-inspired dishes like lobster pot pie, cornmeal fried oysters, and scallop risotto. The space includes a restaurant, cafe, and a full bar. Take a look at the craft cocktail menu, which features speciality drinks like the Tour De France, a blend of banana liqueur, fennel shrub, hard cider, and calvados.
Photo via Next Level Brands

Rooster & The Till

6500 N Florida Ave, Tampa, (813) 374-8940
A 72-seat, award-winning establishment with an always-evolving menu and wine list, Rooster & The Till is perfect for adventurous diners looking to be challenged by new flavors. The menu contains elements from Southeast Asia, Latin America and the Levant. Led by 2018 James Beard semi-finalist Chef Ferrell Alvarez and his longtime business partner and friend, Ty Rodriguez. One of the highlights at this concept is the six-course tasting menu, featuring halibut cheeks, wagyu striploin and mille-feuille.
Photo via Google Maps

The Helm: Provisions & Coastal Fare

7736 Blind Pass Rd, St Pete Beach, (727) 363-4356
The Helm:Provisions & Coastal Fare is the perfect place to unwind by the beach and enjoy their abundant seafood selections. There is a raw bar where diners can indulge in a variety of oysters as well as clams, crab Louie and a shrimp cocktail. Grab a crafted drink like a The Loose Cannon which is tequila, St Germain and lime at the bar and enjoy the St. Pete beach breeze.
Photo via The Helm Provisions & Coastal Fare

Forbici Modern Italian

1633 W Snow Ave, Tampa, (813) 251-8001
In Hyde Park Village, executive Chef Jason Saldutti, serves up Roman-style pie varieties, Italian tapas, salads, grain bowls, and entrees to provide a modern interpretation of traditional Italian dishes. Guests can choose between either a 24-inch Teglia or 12-inch Tonda pizza with a variety of toppings. On the drink menu craft brews, cocktails and wines on tap, are the highlights. The boulevard outside provides plenty to keep your eyes occupied while you wait for a table.
Photo via Google Maps

On Swann

1501 W Swann Ave, Tampa, (813) 251-0110
Hyde Park Village’s On Swann is led by well known Chef Chris Ponte, and features a contemporary American menu highlighting lamb meatballs, steak frites and short rib. The bar menu includes an impressively large and creative array of craft cocktails. Try the Spring Awakening, which comes with a blend of peach & honeysuckle infused Brooklyn gin, white jasmine, sage, vanilla essence and lemon.
Photo via On Swann

Ella’s Americana Folk Art Cafe

5119 N Nebraska Ave, Tampa, (813) 234-1000
In the heart of Seminole Heights, Ella’s is a Sunday brunch institution, and comes with a full American comfort menu, including favorites like the Seminole Heights Strong, a pan seared, butter basted chicken breast stuffed with parmesan, mushroom & garlic confit, served with fettuccini alfredo and the classic Good Burger, a veggie burger with sweet mustard, guacamole, lettuce, tomato & fried onions. The expansive bar includes craft and barrel aged cocktails, a collection of over 100 rare and small batch bourbons, and locally sourced craft and classic beers.
Photo via Ella's Americana Folk Art Cafe/Facebook

Bern’s Steakhouse

1208 S Howard Ave, Tampa, (813) 251-2421
One of the most notorious steak houses in Florida, Bern’s is a household name in Tampa, and it has arguably the longest wait for a table. Founded in 1965, Bern’s is the home to a carefully curated selection of prime steaks, including dry aged selection, and the largest private wine collections in the world. Diners, be sure to dress your best, and don’t skip the dessert room, which offers selections like peanut butter truffles, tiramisu and bananas foster.
Photo via Bern’s Steak House/Facebook

Koya

807 W Platt St, Tampa, (813) 284-7423
Koya is an intimate 8-seat tasting-menu-only experience by the folks behind Noble Rice. Diners can expect 7-9 courses including raw and cooked dishes, featuring luxuries like bluefin tuna and uni that are flown in weekly from a market in Kagoshima, Japan. Plan to be there for at least two hours.
Photo via Google Maps

Lingr

400 6th St S, St. Petersburg, (727) 471-6120
Top Chef star Jeffery Jew’s Lingr, is an upscale-casual eatery, combining the flavors of Nordic and Asian influences. Two of the restaurants top dishes are the mapo ho fun, which is a play on mapo tofu and the wok-fried snapper, which features a filet dusted in potato starch and flash-fried, served on a bed of rice with crispy fan jiu.
Photo via Lingr Restaurant

Good Intentions

1900 1st Ave S, St. Petersburg, (727) 280-6068
The folks behind Tampa Bay’s vegan hotspots Black Radish Grocer, Golden Dinosaur and Nah Dogs created Good Intentions which is a restaurant and cocktail lounge for plant-based dining. The menu features vegan options like seasonal gnocchi, and the devilish crab balls made with hearts of palm and jackfruit. The drink menu has alcoholic and nonalcoholic options such as 16 Dances that's curated with watermelon-infused tequila, basil syrup, Ancho Reyes liqueur and lime and kombucha.
Photo via Google

Yum Yum Hot Pot

11301 N 56th St Suite 6, Temple Terrace, (813) 986-9863
Make sure to have an empty stomach before you visit Yum Yum Hot Pot, an all you can eat Chinese restaurant with a pretty serious dinner rush. This place centers around a conveyor belt, which runs by every booth and ushers in the meal's ingredients. There is a variety of beer and alcohol, including plum wine and sake, to wash your soup down with. At this unique experience you're basically making your own dinner with ingredients you wouldn't otherwise have access to in such abundance. With a wide variety of soups and toppings, sauces and meats, the possibilities are much endless.
Photo via Google Maps

Roam

3405 34th St N, St. Petersburg, (727) 346-5242
Roam, a fusion restaurant of French cooking and Ny steakhouse with a southern twist was curated by the duo behind Red’s BBQ. The seasonal and rotating menu is meat-forward with staples such as NY lobster mac and cheese, Cajun blackened strip steak, and New Zealand lamb chops served with a honey garlic sauce and citrus salad. The drink menu contains a wine and champagne program coupled with signature cocktails like Flowers in Paris crafted with tequila, fresh lime juice, hibiscus-rose simple syrup, prosecco and is garnished with a vibrant edible flower.
Photo via Google Maps

Esposito's Italian Restaurant And Bar

14306 N Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, (813) 769-9098
You know it's a legit Italian restaurant when just about everyone here is Italian, and there's a line out the door. Evening crowds at Esposito's can stack up early, and for good reason. Pull up to the bar and grab a drink while you wait and peep the menu, which has plenty of "buono" picks, like veal chop varsalona, parmigiana, and scallops sambuca.
Photo via Trip’s Diner/Facebook