Tampa Bay's women-owned restaurants you should've tried by now

Baum Ave. Market

Ina Crnalic
1113 Baum Ave. N., St. Petersburg
Poised between Baum and Central in the Edge District, Baum Ave Market’s multi-concept space offers the chance to experience a number of local vendors.

Photo via baumavemarket.com

Bodega and Baba

Debbie Sayegh
Bodega: 1120 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, Baba: 2701 Central Ave., St. Petersburg
This Latin street food joint serves its hot pressed Cubans, fresh juices and more from a boxy little building on Central. Bodega’s come-as-you-are atmosphere and high-quality fare have made this hole in the wall a Tampa Bay favorite. Duo Debbie and George Sayegh also own Greek eatery Baba, located down the street.

Photo via Bodega on Central/Facebook

Book + Bottle

Terra Dunham
17 6th St. N., St. Petersburg
Book + Bottle is a self-described “place to read, spruce up your book collection, take a class, enjoy a bottle of wine, work remotely, try new types of wine, chat with friends, learn something new, or just relax,” according to its Facebook.

Photo via Book + Bottle/Facebook

Sunshine Kitty Catfe

Amanda “AJ” Jones
1663 1st Ave. S. St. Petersburg
The cafe/cat lounge is set to open in Downtown St. Petersburg in March. Guests can come in for coffee and pay a separate fee to hang out with the kitties, which come from Friends of Strays and are expected to be up for adoption.

Photo via Sunshine Kitty Catfe/Facebook

Catrinas Tacos and Tequila Bar

Karol Ortiz and Tisbeth Mejia
1611 N. Howard Ave., Tampa.
This eatery incorporates an open-kitchen concept with fresh tamales made daily. With an emphasis on serving the freshest products, all meals are first come, first served and are available until they sell out for the day.

Photo via Jenna Rimensynyder

Counter Culture and Edison: Food + Drink Lab

Jeannie Pierola
912 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa
5X James Beard semi-finalist chef, Jeannie Pierola, also owns Edison’s Swigamajig at Sparkman Wharf and Edison: Food + Drink Lab.

Photo via Counter Culture?Facebook

Girl And A Grill

April Page
4330 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa
This breakfast concept offers up traditional morning eats like specialty breakfast plates, homemade pancakes, and made-to-order omelets. Diners can also snag other bites like biscuits, grits, croissants, oatmeal, and hashbrowns.

Photo via Colin Wolf

Golden Dinosaurs Vegan Deli

Audrey Dingeman
2930 Beach Blvd. S., Gulfport
Audrey Dingeman and husband Brian, launched the vegan deli in August 2018, offering plant-based specialties like their Tempeh Reuben with St. Pete Ferments’ kraut, cheese, thousand island dressing on pumpernickel.

Photo via Audrey Dingeman

Ground Foods Cafe

Krissi Koodish
6428 N. Florida Ave., Tampa
Ground Foods Cafe serves up fast casual, vegan Italian food. Complete with square pizzas, multiple pastas, guests can also explore its beer and wine options.

Photo via Ground Foods Cafe/Instagram

Harvest Bowl

Atheer and Athar Neif
442 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa
Harvest Bowl is owned by sisters Atheer and Athar Neif. The menu is loaded with build-your-own bowls, acai bowls, smoothies, and a customizable salad bar. There’s also an option to stock up on specialty foods, produce, and juices from the market side of Harvest Bowl.

Photo via Harvest Bowl/Facebook

Independent Bar

Veronica Danko
5016 N. Florida Ave., Tampa
Independent Bar and Cafe offers a dozen taps and bottled beer, with exceptional imported and American craft. There's also a coffee shop attached to the side serving the same menu as the bar, along with the usual caffeinated beverages and baked goods.

Photo via The Independent/Facebook

Psomi

Christina Theofilos
701 N. Howard Ave., Tampa.
Staying true to its name, which literally means "bread" in Greek, Psomi (pronounced "so-mi") offers artisan breads and pastries (as well as tzatziki and hummus) made fresh in-house.There’s even patio seating complete with a fireplace.

Photo via Psomi/Facebook

Sucré Table

Brenda Villacorta
4048 Kennedy Blvd., Tampa
The mind behind this elevated dessert spot is Brenda Villacorta, a professionally-trained chef, and regular competitor on Food Network shows like the "Halloween Baking Championship" and "Cake Wars Christmas."

Photo via Sucré Table/Instagram

Swah-Rey

Leslie Ann Ciccone
Multiple locations
St. Pete dessert bar, Swah-rey, stylized as “(swah-rey),” settled on Central Avenue in 2015. Two new locations are in the works, and so is an app. "

Photo via Swah-Rey/Facebook

Swah-Rey

This Momma Cooks & Co

Anastasia Thompson
12081 Seminole Blvd., Largo
This brick-and-mortar storefront opened in January, but owner Anastasia Thompson was slinging custom cakes, brownies, and cupcakes for months beforehand. Guests can find those baked goodies here, and also a light lunch menu during the week.

Photo via This Momma Cooks & Co/Facebook

Xilo Street Mexican

Rosana Rivera
1701 N. Franklin St., Tampa
Local chef couple, and co-founders of Xilo at Hall on Franklin, Chef Rosana Rivera and Chef Ricardo Castro made an appearance on the small screen in the Dec. 26 special "It Must've Been Love" episode of "Beat Bobby Flay."

Photo via Xilo Street Mexican/Facebook

Kay's Kitchen

Kay Lee
11124 N. 30th St., Tampa
Kay’s does chicken wings a little differently; the wings are cooked in animal fat and oil before being drizzled with Chicago-style mild sauce. The restaurant moved to their new location, by USF Tampa in September 2019.

Photo via Kay’s Kitchen/Instagram

Hotel Bar and Fly Bar

Leslie Shirah
200 N. Tampa St., Tampa
Shirah is a Tampa restaurateur that also owns Fly Bar & Restaurant set to open in the late spring. The Hotel Bar hosts happy hour Monday through Friday from 4 - 6 p.m. for half-priced all bites and drink specials.

Photo via Hotel Bar/hotelbartampa.com

Queen of Sheba

Seble Gizaw
11001 N. 56th St., Temple Terrace
Queen of Sheba serves up traditional Ethiopian food from tibs wot to beef sambussa. Since Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee, the restaurant also offers traditional coffee ceremonies for two or four people. Seble Gizaw came to the U.S. from Ethiopia in 1991 and opened Queen of Sheba in January of 2008.

Photo via Alexandria Jones

Lolita’s Wine Market and Sophia's Cucina + Enoteca

Kelly Rodriguez
Lolita's: 16 18th St. S., St. Petersburg, Sophia's: 2363 Central Ave., St. Petersburg
White rocking chairs at Lolita’s quaint storefront share an intimate view of the interstate overpass, a stark contrast to hipster-chic interior that you’ll find inside the St. Pete wine bar. Lolita’s pairs its wide selection of wines with expertly crafted charcuterie boards, salads, small plates and desserts prepared by chef and co-owner Alex Rodriguez, who also own Italian restaurant Sophia's Cucina + Eatery.

Photo via lolitaswinemarket.com