When it comes to new local eats, there’s a lot to be excited about in 2024, and so far this year is already serving up some serious heat.

In the last few months alone, Tampa Bay has debuted a new slate of dining concepts, including a new Michelin-recognized taco spot, a high-end river dining cruise, a massive dim sum hot spot, a new food hall, Japanese convenience store fare, and more.

Here are few of the most exciting new bars and restaurants that have opened so far this year. 

Streetlight Taco 4004 Henderson Blvd., Tampa Streetlight Taco opened in January and has already earned a distinguished Bib Gourmand distinction from Michelin. The new concept offers a contemporary menu of Mexican favorites inspired by owner and Executive Chef Michael Brannock’s extensive travels throughout Mexico and dedication to its multifaceted cuisine. In addition to a variety of tacos on house-made tortillas, Streetlight also offers Pueblan-style cemitas sandwiches, sides like chips and salsa, salads and larger entrees such as wood-roasted half chickens or carnitas platters after 5 p.m. Photo by Logan Profitt Credit: Logan Profitt

Go on a river cruise dinner with Craft

603 Channelside Dr., Tampa
Craft, a new river cruise experience in downtown Tampa, officially set sail last March. Billed as Tampa’s first dining river cruise, Craft was initially announced last September, and is essentially a two-hour European-style river cruise up the Hillsborough River, beginning from the Channel District at the StarShip dock adjacent to Sparkman Wharf. At 130-feet in length and featuring only 11-feet of air draft, the upscale dining ship is the largest commercial vessel currently on the Hillsborough, all while still being able to pass under five of the river’s lowest bridges.
Photo via Yacht Starship Dining Cruises Credit: Photo via Yacht Starship Dining Cruises
Credit: Photo via dunedinmix / Instagram
Casa Cami 2545 N Rocky Point Dr., Tampa Casa Cami debuted this spring on the 10th floor of Tampa’s Current Hotel. Oxford Commons’ newest hospitality concept offers a spread of tacos and salsas, salads, small plates of ceviche, snapper crudo, flautas and blistered shishitos alongside entrees like bistec with mojo butter, shrimp fajitas and green chili chicken over a sweet plantain hash. Photo via Casa Cami
Samurai Cat  407 Central Ave., St. Petersburg Samurai Cat quietly opened its doors in early April. Samurai Cat is the newest concept from Tampa Bay-based Majestic Restaurant Group, which also operates other Asian restaurants like Zukku-San in Wesley Chapel, ATO in Lakeland and Zukku Sushi in Tampa Heights. The menu features popular Japanese convenience store fare—from pillowy fruit sandwiches with whipped cream and smoked salmon onigiris to soft boiled egg sandwiches and a variety of milk teas. Photo via Samurai Cat/Facebook Credit: samuraicat/facebook
Little Philly 2063 Central Ave. St. Petersburg Owners Sean Ford and Renaud Cowez are the minds behind a new East Coast-syle eatery called Little Philly, which dishes out traditional cheesesteaks and other favorites from the “City of Brotherly Love.” Both Ford and Cowez have an esteemed background in the hospitality industry, with both partners collaborating on other local concepts like Beach Drive’s Tryst Gastro Lounge and cocktail spot Tropez. Little Philly offers chicken cutlet sammies, hot dogs, water ice (a regional summer treat that slightly differs from Italian ice), sausage and pepper breakfast sandwiches and burgers in addition to its cheesesteaks. Photo via littlephillystpete/Instagram Credit: littlephillystpete/Instagram
Don The Beachcomber 15015 Madeira Wy. Suite 100, Madeira Beach Don The Beachcomber, a new tiki bar and restaurant based on a nostalgic concept that started in Hollywood, California in the ‘30s opened this spring on the bottom floor of the Cambria Hotel. The extensive drink menu, which has a hand-drawn look that’s becoming popular in new concepts, features traditional rum tiki drinks like mai tais and painkillers in addition to new twists with gin and tequila. There are also non-tiki classics like old fashioneds and the trendy espresso martini, as well as a limited selection of beer and wine and a mocktail list. Photo via Don The Beachcomber/Facebook
Ash  420 S Nebraska Ave., Tampa Proper House Group’s Ash soft-opened in early April. The new concept specializes in modern Italian-inspired fare in an upscale setting, which includes an “effortlessly chic” blush-colored dining room, accompanying patio space and open kitchen. A few dishes that folks can expect from Ash’s menu include a house made Malfade pasta with toasted garlic, ramp top oil, pickled ramp bulbs, Dungeness crab and crab roe butter or its pan fried 22-ounce pork chop served with a date and spicy dijon mostarda and a radicchio and charred chicory salad. Photo via Water Street Tampa
Alter Ego  420 S Nebraska Ave. Suite 103, Tampa Proper House Group took on the Herculean effort of opening TWO concepts in April. Besides their modern Italian-focused Ash, the restaurant group also debuted Alter Ego, a music-forward hotspot featuring a vast beverage menu of traditional cocktails with modern twists, utilizing top shelf spirits and seasonal ingredients. The lounge also features “live DJ sets in an intimate and inviting setting.” Photo via Water Street Tampa
Grand Fortune 1104 E Fowler Ave. No. 102, Tampa New dim sum-focused restaurant Grand Fortune made its debut in North Tampa last January, and its massive menu and dining room may set it apart from the dozens of other Chinese restaurants throughout the Bay area. Located in the same plaza that houses MD Oriental and Boil Spot Hot Pot and BBQ, the concept’s large dining room boasts about 20 tables, a stage for performances, tanks filled with live seafood and a few private rooms that are still under construction. Folks can indulge in Grand Fortune’s regular menu of family-style entrees like Mai Fun noodles, salt and pepper shrimp, roasted Peking duck and sweet and sour spare ribs or opt for traditional dim sum service where a variety of dumplings, steamed buns and other small plates are wheeled from table to table on carts. Photo by Kyla Fields Credit: Photo by Kyla Fields
Minano Ramen  1909 Sheldon Rd., Tampa New Japanese concept, Minano Ramen, soft-opened its doors on March 28 in the Westchase/Citrus Park area. “Founded by a group of friends with a shared devotion to bringing the true flavors of Japan to your table, Minano Ramen is more than just an Izakaya – it’s a celebration of culinary artistry and cultural richness,” reads the website. Ramen is the main event here, but the menu also features yakitori skewers, baos and buns, rice bowls, mochi ice cream, and more. Photo via Minano Ramen/Facebook Credit: Photo via Minano Ramen/Facebook
Greenlane 8001 4th St. N, St. Petersburg St. Pete’s first Greenlane is opened this spring. The health-focused chain—which recently received some TMZ coverage due to regular customer and football star Rob Gronkowski aka “Gronk”—is known for dishing out healthy “salads and wraps at fast food prices.” The local chain opened its first location off of Gandy Boulevard in 2023 and is continuing its Tampa Bay expansion. Photo via gogreenlane/Instagram
Soul de Cuba Cafe 6428 N Florida Ave., Tampa Soul de Cuba Cafe, a brand new cafe and restaurant with century-old ties to Tampa, quietly opened its doors in Seminole Heights in late February. Soul de Cuba boasts a traditional menu of lechon asado, Cuban sandwiches, oxtail stew and the Tampa classic crab shalah, a pasta dish that features lump crab in a Creole-style red sauce. All of its entrees have evolved from longtime family recipes that Executive Chef Roberto Puerto has put a professional twist on. Photo via Soul de Cuba Cafe/Facebook Credit: c/o Soul de Cuba
Neon Lunchbox 1756 Central Ave., St. Petersburg Neon Lunchobx, a new “retro-themed” bar and restaurant debuted on Central Avenue earlier this year in the former Hideaway Cafe space. The new retro concept offers a variety of themed craft cocktails, a casual food menu, local DJs and bands and tons of ’80s and ’90s pop culture-themed decor. Photo via Neon Lunchbox
Cleveland Street Market 11011 Cleveland St., Clearwater Cleveland Street Market actually opened on the last day of 2023 and celebrated its grand-opening in February, so we’ll include in this round-up anyway. The new food hall will eventually host up to 20 vendors, and currently is home to Its first wave of tenants include: Deja Brew Cafe, Tap Haus on Cleveland, Top Nosh Street Food, Jersey Dogs and the second location of fusion spot The Smokin’ Cuban, which took home first place at Ybor City’s annual Cuban Sandwich Festival last year. Between the handful of tenants currently open at Cleveland Street Market, patrons can indulge in everything from loaded mac and cheese and New Jersey-style hot dogs to unique Cuban-BBQ fusion dishes like smoked flan and build-your-own bowls with espresso-rubbed brisket and mojo pork. Photo via Cleveland Street Market/Facebook
Wicked Cantina 3650 Tyrone Blvd. N, St. Petersburg Wicked Cantina, a locally-owned restaurant chain opened its first Pinellas location earlier this year. Wicked Cantina’s menu is stacked with expected Tex-Mex favorites like tacos, nachos, quesadillas, enchiladas and fajitas alongside a few American dishes like burgers and fish or chicken sandwiches. The restaurant offers a wide range of proteins for its various tacos and burritos, including chorizo, mahi mahi, shrimp, carnitas, brisket, grouper and shredded chicken. Photo via Wicked Cantina/Facebook
Welton Brewing Co. 8098 66th St. N, Building 2, Pinellas Park After two-ish years of patient waiting, former regulars of Land O’ Lakes’ Welton Brewing Co. can finally indulge in fresh oysters and crisp IPAs once again. Last March, Welton Brewing Company & Oyster Bar reopen in its new home in Pinellas Park, offering all of its classic brews—like the Crush on a Hot Blonde golden ale and Yellow Rose of Tampa Hazy IPA —plus an expanded food program. The brewery’s food menu boasts a variety of different seafood options, from raw oysters, scallops and lobster to shrimp, clams and fish that can be ordered fried with a side of chips or served on a toasty, buttered roll. Photo viaWeltonBrewingAndOysterBar/Facebook Credit: WeltonBrewingAndOysterBar/Facebook
Credit: Palihouse Hyde Park Village
Chill Bros. at Armature Works 1910 N Ola Ave., Tampa Less than five years after debuting its first ice cream shop in Ybor City, Chill Bros. Scoop Shop has opened its fifth Tampa location inside of popular food hall Armature Works. The locally-owned company specializes in custard-based ice cream made from “an all-natural 5 ingredient base,” often sourced from the greater Tampa Bay area. Staple ice cream flavors include: milk and cookies, Tampa banana, guava pastelito, cafe con leche chunk, mad vanilla bean, chronic popcorn, and the bee’s knees. In addition to its classic flavors, Chill Bros. also offers seasonal options like candy cane forest and birthday cake. Photo via Chill Bros. Credit: Photo via Chill Bros.
Kahwa St. Pete drive-thru 6601 4th St. N, St. Petersburg After a four year delay, Kahwa’s newest coffee shop has opened its doors—or drive-thru, rather. While there’s no indoor seating at this location, folks can still order from its walk-up window and sit on its outdoor patio. The St. Pete-based coffee franchise offers a variety of coffee and espresso-based beverages—from lattes, americanos and cappuccinos to matcha, a variety of herbal teas and chai—in addition to pastries and light breakfast bites. Kahwa orginally planned to open its 4th Street location by the end of 2020, although construction and permitting obstacles delayed its opening by a whopping four years. Photo via WeltonBrewingAndOysterBar/Facebook Credit: c/o Kahwa