What to skip? Tampa's trendy South Howard Avenue stretch, known as "SoHo," where promises of uber-stylish decor and inventive, internationally influenced menus fall short. Aside from the nationally-recognized Bern's Steakhouse, the restaurants in this area are overpriced and over-hyped. Below are a sampling of our Insider favorites:
Zest Archives
Valentine’s Day. Those two seemingly innocuous words can strike dread in even the smoothest of suitors. In a pinch to find a worthy place to woo your sweetie? No worries, it’s not too late! Zest is to the rescue with a list of the most romantic places in Florida for Valentine’s Day, or any other [...]
The Tahitian Inn Cafe is an oldie but goodie. Mister M and I have been there at least 20 times for breakfast and lunch and count on the Tahitian for a quick, go-to breakfast or lunch. I’m not sure why it’s taken me so long to include it in the ZEST’s Best list, but I [...]
Satirist Peter De Vries once said that “gluttony is an emotional escape, a sign something is eating us.” If the frequency that I visit Datz on MacDill Avenue in South Tampa is an indication of a deep-rooted emotional issue, frankly, I don’t want to be cured. For me, visits to Datz are foodie therapy sessions. Datz is a [...]
Tampa has been buzzing about Carmel Café & Wine Bar in the Northwood Plaza in Countryside, and for good reason. Taking inspiration from the casual eateries on the California coast, the convivial ambiance at Carmel Café features a large bar with communal tables, a lounge in the center of the restaurant and an open dining [...]
Lately, I’ve been feeling like I’m back in Junior High. Much to my dismay, the rad fashions of the 80’s are back, the unemployment rate is in the double digits and frozen yogurt is en vogue. Incidentally, if you see me in my jeggings, it’s Ms. Melton, if you’re nasty. Growing up, it was a [...]
Saturday night me, Mister M and two of our favorite foodie friends got to check out the latest installment of Kitchenbar, Chef Jeannie Pierola’s pop-up restaurant concept. Fashioned after the food trucks that pop-up in various parks and street corners in cities like L.A. and San Francisco, pop-up concepts are advertized by tweets and Facebook [...]
If you blink, you could miss Bianchi’s Enoteca in the Yoko’s strip on MacDill Avenue in South Tampa. The signage is minimal and frontage nondescript. But you won’t want to miss this Enoteca or the delectable food that it offers—so keep your eyes peeled. Thursday, my friend Dolce Debbie and I got away for some [...]
The NFL playoffs are my favorite time of the year. New Years resolutions be damned (because let’s face it, nothing says championship football like freshly-juiced kale and apples), Mister M and I were determined to consume victuals that were worthy of today’s matchups and a binge–even if our beloved Brownies were no where to be found. [...]
Mister M and I showed up to Mystic Fish in Palm Harbor hungry. Really hungry. Good thing Mystic Fish has a huge menu with all sorts of choices—and contrary to what the name suggests, more than just seafood. Open since 2000, Mystic Fish has a reputation for serving up some of the best seafood values [...]
When four of my college girlfriends said they wanted to get away for a girls’ only weekend, I was thrilled to play Sunshine State hostess-with-the-mostess. After all, the tried and true blackmail material from our undergrad days–nearly a decade and a half ago– had grown stale. It was time to cultivate some new memories to [...]
About Gina Melton
I live in Tampa by way of Miami and I created this resource for resident foodies and Florida visitors alike. My goal is to give readers easy access to delicious food that's a little bit off the beaten path and miles away... moreGrab My Button
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