Day: June 8, 2013

The Latest & Greatest News About Dining, Shopping, Retail & More In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel!

By Gary Nager | June 8

Best NY Pizza Now Open

We know, we know. Wesley Chapel is suddenly being overrun by true New York-style pizza places, but the new Best New York (NY) Pizza, which just opened at 27429 S.R. 54 less than two weeks ago in the former Drake’s Place spot in the Pinebrook at the Grove shopping center (on S.R. 54 between I-75 and Old Pasco Rd.), is definitely worth checking out.

With delicious true NY-style pizza made famous at a Carrollwood location on N. Dale Mabry Hwy. and two adjoining dining room concepts (one with counter service and the other with a little more formal-looking dine-in area), Best NY Pizza also has one of the best meatball parmigiana heros (photo) and chicken parmigiana dinners (served with salad, pasta and garlic knots) I’ve had in our area.

Please call 994-2200 or stop by and tell Greg, the owner, and his staff that we sent you. Look in our June edition for great coupon specials on a truly FREE lunch or dinner at Best NY!

WingHouse Should Be Open

Although its original scheduled opening was delayed by a week or so during the remodeling of the former Buffalo’s SW Café on S.R. 54 (at 5510 Post Oak Blvd.), Wesley Chapel’s Ker’s WingHouse should be open by June 8.

Hibachi Japanese Express To Open In Village Market

Meanwhile, in the same building as the China Wok restaurant in the Wesley Chapel Village Market at S.R. 54 and Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., just east of I-75, Hibachi Japanese Express restaurant is getting ready to open at least by shortly after you receive this issue. A spokesperson for the company says the sit-down restaurant will feature hibachi/teppanyaki tables, fresh sushi and Japanese and other Asian fare in a comfortable dine-in location.

Buddy’s Hot Dogs Opens Next To Baja Fresh

A little south of S.R. 54, at 2653 BBD, Buddy’s Hot Dogs (600-3138) has opened between the Baja Fresh and the also new Brewhouse Café (all owned by the same people), which opened in the former iCream location.

The good news, for Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel staffers (the hospital is directly across BBD from this plaza) and other local business folks looking for different ideas for lunch, is that this same plaza also already is home to the very popular Dickey’s BBQ, Hungry Greek and Latin Twist Café restaurants. The even better news is that Buddy’s offers crispy hand-cut fries.

Vallarta’s To Replace Ciccio’s In Tampa Palms

Although we still couldn’t “officially” confirm whether or not Ciccio’s Lodge was going to move into the former World of Beer location in the Shoppes at The Pointe in Tampa Palms, we do know what restaurant will replace Ciccio’s in the Publix-anchored City Plaza at Tampa Palms shopping center.

Vallarta’s, which of course, has a very successful location in Wesley Chapel, as well as locations in Land O’Lakes, Temple Terrace and two in Tampa, is planning to move into the former Ciccio’s slot and Wesley Chapel Vallarta’s owner Fabian Jimenez promises the Tampa Palms location will feature a similar menu, full liquor bar and a great place to bring the family or hang out to watch a game.

For more info about Vallarta’s, call the Wesley Chapel location at 907-5161 or visit VallartasTampa.com.

Cappy’s Pizza Also Coming To City Plaza

We also had to post a shot on our Facebook.com page last week announcing that a new location of Tampa Bay area mini-chain Cappy’s Pizza is opening in the original, smaller Ciccio’s location in City Plaza by the end of the summer.

Cappy’s already has locations in St. Pete, South Tampa, Riverview and one near to New Tampa at 4910 N. Florida Ave. in Old Seminole Heights and is known for both New York- and Chicago-style deep dish pizzas, calzones, salads and beer and wine.

Call 238-1516 for the Old Seminole Heights Cappy’s Pizza, or visit CappysPizzaOnline.com for more info.

Happy Cow — Frozen Yogurt, Sorbet, Gelato & Fresh-Baked Treats!

By Gary Nager | June 8

If you’ve been reading this publication the last year or so, you know just how many frozen yogurt places already have opened in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel — and that there are still more on the way.

So, how does a new frozen yogurt place separate itself from its competition? Well, for University of South Florida grad (and Marketing major) Ray Perez and his aunt and uncle, Connie and Bill Rogers — the owners of the new Happy Cow Frozen Yogurt, Sorbet & Gelato located between First Watch and Bonefish Grill in the Shoppes at New Tampa plaza just north of the Pasco County line on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. — the answer is pretty easy:

Honorary Mayor of Wesley Chapel Troy Stevenson (left) joined Happy Cow Frozen Yogurt, Sorbet & Gelato owners (l. to r.) Connie Rogers, Ray Perez & Bill Rogers at the store’s Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting on May 10.

You come up with a cute cartoon logo and serve a brand of frozen yogurt (plus soft-serve gelato and sorbets) that no one else in the area has, in a brightly-colored, comfortable setting and add truly fresh-baked, decadent brownies (Ray says the brownies, photo right, are intentionally not cooked all the way through, so they retain that perfect, moist chewiness), cookies and waffle cups — and more than 60 toppings!

If that still doesn’t sound ‘different enough’ to you, check out what keeps calling a certain publisher back to Happy Cow. At the far end of the huge toppings bar, you’ll find four large containers with pump tops that allow you to add your choice of hot fudge, hot marshmallow sauce, hot peanut butter and hot caramel fudge to your frozen creation. I can even now put my choice of those hot toppings on yogurt flavors like the new Rocky Road, as well as favorites like cappuccino, birthday cake, peanut butter and tangy fruit flavors like margarita fat-free sorbet and even Italian biscotti gelato.

Toppings galore at Happy Cow including hot and fresh baked brownies and cookies.

“We have our oven right up front, so when we bake fresh brownies, cookies or waffle cups, people walk in and tell us they just love the aroma in here,” Ray, the former manager of the Burger Monger (located just a few doors down in the same plaza), says. “And it only takes 10-13 minutes to bake a new batch if we’re out when you arrive.”

And Happy Cow, which celebrated its Grand Opening with a Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting on May 10, also has frozen quarts of their always-rotating flavors, as well as T-shirts, cooler bags and other cool gear, plus a great loyalty program where you can win free “stuff” and franchising opportunities.

For more information about Happy Cow Frozen Yogurt (1646 BBD), call 428-5929 or visit and “Like” the shop’s page on Facebook.

Editorial — Two Friends Step Up To Compete For Honorary Mayor

An editorial by Gary Nager

An editorial by Gary Nager | June 8

There’s no doubt that our lives as Americans (and Wesley Chapel residents and business owners), are pretty hectic and that there are plenty of things you can do with your time that don’t include helping other people.

So, in this observer’s humble opinion, anyone who spends any of their precious available free time to help others in need is praiseworthy and deserves to receive at least some of that praise in the pages of this publication — even though, most of the time, these helpful folks are too busy to worry about or are truly not interested in “publicity” for their generous acts.Continue reading

Nearly 800 Graduate From Wesley Chapel & Wiregrass Ranch High!

By Matt Wiley & Gary Nager | June 8

2013 Wesley Chapel High Graduating Class

Congratulations to the Class of 2013 at Wesley Chapel High (WCH) and Wiregrass Ranch High (WRH).

On the evening of May 31, at the newly renovated University of South Florida Sun Dome, 336 Wildcat seniors crossed the stage to become high school graduates.

“(Graduating) is a pretty huge change,” said WCH valedictorian Michael Giannazzo (4.62 weighted GPA), who will attend the Ivy League Brown University. “There’s going to be a transition period. But, just like any good book, you have to give it a chance.”

S.R. 54 Widening (E. Of Curley Rd.) Project Gets Mixed Public Reaction

This section of FDOT’s design of the widening of S.R. 54 between Curley Rd. and Morris Bridge Rd. demonstrates the right-turn-in, right-turn-out that Ashton Oaks and many other residents will be faced with when medians are installed. Photo: FDOT

By Matt Wiley | June 8

Despite the recent widening of S.R. 54 between I-75 and Curley Rd., traversing S.R. 54 can be a challenge once the busy roadway slims down to two lanes east of Curley Rd. However, what poses an even greater challenge right now is widening the two-lane portion of 54 to a four-lane divided highway, while appeasing public opinion in communities where access could potentially be restricted by medians.