This was a super-competitive category, as NY NY, 900ยบ Woodfired & Amici all finished within three votes of each other, while PizzaMania, last yearโs #1 โFavorite Pizza in NT & WC,โ dropped to 4th in WC this year.ย
1. NY NY Pizza (photo)
2. 900ยบ Woodfired Pizza (Wiregrass Mall)
3. Amici Pizza
4. PizzaMania
5. Mama Bโs Pizzeria
6. 900ยบ NY Pizza (The Grove)
7. Moschellaโs Italian Eatery & Market
8. (tie) Best NY Pizza & Caprese Pizza House
Meanwhile, Wesley Chapel is where chain eateries continue to dominate the landscape, as well as our voting (despite my best efforts to get our readers to vote for non-chains).
But, while Cooperโs Hawk Winery & Restaurant did mistakenly appear on the ballots for the first issue of the voting, it was so dominant in the voting after it came off the ballots that it would still have been #1 โFavorite Restaurant in Wesley Chapelโ without that one-issue advantage. Anyone who has been to the place on a Tuesday or Wednesday night, when it is still on a wait throughout its dinner hours, can understand how Cooperโs Hawk took home this yearโs top prize in WC in its first year of eligibility.
Azteca DโOro and Grillsmith repeated as our readersโ #2 and #3 Favorites in WC, while last yearโs first-place finisher, Noble Crust, dropped to #4 this year. New to this yearโs top-10 were Vallartaโs at #5 (up from #12), Macโs Custom Meats & Deli at #7, Florida Ave. Brewing Co. at #8 (up from #16) and Chuck Lager at #9. Dropping out of this yearโs top-10 were Zukku-San (down from #5 to #11), Bubbaโs 33 (down from #10 to #19), Bonefish, BJโs Brewhouse and Bahama Breeze (down from #8 to #17). The last four of these are all chains that werenโt on the ballots. โ GN
1. Cooperโs Hawk Winery & Restaurant
2. Azteca DโOro
3. Grillsmith
4. Noble Crust
5. Vallartaโs Mexican Restaurant
6. The Living Room
7. Macโs Custom Meats & Deli
8. Florida Ave. Brewing Co.
9. Chuck Lager Americaโs Tavern
10. Fordโs Garage
11. Zukku-San Sushi & Grill
12. Falabella Family Bistro
13. PizzaManiaย
14. Seรฑor Tequila
15. Glory Days Grill
16. Umu Japanese & Thai
17. Bahama Breeze
18. Yamato Japanese Restaurant
19. Bubbaโs 33
20. EggTown
21. Amici Pizza & Cafรฉ
22. The Hungry Greek
23. First Watch
24. Arroy Thai
25. Crazy Sushi
28963 S.R. 56, Wiregrass Ranch
(813) 755-4445 โข CHWinery.comย
If everyone in Wesley Chapel is so sick of chain restaurants, then how and why did Cooperโs Hawk Winery & Restaurant dominate the voting in this yearโs Reader Dining Survey & Contest?
The answer to that rhetorical question is that all of you are tired of mediocre chains and although Cooperโs Hawk isnโt Flemingโs, Charleyโs or Ruthโs Chris, it is definitely a step up from most of the other chains in the โChap.โ It boasts a solid menu of very good steaks, good seafood, pretty decent pasta and a nice variety of starters, lunch and brunch menu items.
When you add to that the novelty of getting to taste an ever-changing array of palate-pleasing wines in Cooperโs Hawkโs wine bar (although I wish there were seats in it, or at least allowed), itโs easy to understand why locals are fighting for tables there every night. Weโll see how long the party lasts, but so far, so good.
2000 Piazza Ave., #170, The Shops at Wiregrass
(813) 527-6033 โข AztecaDOro.comย
Itโs clear that last yearโs top-vote-getting newcomer did not suffer a sophomore jinx with our readers this year, as Azteca DโOro repeated as your #2 overall Favorite Restaurant in Wesley Chapel and again won Favorite Mexican Restaurant in New Tampa & Wesley Chapel, albeit by a much smaller margin than last year.
With tasty menu items like chicken taquitos (top), plus a huge variety (above pic from DoorDash) of authentic Mexican favorites like fajitas, molcajete, burritos, tacos and quesadillas, plus beautiful indoor & outdoor bar areas with great Happy Hour specials, Azteca DโOro also features a private room that is the perfect place to host your holiday party with its lively music and festive atmosphere.ย
2000 Piazza Ave., #100, Shops at Wiregrass
(813) 907-1900 โข Grillsmith.comย
Grillsmith is always among our readersโ favorites every year and repeated last yearโs #3 โFavorite in Wesley Chapelโ finish again this year. This five-unit mini-chain continues to serve quality fresh fish (photo), plus assortments of flatbreads, salads, steaks, burgers, chicken and pasta options that keep our readers coming back for more. It also is a popular weekend brunch spot with everything from bananas Foster French toast to chicken & waffles Benedict.ย
28330 Paseo Dr., Shops at Wiregrass
(813) 703-2602 โข Noble-Crust.comย
Even though it was bumped down to #4 Favorite this year by our readers after a two-year run in the top spot, Noble Crustโs โDeep South Italianโ fare continues to garner lots of attention, as well as votes (even though it fell short of making this yearโs โFavorite Pizzaโ list). With unusual entrรฉes like bronzed salmon (photo), chicken fried chicken parm, bucatini & meatballs & Cajun shrimp risotto, Noble Crust also claims to feature the โBest Brunch in Wesley Chapel.โย
5335 Wesley Chapel Village Market
(813) 907-5161 โข VallartasMexican.comย
Whenever you see people in a local online community ask for recommendations for a great Mexican restaurant, roughly half the people highly recommend Vallartaโs, while the other half say โitโs gross.โ
Those who love it point to the restaurantโs huge menu with even bigger portions (like the burrito shown here) at the best prices of any true Mexican restaurant in Wesley Chapel. We guess those folks helped Vallartaโs jump from #12 โFavorite WC Restaurantโ with our readers last year to #5 Fave in 2024.
2001 Piazza Ave., #100, Shops at Wiregrass
(813) 934-7911 โข TLR.Restaurant.comย
Although a lot of online community members complain vehemently about its 20% service charge, our readers still kept The Living Room in the same #6 โFavorite in Wesley Chapelโ spot it occupied last year.
That means that a lot of our readers care more about dishes like the Bobby Boucher pasta shown here, sautรฉed red grouper, โYou Bet…Churrascoโ and adobo braised pork osso bucco than they do about having to pay the service fee. The Living Room also is another local brunch favorite.
26316 Wesley Chapel Blvd., Grand Oaks Plaza, Lutz
(813)428-6573
It seems like thereโs at least one restaurant that seems to come out of nowhere to crack the top-10 with our readers every year.
This yearโs surprise is Macโs Custom Meats & Deli. Although we also enjoy Macโs quality sandwiches (photo), itโs still really more of a meat market than a restaurant, but whether it made this yearโs list because of ballot-stuffing or because enough people really love it this much likely wonโt be known until next yearโs Reader Survey.
2029 Arrowgrass Dr. (at S.R. 56), Wesley Chapel
(813) 452-6333 โข FloridaAveBrewing.comย
Jumping up eight places from #16 last year is Florida Avenue Brewing Co., which has changed its food menu so often itโs hard to keep up with all the new items to go with its crowd-pleasing variety of house-brewed beers, hard ciders and seltzers. Of course, you canโt go wrong with Florida Ave.โs wings (photo), cheesesteak egg rolls, smash burgers and chimichurri-style Argentine flatbread. Also ask about the Express Lunch menu and about becoming a Brew Perks member.
2001 Piazza Ave., #175, Shops at Wiregrass
(813) 820-4500 โข ChuckLager.comย
Another mini-chain making a big jump with our readers this year is Chuck Lager Americaโs Tavern, which narrowly missed the top-25 last year to jump up to #9 this time โ giving The Shops at Wiregrass five of this yearโs top-10 Favorites in Wesley Chapel!
Now with three locations and another coming soon to Ft. Myers, Chuck Lager continues to serve tasty giant pretzels, flatbreads, sliders (all in photo), as well as everything from Chuckโs citrus salmon to NY strip steak and Italian specialties like chicken parmesan and Fabioโs meatball sub.
25526 Sierra Center Blvd. (at S.R. 56), Lutz
(813) 540-3673 โข FordsGarageUSA.comย
Meanwhile, Fordโs Garage, located across from the Tampa Premium Outlets, dropped one spot from #9 last year to #10 this year, but still garnered plenty of attention from our readers for its popular sports bar-style fare, like the Giant Funnel Tower of Jumbo Piston Onion Rings, Famous Firestone Shrimp, BBQ pork ribs, chicken mac & cheese, smoked brisket burnt ends melt and especially, its Burgers of Fame (photo).
Plus, Motor Club members get 25% Off every 4th visit, a free birthday appetizer, exclusive news & events and more.
With the holiday season just around the corner, where can you find the perfect gift for someone who loves to cook? Go check out the new Home Gadgets store, located next to Talbots in The Shops at Wiregrass, which offers a variety of cool and unique items for your home.
In 2004, Rajiv Badalโs parents, Radjes and Vidia Badal, opened a store in Ocala which originally sold โAs Seen on TVโ products. Over time, the store began to grow and the Badals added an array of household items, with a special focus on kitchen gadgets. That store became a well-loved and successful business that continues to thrive today and is still run by Rajivโs parents. Although they stay busy with their own store, Radjes and Vidia now visit Rajivโs Wiregrass location a few times a week to lend a hand and bring in new merchandise.
Rajiv has fond memories of growing up in Ocala, where he worked alongside his parents and learned the ins and outs of running a business. He wasnโt just a helper; he was soaking up every bit of knowledge about everything from inventory to customer service. While pursuing his own career as an optometrist โ he met his wife, Esha Gandhi, who also is an optometrist, at the Nova Southeastern University School of Optometry โ Rajiv says he never lost his passion for the family business.
After getting married, Rajiv and Esha moved to the Tampa area to be closer to her family. The move was exciting, but to Rajiv, it also felt like leaving behind a piece of his familyโs legacy. Even though he loves his job as an optometrist, Rajiv wanted to bring part of his familyโs business to the new community he now calls home. So, last March, with the help of his parents, he opened the Wesley Chapel Home Gadgets store.
โI really enjoy working at the store,โ says Rajiv. โSometimes, I come straight from work in my scrubs and help out.โ
Itโs clear that Home Gadgets is a family affair, with Rajivโs cousin, Ayush Gandhi, serving as the main person working there. Ayush ensures that every customer gets the personal touch that has made their store in Ocala so successful.
So, what sets Home Gadgets apart from Bed, Bath & Beyond or even Amazon? According to Rajiv, itโs the combination of both common and unique items, all in one place.
โYou donโt have to wait for deliveries here,โ he says. โWe have a lot of things that you might not find in bigger stores.โ This blend of convenience and new discoveries makes Home Gadgets stand out.
Rajiv shared a story about a customer who was excited to find a whisk heโd been searching for everywhere โ a unique 12โ ball whisk, which has 10 little balls at the end of long stainless rods. This design is not only eye-catching but also extremely useful, reaching into the sharp corners of a pot where rounded whisks wonโt quite fit.
โA large percentage of the items we carry are made in the U.S., with some coming from Florida,โ including Counter Art placemats, which are made in Ocala and Radjes says he has been stocking them at his Ocala store for 20 years.
Rajiv is particularly proud of the storeโs relationship with companies that support smaller, family-run businesses like his.
โWe work with some big companies like Nordic Ware, which makes the original bundtย pans,โ he explains. โThese pans are durable, thick, and beautifully made.ย
Among Home Gadgetsโ top-selling items are beautiful wood charcuterie/cutting boards shaped like different states. Other interesting items include copper tumblers, Microplane graters and Tervis stainless steel tumblers featuring popular sports team emblems. The store also stocks Corkcicle bottles and cigar glasses, which are rocks glasses with an indentation that allows cigar smokers to hold their glass and cigar with the same hand.
โWeโre always adding new things,โ Rajiv says. โI have a bunch of items in the back that we havenโt even put out on display yet.โ So, every time you visit Home Gadgets, you might find something new and interesting.
In todayโs world, where more people are looking for healthier cooking options, Rajiv is happy to offer items like cast iron pots and pans made in Tennessee by Lodge. Lodge can be found in other stores, but what makes Home Gadgets stand out is that the store doesnโt just stock one or two sizes โ it features a wide variety of Lodge cookware, including a pizza pan and even a cast iron wok.
Speaking of cast iron, Rajiv says that carbon steel pans are similar to cast iron but weigh a lot less. For people who love the benefits of cast iron but prefer something lighter, carbon steel is a fantastic alternative.
โYou have to treat it the same way as you treat cast iron after cooking, but itโs much easier to handle,โ he explains. The carbon steel pans have wood handles that you can remove when you put the pan in the oven to treat. โCuring a cast iron pan or carbon steel,โ he says, โhas to be done in the oven or on the stovetop but it has to be a flame not electric.โ
Home Gadgets also has an online store, though Rajiv admits that itโs still something of a work in progress. Building a website that reflects the range of products the store offers takes time, and Rajiv says, โWe have way more products in the store than we show on the website.โ
When you spend at least $75 online, your shipping is free. Or, if you prefer, you can order online and pick up your items at the store without paying any extra fees. This option makes it convenient for locals to shop online while avoiding shipping costs.
To encourage customers to visit the store, Home Gadgets is offering a special promotion. Simply bring the store add below with you, and youโll receive a free kitchen utensil with any purchase (one utensil per customer or family and the offer expires December 31.)ย
Home Gadgets is located at 28250 Paseo Dr., Unit 180, in The Shops at Wiregrass. It is open Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.โ8 p.m.; 10 a.m.โ9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday; and 11 a.m.โ6 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, call (813) 388-9422, visit BuyHomeGadgets.com, @buyhomegadgets on Instagram, search โHomeGadgetsStoreโ on Facebook.ย
At Tampa Premium Outlets. Run. Walk. Wobble! The BayCare Wobble Turkey Trot (photo), presented by BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel is coming back for another race at Tampa Premium Outlets. Events include 5K, 1K and virtual 5K runs. Proceeds to benefit the New Tampa Family YMCA.ย
The cost for the 5K is now $45. For the 1 โTur(K)โ Fun Run, the cost is now $27.50. For more information, visit runsignup.com/Race/FL/Lutz/BayCareWobbleTurkeyTrot5k.ย
At The Shops at Wiregrass. Join your neighbors at the 12th annual Wiregrass Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day, hosted by the Rotary Club of New Tampa and AdventHealth. This yearโs events include the annual 5K Run/Walk, 1-Mile Fun Run and Kidโs Turkey Dash for all under 12 years old, as well as selfie stations, a costume contest, awards, music and fun for the entire community.ย
The cost for the 5K run is $45 between Nov. 20-26 or $50 Nov. 27-28. For the 1-mile Fun Run, the cost is $25 anytime. Thereโs also a Kids Turkey Dash for ages 12 & under, which costs $20.
For more info, visit TheShopsatWiregrass.com/events.ย
This year Tampa Palms Elementary School is hosting a 5K Walk/Run around the Tampa Palms Boulevard loop. They are hoping to enjoy this community event as a school family in honor of a former TPE Eagle, Tessa Wiseman, who loved to learn. loved to read, and who loved running.
Even through two cancer diagnoses Tessa continued to run. It was therapeutic for her, and she shared her passion for running with many people she encountered. In addition to being an avid runner, Tessa was a guide for visually impaired runners during races. Tessa inspired so many people through her journey and reminded her family, friends, and strangers who became fast friends, that focusing on the future, celebrating life with every breath and every mile, and aspiring to love and help others is the only way to live, no matter what difficulties may arise along the way and what insurmountable obstacles we may face. These are values they hope to inspire and cultivate within all of their TPE students. At the end of the race they will plant a tree on the TPE campus in memory of Tessa to create a living legacy for years to come.
For more info, visit app.givebacks.gives/trotfortessa/Campaign/Details
Even as the holidays approach, the North Tampa Bay Chamber (NTBC) is still helping its new and existing member businesses get the word out with ribbon-cutting ceremonies โ and we are proud to partner with the Chamber to help publicize these businesses and events. Here are a couple of those events that have been held since our last issue hit mailboxes four weeks ago:
Blue Park Dental, the office of Jordan Brown, DDS, is located at 5470 Post Oak Blvd., Unit 170, in the same plaza off Wesley Chapel Blvd. as the new Moeโs Southwest Grill and Jimmy Johnโs, in Wesley Chapel.
Dr. Brown and his wife Shakirah hosted a Grand Opening and NTBC ribbon-cutting event on Oct. 24, attended by at least 50 people, including members of the Brownsโ family, friends and of course, NTBC members.
He told those who were there that he was inspired by the work ethics of both of his parents โ Colin and Patricia Brown (who were both in attendance) โ and said, โBlue Park Dental is a dental office that advertises comfort, trust and honesty. It emphasizes technology but also makes sure you feel comfort and safety at the same time.โ
Dr. Brown also thanked his wife. โYou have no idea how much Shakirah has been in this process. She has helped so much, every step of the way, so thank you for being my rock and my support.โ
For more information about Blue Park Dental, call (813) 742-6227 or visit BlueParkDental.com.ย
Then, on Nov. 2, it was Board-certified family nurse practitioner Tracy Burke who hosted an NTBC ribbon-cutting event at the new location of her Inside Out Aesthetics & Wellness โ at 27613 Cashford Cir., which is located behind Samโs Club on the north side of S.R. 56 in the Summergate Professional Park. Inside Out previously was located on an outparcel of The Shops at Wiregrass.
Tracy also thanked the Chamber, as well as all of her friends, clients and her entire family, but especially her son Michael, who recently earned his Florida general contractorโs license and who was instrumental in creating every room in the new med spa to Tracyโs exact specifications.
โI want to thank all of you for coming,โ Tracy said prior to cutting the Chamber ribbon. โI have dreamed about having a location like this and now, that dream has come true.โ The event also introduced Inside Outโs new licensed medical esthetician Amanda McEwan, who specializes in skin care and custom facials that blend advanced treatments with a holistic approach.
Inside Out also offers neuromodulators, injectables, PDO threads, bio-stimulators, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy & semaglutide for weight loss. For info, call (813) 602-6100 or visit insideout-aesthetics.com.ย
And finally, on Nov. 7, it was time for Lightning Orthodontics, the office of Isis El Ghannam, DDS, to cut a Chamber ribbon.ย
Located in the small strip plaza at 24795 S.R. 54 in Lutz that also includes Fazoliโs, Lightning Orthodontics (which is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Tampa Bay Lightning) is a beautiful, new office equipped with the latest in orthodontic technology and with room to add additional orthodontists if and when the need arises.
Dr. El Ghannam is Board-certified and says she is especially drawn to challenging cases as she finds it rewarding to make a positive impact on the lives of her patients. She also is a new mom who says the experience has deepened her empathy and enriched her interactions with families.
The office, which promises that patients will be, โheard, understood and cared for with the speedย of lightning,โ offers online appointments, virtual consults and remote treatment options. English, Spanish and Arabic are all spoken at the office.ย
For more info about Lightning Orthodontics, visit LightningOrthondtics.com or call (813) 733-0007 and please tell them we sent you!