2024 Dining Survey & Contest – Wesley Chapel Top-25 

(l-r) Coopers Hawk Churrasco Steak and Azteca D’Oro Taquito

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 Cooper’s 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 “Favorite Restaurant in Wesley Chapel” 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 Cooper’s Hawk took home this year’s top prize in WC in its first year of eligibility. 

Azteca D’Oro and Grillsmith repeated as our readers’ #2 and #3 Favorites in WC, while last year’s first-place finisher, Noble Crust, dropped to #4 this year. New to this year’s top-10 were Vallarta’s at #5 (up from #12), Mac’s Custom Meats & Deli at #7, Florida Ave. Brewing Co. at #8 (up from #16) and Chuck Lager at #9. Dropping out of this year’s top-10 were Zukku-San (down from #5 to #11), Bubba’s 33 (down from #10 to #19), Bonefish, BJ’s Brewhouse and Bahama Breeze (down from #8 to #17). The last four of these are all chains that weren’t on the ballots. — GN

1. Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant 

2. Azteca D’Oro 

3. Grillsmith 

4. Noble Crust 

5. Vallarta’s Mexican Restaurant 

6. The Living Room 

7. Mac’s Custom Meats & Deli 

8. Florida Ave. Brewing Co. 

9. Chuck Lager America’s Tavern 

10. Ford’s Garage 

11. Zukku-San Sushi & Grill 

12. Falabella Family Bistro 

13. PizzaMania 

14. Señor Tequila 

15. Glory Days Grill 

16. Umu Japanese & Thai 

17. Bahama Breeze 

18. Yamato Japanese Restaurant 

19. Bubba’s 33 

20. EggTown 

21. Amici Pizza & Café 

22. The Hungry Greek 

23. First Watch 

24. Arroy Thai 

25. Crazy Sushi 

1. Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant 

28963 S.R. 56, Wiregrass Ranch 

(813) 755-4445 • CHWinery.com 

If everyone in Wesley Chapel is so sick of chain restaurants, then how and why did Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant dominate the voting in this year’s Reader Dining Survey & Contest? 

The answer to that rhetorical question is that all of you are tired of mediocre chains and although Cooper’s Hawk isn’t Fleming’s, Charley’s or Ruth’s Chris, it is definitely a step up from most of the other chains in the “Chap.” 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 Cooper’s Hawk’s wine bar (although I wish there were seats in it, or at least allowed), it’s easy to understand why locals are fighting for tables there every night. We’ll see how long the party lasts, but so far, so good. 

2. Azteca D’Oro Mexican Restaurant 

2000 Piazza Ave., #170, The Shops at Wiregrass 

(813) 527-6033 • AztecaDOro.com 

It’s clear that last year’s top-vote-getting newcomer did not suffer a sophomore jinx with our readers this year, as Azteca D’Oro 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 D’Oro also features a private room that is the perfect place to host your holiday party with its lively music and festive atmosphere. 

3. Grillsmith 

2000 Piazza Ave., #100, Shops at Wiregrass 

(813) 907-1900 • Grillsmith.com 


Grillsmith is always among our readers’ favorites every year and repeated last year’s #3 “Favorite in Wesley Chapel” 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. 

4. Noble Crust 

28330 Paseo Dr., Shops at Wiregrass 

(813) 703-2602 • Noble-Crust.com 


Even though it was bumped down to #4 Favorite this year by our readers after a two-year run in the top spot, Noble Crust’s “Deep South Italian” fare continues to garner lots of attention, as well as votes (even though it fell short of making this year’s “Favorite Pizza” list). With unusual entrées like bronzed salmon (photo), chicken fried chicken parm, bucatini & meatballs & Cajun shrimp risotto, Noble Crust also claims to feature the “Best Brunch in Wesley Chapel.” 

5. Vallarta’s Mexican Restaurant 

5335 Wesley Chapel Village Market 

(813) 907-5161 • VallartasMexican.com 

Whenever you see people in a local online community ask for recommendations for a great Mexican restaurant, roughly half the people highly recommend Vallarta’s, while the other half say “it’s gross.” 

Those who love it point to the restaurant’s 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 Vallarta’s jump from #12 “Favorite WC Restaurant” with our readers last year to #5 Fave in 2024. 

6. The Living Room 

2001 Piazza Ave., #100, Shops at Wiregrass 

(813) 934-7911 • TLR.Restaurant.com 

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 “Favorite in Wesley Chapel” spot it occupied last year. 

That means that a lot of our readers care more about dishes like the Bobby Boucher pasta shown here, sautéed red grouper, “You Bet…Churrasco” 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. 

7. Mac’s Custom Meats & Deli 

26316 Wesley Chapel Blvd., Grand Oaks Plaza, Lutz 

(813)428-6573 

It seems like there’s at least one restaurant that seems to come out of nowhere to crack the top-10 with our readers every year. 

This year’s surprise is Mac’s Custom Meats & Deli. Although we also enjoy Mac’s quality sandwiches (photo), it’s still really more of a meat market than a restaurant, but whether it made this year’s list because of ballot-stuffing or because enough people really love it this much likely won’t be known until next year’s Reader Survey. 

8. Florida Avenue Brewing Co. 

2029 Arrowgrass Dr. (at S.R. 56), Wesley Chapel 

(813) 452-6333 • FloridaAveBrewing.com 

Jumping up eight places from #16 last year is Florida Avenue Brewing Co., which has changed its food menu so often it’s 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 can’t go wrong with Florida Ave.’s 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. 

9. Chuck Lager America’s Tavern 

2001 Piazza Ave., #175, Shops at Wiregrass 

(813) 820-4500 • ChuckLager.com 

Another mini-chain making a big jump with our readers this year is Chuck Lager America’s Tavern, which narrowly missed the top-25 last year to jump up to #9 this time — giving The Shops at Wiregrass five of this year’s 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 Chuck’s citrus salmon to NY strip steak and Italian specialties like chicken parmesan and Fabio’s meatball sub. 

10. Ford’s Garage 

25526 Sierra Center Blvd. (at S.R. 56), Lutz 

(813) 540-3673 • FordsGarageUSA.com 

Meanwhile, Ford’s 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. 

How Much Chicken Is Too Much? Plus, Steak ‘N Shake Opening Delayed Again

First, of course, there was Chick-fil-A. Then Popeyes. And PDQ. And Chick’n Fun. And King of the Coop. And Zaxby’s. And Slim Chickens. And Chicken Boss. 

But now, Celebrity Chef Guy Fieri’s Chicken Guy is expected to open sometime next month on the north side of S.R. 56. Raising Cane’s has started to go vertical on the south side of 56 (next to Rock & Brews). Hangry Joe’s is getting ready to open in the failed King of the Coop location on S.R. 54 in front of The Grove. 

And, for those of you who prefer Korean-style fried chicken over anything American-made, Sweet Krunch Korean Fried Chicken & Boba Tea will be open in the former location of FJ Express in the Shoppes at New Tampa at 1832 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. (just south of S.R. 56) by the time this issue reaches your mailbox. 

(And, for the record, Chicken Boss closed and has been replaced by Indian Street Kitchen). 

Of course, when your restaurant boasts the name of the host of “Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives,” expectations are likely to be higher than for most of the other newcomers, even though the closest existing Chicken Guy location to us — in Winter Park, FL, reportedly faced eviction last year for unpaid rent and another in Michigan closed. The good news is that the fast-food joint co-founded by the self-proclaimed “Mayor of Flavortown” has several new additions to its menu, including chopped salad, Buffalo mac & cheese and hot chicken tenders. 

At the end of the day, Chicken Guy, Raising Cane’s and Hangry Joe’s are all just (primarily) fried chicken chains, so although I will try them all, anyone who has a slightly different concept is much more likely than the others to get my business on an ongoing basis. That’s why I plan to be on-site when Sweet Krunch opens on Sept. 12 (which is after this issue goes to press but before it hits mailboxes). I want to see if the fourth Florida Sweet Krunch location — with its parmesan zucchini fries, Korean-style chicken, shrimp or Bulgogi beef teriyaki bowls, Korean-style fried rice and even Japchae (stir-fry Korean glass noodles) — can keep me interested. For more info, visit SweetKrunchFL.kwick-menu.com or the Ballantrae location at 17788 Aprile Dr., Land O’Lakes.

Steak N Shake Opening Delayed Again

If you’ve been hankerin’ to try the original smashed steakburgers and delicious hand-spun milk shakes at the new Steak N Shake, located at 5542 Post Oak Blvd.  (on Wesley Chapel Blvd., next to The Palms Car Wash), we’re sorry to say that as of today, it still isn’t open — but should be sooner than later.

Owner Todd Webb says the long-awaited new Steak N Shake was (finally) set to open on Sept. 23 (tomorrow), then again on Sept. 30, but still had its final inspection delayed as we went to press with our Oct 1 Wesley Chapel issue. For more info, visit SteakNShake.com or stop in at The Palms Car Wash.

GiGi & Friends Brought A Ton Of Family Fun To The Shops!

Based on the reaction of the families who attended “GiGi & Friends Family Fun Day” at the Shops at Wiregrass on Aug. 24, it seems that a return visit would definitely be welcome, as there was a constant flow of kids running around and waiting in line for the many activities. There was a balloon artist making animals, kids being taught how to spin plates like a circus performer, a small mini-golf course, cornhole, glitter tattoos (this was GiGi’s station), a small climbable playground area, and facepainting (with many of the kids running around as dragons, butterflies and Spider-Man). Jabz Boxing brought hula-hoops, a punching bag and giant inflatable boxing gloves for the kids to play around with. There also was a stage for karaoke, so the kids could sing their favorite songs. Even though it was insanely hot that day, all we saw were smiles from the kids and even their parents.

Nibbles & Bites: Las Palmas Grand Reopening Now Set For Oct. 24!

You may have been wondering why the Las Palmas food truck is no longer operating in the parking lot in front of the New Tampa Winn-Dixie, just south of County Line Rd. It’s because our friends Ramses and Ana Garcia are getting close to reopening their Las Palmas Latin Grill in the same brick-&-mortar space as it was previously, at 6431 County Line Rd. in the same plaza as LA Fitness and Five Guys.

Las Palmas fans know that a kitchen fire in 2021 closed the restaurant, after which, Ramses bought a food truck so he and Ana could still serve at least some of their delicious, award-winning Cuban-style fare (photos) to their loyal customer base. 

And, although our Oct 17 New Tampa issue, when it hits mailboxes, will report that the revamped Las Palmas was expected to be open by the time that issue reached mailboxes in New Tampa (a little more than two years after the two-year anniversary of the fire), the revised reopening date — as reported on Ramses’ Facebook page — is now set for Tuesday, October 24. 

For more info, visit LasPalmasLatinGrill.com.—GN 

Kobé Japanese Steakhouse Finally Opens! 

Like many of you, we have been waiting for about two years for the official word that the relocated Kobé Japanese Steakhouse would be opening in its new location at 17641 Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. (next to Chili’s Grill & Bar) in New Tampa, a little more than a mile south of its former location in front of the Pebble Creek Collection. 

Well, our wait is over, as the new Kobé opened on Sept. 13, and it is definitely a larger, nicer location (previously occupied by two failed Mexican concepts and Romano’s Macaroni Grill before that) than its previous locale and has already been bringing in large numbers of people since that day. 

The New Tampa Kobé is one of about a dozen locations owned by members of the same family in the Orlando and Tampa Bay areas.

 

On our first visit, Jannah and I and photographer Charmaine George and her boyfriend Brendan all sampled not only some great filet mignon, sirloin steak, chicken, shrimp and scallops on Kobé’s teppanyaki table, we also enjoyed great appetizers like pan-fried gyoza (pork dumplings), a seared tuna tataki and vegetable tempura (photo, right) — all of which were excellent. And of course, who doesn’t love fresh hibachi-grilled veggies, lo mein noodles and fried rice? Jannah also said that her “Peachy Lychee” martini from the new Kobé’s full-liquor bar was excellent. 

For more info about Kobé Japanese Steakhouse’s New Tampa location, which is open for dinner only Mon.-Sat. and for lunch & dinner on Sun, call (813) 680- 5800 or visit KobeSteakhouse.com. — GN

Nibbles & Bites: Mpanitas Opens On CC Blvd.!

For those seeking unique local options outside of the KRATEs, we also wanted to let you know that the second Tampa location of Mpanitas has opened in the oft-vacated spot in the Mobil gas station plaza at 10865 Cross Creek Blvd.

With delicious Venezuelan favorites like the excellent empanadas shown here (above), stuffed with your choice of shredded or ground beef, chicken, cheese, ham & cheese, potatoes & cheese and even fish, Mpanitas also serves arepas, mini-empanadas, mandocas, sweet tequeños and outstanding café con leché. For more info, follow “mpanitas” on Instagram.