Dining Survey 2015! Readers choices for top area eateries

By Gary Nager

We had another great year of reader response to our annual Dining Survey & Contest, as nearly 600 of you took the time to enter the contest and tell us about your favorite places to eat in our two distribution areas. As for this year’s results, our readers’ favorite restaurant in New Tampa was last year’s #2 finisher — Burger 21, located in the Trout Creek area off Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., across from Bruster’s Real Ice Cream.

Last year’s first-place finisher, Stonewood Grill & Tavern, dropped to second, and the top ten in New Tampa had the same list of restaurants as last year, only in a slightly different order.

The biggest jump this year? Cappy’s Pizza, which, in only its second year on our ballots, rocketed to #12 this year from #24 last year. I’m not going to attribute all of that success to regular advertising in these pages, but I’m sure it didn’t hurt! According to Jessica Meyers, the co-owner of Little Italy’s Family Restaurant & Catering (see story on page 46) our amazing readers really like to support the places they see advertised and reviewed in these pages.

Meanwhile, over in Wesley Chapel, GrillSmith retained the top spot, narrowly edging The Hungry Greek, which moved up one spot, from #3 with our readers last year. At #3, Bonsai Sushi saw a great jump, up from #12 with our readers last year.

The biggest jump in this year’s Survey was also the only place I could accuse of ballot-stuffing this time around — Pinchers Crab Shack. Despite my best efforts and warnings on every entry form every year, people still think they’re helping their “favorite” restaurant when they 1) Put it as their favorite in the area in which it isn’t located (e.g., 28 people were disqualified for putting “Pinchers” as their favorite in New Tampa, even though it’s located, and on the ballot, in Wesley Chapel) and 2) Put it as their #1-#5 favorite in the area in which it is located, rather than just selecting it #1.

In other words, another 48 entries had to be disqualified from a chance at winning any of our prizes, and all of the votes on those entries (other than their votes for other restaurants) did not count towards Pinchers’ totals.

Here are the complete results.

Bon appetit! — GN

burger21Your 50 Favorite Restaurants in New Tampa

  1. Burger 21
  2. Stonewood Grill & Tavern
  3. Kobe Japanese Steakhouse
  4. Acropolis Greek Taverna
  5. Ciccio’s Cali
  6. Liang’s Bistro Asian Cuisine
  7. Vallarta’s (Tampa Palms)
  8. Mr. Dunderbak’s
  9. Koizi Endless Hibachi Grill
  10. Oakley’s Grille
  11. Little Greek Restaurant
  12. Cappy’s Pizza
  13. Sushi Café
  14. Woodfired Pizza (E. Bearss Ave.)
  15. Las Palmas Spanish Café
  16. Café Olé
  17. Sukhothai
  18. China Wok
  19. Thai Ruby
  20. Mulligan’s Irish Pub
  21. Peabody’s Billiards & Games
  22. Taste of NY Pizza
  23. Zaytoun Mediterranean Grill
  24. Casa Ramos
  25. Full Circle Pizza
  26. Biagio’s II
  27. Saffron Indian Cuisine
  28. Sushi Ko
  29. Hunter’s Green CC
  30. Lanna Thai
  31. Hoosiers Grille
  32. Ho King
  33. Fushia Asian Bistro
  34. Soho Sushi
  35. Takara Sushi & Sake
  36. Top Thai
  37. China City
  38. PJ Dolan’s Irish Pub
  39. Seasons Fresh Café
  40. Cross Creek Deli
  41. Hawkeye’s NYS Pizza
  42. Big Papa’s Pit
  43. Pita’s Republic
  44. Olive Garden
  45. Glory Days Grill
  46. Petra Express Mediterranean
  47. Dine or Dash (OOB)
  48. Toast Wine & Café
  49. Red Lobster
  50. Chipotle

 

grillsmith

Your 50 Favorite Restaurants in Wesley Chapel

  1. GrillSmith
  2. The Hungry Greek
  3. Bonsai Sushi
  4. Vallarta’s (WC Village Mkt)
  5. Burger Monger
  6. Pincher’s Crab Shack
  7. PrimeBar
  8. Yamato Japanese Steakhouse
  9. 900° Woodfired Pizza (Wiregrass)
  10. OTB Café
  11. Amici Pizza (SR 54 Lutz)
  12. PDQ
  13. CinéBistro
  14. PizzaMania
  15. Wolf’s Den
  16. Dempsey’s Steak House
  17. Asian Buffet
  18. Latin Twist Café
  19. Best NY Pizza
  20. NY NY Pizza
  21. 365 Caffe Italiano
  22. China Wok (WC Village Mkt)
  23. City Grill
  24. Hibachi Express
  25. La Prima Pizza
  26. Bonefish Grill
  27. Stage Left Bar & Kitchen (Lutz)
  28. Dolce Gelato & Crepes
  29. Chick & Peas Grill
  30. China Taste
  31. Don Pan International Bakery
  32. Kwan Ming Bistro
  33. Bagelicious & More
  34. Cantina Laredo
  35. Ho Wok
  36. Ciao! Italian Bistro (OOB)
  37. Gonna China
  38. Woody’s Pizza & Wings
  39. Texas Roadhouse
  40. Happy Cow Frozen Yogurt
  41. Bosco’s Italian To Go
  42. Fine Thai Express
  43. First Watch
  44. Quail Hollow CC
  45. Lexington Oaks GC
  46. Red Robin
  47. 100 Montaditos
  48. Dempsey’s Too Lounge
  49. Outback Steakhouse
  50. Tokyo Grill/Sushi

Your Other 2015 Favorites In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel!
So, there are some surprises on this year’s list of our readers’ other favorites. Perhaps biggest among them was 900° Woodfired Pizza in the Wiregrass mall winning as your favorite pizza place for the first time (and neither La Prima Pizza nor Pizza Mania cracking the top five) and Latin Twist Café jumping all the way to #2 (from #7) on your favorite Latin restaurants list.
Don’t forget — my list of 2015 favorites will appear next issue! — GN

Your Favorite Chinese Restaurants In NT & WC 

  1. Liang’s Bistro Asian Cuisine
  2. China Wok (Village Market)
  3. Asian Buffet
  4. China Wok (County Line Rd.)
  5. Gonna China
  6. Fushia Asian Bisto
  7. Sushi Ko
  8. Kwan Ming Bistro
  9. Ho King
  10. Ho Wok

Your Favorite Thai & Indian Restaurants In NT & WC

  1. Thai Ruby
  2. Sukhothai
  3. Top Thai
  4. Saffron Indian Cuisine
  5. Fine Thai Express
  6. Lanna Thai
  7. Tabla Indian Cuisine

(NOTE: No other Thai restaurants received enough votes to make this list.)

Your Favorite Burger Restaurants In NT & WC 

  1. Burger 21
  2. Burger Monger
  3. Oakley’s Grille
  4. GrillSmith
  5. Mulligan’s Irish Pub
  6. City Grill
  7. OTB Café
  8. Five Guys Burgers & Fries
  9. Wolf’s Den
  10. (Tie) Peabody’s & Red Robin

Your Favorite Japanese & Sushi Restaurants In NT & WC 

  1. Kobe Japanese Steakhouse
  2. Yamato Japanese Steakhouse
  3. Bonsai Sushi
  4. Koizi Endless Hibachi Grill
  5. Sushi Café
  6. Asian Buffet
  7. Hibachi Express
  8. Sukhothai
  9. Sushi Ko
  10. Takara Sushi & Sake Lounge

 

Your Favorite Pizza Restaurants In NT & WC 

  1. 900° Woodfired (Wiregrass)
  2. Amici Pizza
  3. Best NY Pizza
  4. NY NY Pizza
  5. Woodfired Pizza (Bearss Ave.)
  6. Cappy’s Pizza
  7. La Prima Pizza
  8. PizzaMania
  9. Taste of NY Pizza
  10. Ciccio’s Cali

 Your Favorite Latin & Mexican Restaurants In NT & WC 

  1. Vallarta’s Wesley Chapel
  2. Latin Twist Café
  3. Vallarta’s Tampa Palms
  4. Café Olé
  5. Casa Ramos
  6. Las Palmas Café
  7. Don Pan International Bakery
  8. 100 Montaditos
  9. Cantina Laredo
  10. Dine or Dash (out of business) 

Your Favorite Bars & Taverns In NT & WC 

  1. PrimeBar
  2. The Brass Tap
  3. GrillSmith
  4. Peabody’s Billiards & Games
  5. Stonewood Grill & Tavern
  6. Ciccio Cali
  7. CineBistro
  8. Mulligan’s Irish Pub
  9. Acropolis
  10. City Grill & Stage Left

 Your Favorite Greek & Middle Eastern Restaurants In NT & WC

  1. The Hungry Greek
  2. Acropolis Greek Taverna
  3. Little Greek Restaurant
  4. Zaytoun Mediterranean Grill
  5. Kabob House (OOB)
  6. Pita’s Republic
  7. Chick & Peas Grill
  8. Petra Mediterranean Express

Your Favorite Bakery In NT & WC

  1. Publix
  2. Don Pan International Bakery
  3. Panera Bread
  4. Dunkin Donuts
  5. Ms. Jane’s Cupcakes
  6. Stonemill Artisan Bakery & Café
  7. Le Macaron
  8. Happy Cow Frozen Yogurt
  9. Bagelicious & More
  10. (Tie) OTB Café & Starbucks

Your Favorite Ice Cream & Dessert Restaurants In NT & WC 

  1. Happy Cow Frozen Yogurt
  2. Dairy Queen
  3. Twistee Treat
  4. Coldstone Creamery
  5. Bruster’s Real Ice Cream
  6. Sprinkles Ice Cream Parlor
  7. 365 Caffe Italiano
  8. Baskin Robbins
  9. Pinchers Crab Shack
  10. Frogury

 The Restaurants With The Best Service In NT & WC

  1. Stonewood Grill & Bar
  2. Pinchers Crab Shack
  3. GrillSmith
  4. Bonefish Grill
  5. Happy Cow Frozen Yogurt
  6. Vallarta’s
  7. OTB Café
  8. First Watch
  9. PrimeBar
  10. Wolf’s Den

Your Favorite Lunch Restaurants In NT & WC

  1. Panera Bread
  2. The Hungry Greek
  3. First Watch
  4. OTB Café
  5. GrillSmith
  6. Ciccio Cali
  7. Vallarta’s (WC Village Mkt)
  8. Pincher’s Crab Shack
  9. Wolf’s Den
  10. (Tie) Chipotle, Koizi & PDQ 

Your Favorite Pasta Restaurants In NT & WC

  1. Olive Garden
  2. Amici Pizza
  3. PizzaMania
  4. GrillSmith
  5. Biagio’s II Pizza & Pasto
  6. Best NY Pizza
  7. La Prima Pizza
  8. Bonefish Grill
  9. Ciccio Cali
  10. (Tie) NY NY & 900° Woodfired

Your Favorite Chain Restaurants In NT & WC

  1. Bonefish Grill
  2. Chili’s Grill & Bar
  3. Pinchers Crab Shack
  4. Chick-fil-A
  5. Applebees
  6. Outback Steak House
  7. PDQ
  8. GrillSmith
  9. Red Robin
  10. Texas Roadhouse

Of course, we always save the best news for last when we can, so here is our list of big winners for this year:

Grand Prize – A FREE Carnival Cruise for Two — Sheila Cavender, Tampa Palms

$200 Gift Card (to any restaurant in the Tampa Bay area) – Andrea Roscart, Lexington Oaks

$100 Gift Card – Ramara Shackleford, Heritage Isles

$50 Gift Card – Shelly Jacobs, Citrus Park