Category: New Tampa

Here Are The 10 Best Restaurants To Open In Our Areas In 2020!

With the possible exception of the hotel/tourism industry, there’s little doubt that the restaurant business was among the most Covid-affected industry sectors in Florida in 2020.

And, although many of the new eateries that opened in Wesley Chapel in 2020 were delayed by the pandemic, the past year was still one of the busiest for new restaurant openings in both Wesley Chapel and New Tampa.

Among the new eateries that opened in 2020 in (and adjacent to) Wesley Chapel and New Tampa were the following and please note that ALL of these restaurants will make my list of “Gary’s Favorites” in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel for 2020 in our next issue:

1. Treble Makers — The dueling piano entertainment venue that opened in The Grove at Wesley Chapel during the early stages of Florida’s restaurant re-openings, Treble Makers was one of the few newcomers to register more than a blip with our readers, finishing as the 4th Favorite restaurant in Wesley Chapel and Favorite American Restaurant in both of our distribution areas in our 2020 Reader Dining Survey & Contest. If you haven’t tasted chef Kevin Maggard’s coconut curry grouper, fried calamari or grilled filet mignon, you owe it to yourself to check out Treble Makers for a dueling piano show on Friday or Saturday night‚ or anytime!

2. Via Italia — With so many different kinds of pizza on the menu, you might think that Via Italia, located on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. in New Tampa was “just” a pizza place. All of the different styles of woodfired pizza are great, but try any of Via Italia’s fresh pasta dishes. Owner Roberto Maganuco has both pesto Genovese and pesto Siciliano dishes (which are amazing), but don’t wait as long as I did to try the linguine with white clam sauce — it’s the best I’ve ever had in Florida. Via Italia was voted the #9 Favorite Restaurant in New Tampa by our readers, but it surely would have finished higher had it been open longer…or in a normal year.

3. Zukku-San Sushi Bar & Grill — Again, Zukku-San opened too late to get any reader votes this year, but it is a beautiful new restaurant with a full liquor bar, great sushi and Japanese specialties (including the best tempura and chicken teriyaki we’ve had in years) and a true South Tampa vibe. Look for Zukku-San to register with our readers in 2021, too.

4. Rock & Brews — Considering how packed the place has been (even with social distancing) inside and out since the moment it opened, we were a little surprised that the first Tampa Bay link in this small chain (on S.R. 56) — inspired and owned in part by Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons of the rock group KISS — didn’t get any votes at all from our readers, until we realized that it didn’t open until a week before we shut down the voting. With great live music on the weekends and everything from unique bruschetta to sweet heat fried chicken and even pizzas on the menu, Rock & Brews will likely make our 2021 top-10.

5. Lima Peruvian Chicken — Anyone who looks up “Peruvian cuisine” online will find out that it is considered the #1 Latin cuisine and top two or three in the entire world — and Lima has authentic Peruvian rotisserie chicken, fish and seafood ceviches, baked scallops and so much more that it’s a shame some people thought it was another Mexican place that replaced El Pescador in mid-2020 in the New Tampa Center plaza on BBD. When I announce my favorite restaurants (new or existing) in New Tampa next issue, Lima will be in the top-5.

6. Florida Ave. Brewing Co. — Another hotly-anticipated entry that opened too late to receive reader votes this year, the former location of Sports & Field on S.R. 56 has a unique menu, with items like bibimbap bowls, Chinese sticky ribs and smoked gouda lobster mac & cheese, to go with more typical sports bar fare, an amazing craft beer selection, full liquor bar and private tasting rooms.

7. Oronzo Honest Italian — –One of two fast-casual Italian places in our area to make this list, owner Dan Bavaro (who also owns Bavaro’s Pizza Napoletano in South Tampa)’s Oronzo serves house-made pasta with delicious sauces and toppings, as well as pizza-style flatbreads, unique piadina sandwiches, plus salads, desserts and more — and now serving beer and wine! Located on BBD in New Tampa, it’s worth the drive to check out Oronzo, a truly unique concept.

8. Aussie Grill — Although I’ve always enjoyed the Outback Steak House, here is another unique fast casual concept, this one from the folks at Bloomin’ Brands, that I really love — and not just because Jannah and I live across the street from its S.R. 56 location. We definitely give thumbs-up to the bacon burgers and the topped grilled chicken and the order-ahead system is outstanding.

9. Pasta di Guy — Although he didn’t need to add his yummy (love the cheese!) oven-baked pizzas for me to be a fan, Cordon Bleu (London)-trained chef and owner Guy Carmeli keeps making this already-popular fast casual Italian eatery better and promises to keep adding new house-made pastas like fresh spaghetti (but, the strozzapreti is still my favorite) and probably more appetizers. I love the creamy pesto, vodka (1/2 Alfredo & 1/2 marinara), aglio e olio (garlic & oil) and beef bolognese (which does carry a $2.50 upcharge) sauces and I pretty much add Guy’s fresh sausage to everything.

10. (tie) Chuck Lager America’s Tavern — Jannah and I love the atmosphere and many of the dishes at this third link in the U.S. of a new chain with a menu created by celebrity TV chef Fabio Viviani. With a little more diverse menu and some better fish options, Chuck Lager could climb on at least my list of favorites for 2021.

10. (tie) Mahana Fresh — This second location (the original is in Bradenton) fast casual concept on BBD in New Tampa is different than most other “bowl culture” places because it offers not only three different kinds of grilled chicken, but also tender grilled steak as a protein option. There also are multiple kinds of rice and spinach salad as a base, but I’m kind of addicted to the kale crunch salad, as well as the sesame ginger broccoli, garlicky cilantro green beans and Mediterranean tomatoes.

Other new restaurants that opened in 2020 that I considered for this list:

Michi Ramen (New Tampa) — When Michi Ramen opened before Oronzo on BBD in New Tampa, it was set up beautifully as a takeout-only, so I was stunned when I saw what a gorgeous restaurant it is inside, once it opened up during Covid. The pan-seared Japanese-style gyoza (pork dumplings), tempura-style soft-shell crab, and popcorn-style fried chicken with spicy mayo are my favorite appetizers. I’m not the biggest ramen fan, or Michi Ramen would surely have made my top-10 favorite newbies.

Main Event — Yes, we realize that the bowling and entertainment center is more than “just” a restaurant, but Main Event did host one of the first North Tampa Bay Chamber ribbon-cutting events following Gov. Ron DeSantis’ pandemic-caused shutdown of just about everything here in the Sunshine State.

Double Branch Artisanal Ales — Again, Double Branch, located in The Village at The Grove of Wesley Chapel, doesn’t yet qualify as a “restaurant” — at least not until its kitchen opens — but it has offered pizzas from a food truck outside the craft beer brewery and should open a kitchen inside in 2021. Even so, enough of Wesley Chapel’s craft beer-crazed residents voted for it as their Favorite Bar in New Tampa & Wesley Chapel for it to finish in this year’s top-5 in that category.

Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. — As a transplanted native New Yorker, I appreciate the “legit” kettle-boiled-then-baked bagels and “Brooklynized” water used for the bagels and coffee at this new favorite on S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel, which could contend for “Favorite Breakfast” in our distribution areas with our readers next year and already scored with yours truly this year.

Crumbl Cookie — Although it also opened too late to make a splash in this year’s Reader Survey, not since Nothing Bundt Cakes opened in the Shops at Wiregrass has any new dessert-only place created such a stir in our community. The decadent churro and s’mores cookies are our favorites of Crumbl Cookie’s rotating flavors so far and the flavors of creamy ice cream also are rotated weekly.

Arepa Mia (Lutz) — Located in the Grand Oaks Plaza on Wesley Chapel Blvd., this authentic Venezuelan eatery offers a variety of meat-filled arepas and empanadas, as well as tequeños, chicken wings and even Venezuelan soups. Everything definitely looks, smells and tastes homemade, so I would love to see this menu expanded.

Gu Wei Noodle House (New Tampa) — This super-authentic Chinese-style (definitely not New York-style) Chinese restaurant opened late in 2020 at the former location of Sukhothai off BBD (near the AMC 20 Movie Theater). Noodles are Gu Wei’s specialty but I prefer the stir-fried rice with my dishes. Even so, I have enjoyed the pan-sautéed pork dumplings, the beef with broccoli, which is mild on the menu, but I ordered it spicy — and it was.

Special Mentions — Although there has been a Bonefish Grill in Wesley Chapel for years, Jannah and I love the new S.R. 56 location, which has lots more parking as well as seating at the bar. Yes, the menu is the same as always, but again, Jannah and I live across the street from Bonefish now.

And, even though Moschella’s Italian Eatery & Market opened only nine days before the end of 2020 and doesn’t have dine-in restaurant seating, what this new gourmet shop does have are prepared foods as good or better than most restaurant fare.

Let me know if I missed any that opened last year that you love!

Ready For A Theater Like No Other?

The All-New Grove Theater, Bistro & Entertainment Is Opening Soon & You Definitely Need To Check It Out!

When you’ve been in the local news business as long as I have, you hear a lot of people do a lot of talking, but very few back up their words with solid action.

Considering that developer Mark Gold of Mishorim Gold Properties has only owned The Grove shopping center development for about a year, you’d think there’d be no way he could back up everything he promised to do when he spent more than $64 million to buy The Grove in late 2019.

And you’d be wrong.

Since then, during the worst pandemic of our lifetimes, Gold has turned The Grove area he calls “The Village” from a mostly vacant mess into a vibrant new destination anchored by Treble Makers Dueling Piano Bar & Restaurant and Double Branch Artisanal Ales, with much more to come.

Closer to the Outback Steak House, Gold already has begun delivering on another promise — to create a container park that will dwarf Sparkman Wharf in downtown Tampa by sometime this year.

But now, Gold has done something that certainly seemed impossible when he took over the former Cobb 16 Theater at The Grove towards the end of last summer — he’s not only ready to reopen it, he’s completely transformed it into The Grove Theater, Bistro & Entertainment — and he promises the formerly failed movie theater he and his team have totally overhauled in less than six months will be a safe, family-friendly experience that will attract visitors from far beyond the borders of Wesley Chapel.

“South Tampa will come here to see this,” Gold promises. “There’s nothing else like this in the U.S.”

I’ll admit I was excited when Mark Gold and his team took us on an exclusive tour of all of the unique entertainment options that will be available right here in Wesley Chapel when The Grove Theater, Bistro & Entertainment opens to the public sometime after this issue reaches your mailbox.

The Grove Theater will have 12 new-release movie theaters, including six VIP sections upstairs, with literally the most comfortable reclining theater seats you’ll find anywhere. But, that’s just the beginning.

In addition to a huge arcade stocked with 43 giant-sized video games near the entrance, The Grove also has one theater that will be solely for children in a safe, supervised environment.

“It’s going to be like a nanny room,” Mark says. “Parents can feel comfortable leaving their kids while they have dinner or watch their own movie.”

Another will be home to a “Spin Theater,” equipped with competition-style stationary bikes, both for top athletes to use for training and for those who want to exercise while watching a movie. There will be instructor-led classes, as well as open spin classes.

Still another theater will be available for rent for private parties and events. “For a birthday party, you can rent the theater for $300-$400, pick whatever movie you want and we’ll screen it just for you,” Mark says.

Plus, yet another theater will be offering Broadway and other professionally produced shows that Mark says will be brought in by a professional theatre company.

And finally, as we announced in our Sept. 29, 2020, issue, one theater will be the concert-style-seating home of SideSplitters Comedy Club. There’s even a SideSplitters reception area near the completely reconfigured movie concession stand. SideSplitters, of course, has a popular location on N. Dale Mabry Highway in Carrollwood, where top-level comics, as well as yours truly and members of the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel have performed.

A True Dining Experience

But, best of all, Gold also has transformed the theater’s second-floor dining and bar area into a legitimate high-end bistro, complete with a sushi bar and Italian-trained Head Chef Wissam (“Sam”) Itani.

“It’s a chef-driven concept,” says Grove Theater manager Tom Peck. “We’ll have everything from Mediterranean items like chicken shawarma, steaks, salmon, you name it.”

Peck adds that the whole concept is to keep guests at the Grove Theater for longer than the average 2-1/2 hours spent at most theaters by the average moviegoer. “We’re not just a movie theater,,” Peck says. “We’re both a great restaurant and the greatest entertainment experience ever.”

Concerned about safety these days? Who isn’t? But, Gold and his team have that covered, too!

“I think we’re #1 in safety out of all the movie theaters in the country,” says VP of operations Matheus Gold. “We have fog machines sanitizing each theater after every movie, disinfecting UV lights, temperature and mask checks when you enter and hand sanitizing stations everywhere.”

In other words, if you live anywhere near Wesley Chapel, you should definitely check out the all-new Grove Theater, Bistro & Entertainment. There’s literally nothing else like it.

“This is a totally new concept that is the future of movie theaters in the U.S.,” Mark says. “Everyone really needs to come see this place.”

For more info about The Grove Theater, Bistro & Entertainment, visit GroveShopping.com.

games mark gold movie theater side splitters sushi The Grove

Island Fin Poke Co. Wants To Help You Live Healthier

When Island Fin Poké Co. opened last November next to LA Fitness (south of County Line Rd. and west of Bruce B. Downs Blvd.), owners Jeff, Brenda and Jason Sproat never could have anticipated what came in March.

“Fortunately we were able to remain open and were set up for all the pandemic concerns and restrictions,” Jeff says. “We have a very clean environment and quick service for takeout or delivery, while being affordable and healthy. We added on-line ordering with a curbside pickup option for convenience and safety.”

Jason, Island Fin’s general manager, says that he has seen many pre-Covid regulars starting to return recently.

“More of our guests are dining in and many long-time guests are coming in multiple times per week again,” Jason says.

*Jeff, Jason and Brenda Sproat invite you to their Island Fin Poke Co. location next to LA Fitness off County Line Rd. at Bruce B. Downs Blvd.*

Island Fin Poke Co. provides guests with “boat to bowl,” locally and responsibly sourced ingredients for each individual to create their own perfect poké bowl. With eight proteins, more than 25 toppings, a variety of house-made sauces and specialty mix-ins, the endless possibilities allow guests to get creative and try something new every visit. The restaurant’s comfortable beach shack environment bring residents on a short trip to Hawaii as they enjoy delicious, fresh and healthy, immune-boosting meals.

“Sushi lovers love our spicy tuna, salmon and ahi tuna,” Jason says, “while those who are not sushi fans or are hesitant about consuming raw seafood, can choose cooked chicken, shrimp or even octopus for their proteins.” And, Brenda says that the house-made sauces are what separate Island Fin from all others and the friendly, knowledgeable team helps you customize your perfect bowl.

Island Fin’s regular poké bowls typically provide 40g of protein and up to 90g in a double-protein bowl. Gym members, trainers and health professionals love it! Bowls that are perfect for Keto diets, and vegetarian and even vegan options also are available.

And Now, The Food!

I have been an Island Fin fan from Day One, especially since I can choose from spicy or regular tuna, or even have a scoop of each, in my bowl. Other proteins I didn’t mention before include salmon, Spam and tofu.

I try to stay away from both brown and white rice as my base, so I usually just choose the spring mix lettuce.

I love Island Fin’s mix-ins, although I keep telling Brenda I wish there were even more veggies to choose from, but my faves are the OG veggies, the spicy pickled veggies, edamame and corn. There’s also sweet onions and jalapeños available.

*It’s easy to create your bowl your way by adding your base, proteins, toppings and finishing sauces & crunchy toppings.* ***(Photos by Charmaine George)***

The marinating sauces include Shoyu (gluten-free soy), Ponzu (soy with fresh orange, lemon and lime juices), Island Fin Fire (pineapple, habanero peppers, cilantro, wildflower honey & soy), Wicked Wahine (hot and sweet) and my favorite, the OG Sauce (sweet onions & fresh jalapeños, with soy, olive oil and rice vinegar). I avoid most of the crunchy toppings (like crispy onions, garlic, wontons and tempura crisps), but love adding sesame seeds, seaweed salad, cucumbers and pickled veggies.

I also don’t usually get a finishing sauce, but available options include avocado cream, wasabi cream, Togarashi and Jamaican cream, but I will probably try the new vegan Ono Ono sauce (sweet Thai chili, fresh cilantro and scallions and chili and ginger paste) in the future.

I love the Surimi (crab) premium topping. Other premium toppers include avocado, masago (fish eggs) and macadmia nuts, and they all cost you $1 extra per bowl.

Coming soon will be a Stubborn soda fountain drink machine. Stubborn sodas have unique and “healthier” options using pure cane sugar rather than high-fructose corn syrup or processed sugar.

But, speaking of sugar, I also love Island Fin’s cool & creamy Dole Whip desserts, available in rotating flavors. My favorite so far is the strawberry-vanilla swirl.

Community-Minded!

Island Fin has been active in the Wesley Chapel/New Tampa community. During the pandemic, the restaurant provided bowls and Dole Whips for front line workers at AdventHealth Wesley Chapel, participated in community events at the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County and recently sponsored a food drive with donations going to the Make A Difference organization.

As a family-owned business, Brenda, Jason and Jeff are most proud of the comments, reviews and ratings from the community.

“Seeing happy faces and hearing wonderful comments, along with 4.9 and 5.0 ratings on Facebook, Google, Yelp and UberEats, make all the hard work worthwhile,” Brenda says. “Guests realize that they can safely have really delicious tasting food that’s actually boosting their immune systems and is super fresh and healthy, too.”

One of the things Brenda says she loves to do is to bring mini-bowl samples of Island Fin’s delicious food to area gyms, fitness centers and health clubs, because, “it instantly translates into new customers for us! People who are working out and eating healthy really love our bowls!” And, even though Christmas 2020 is behind us, Island Fin does offer gift cards, both Classic (plastic card) and E-cards (send by text or email). Island Fin gift cards make great gifts for your dog sitter, co-worker or anyone who makes your day!

Island Fin Poké Co. is located at 6417 E. County Line Rd. (between LA Fitness and Winn-Dixie) and is open every day, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m., for dine-in (socially distanced), take out, online ordering with curbside delivery and all major delivery services. For more info, call (813) 575-8002 or visit IslandFinPoke.com.

Island Fin Poké Co.

Craft Breweries Bringing A Cool Vibe To Wesley Chapel!

The demand for craft beer in Wesley Chapel was already high and now the supply is pouring in.

In the span of a couple of months, not just one, but TWO craft breweries have opened in the ever-changing landscape of Wesley Chapel, one of the fastest-growing communities in the country.

First was Double Branch Artisanal Ales (DBAA), which was all set to open to the public as the pandemic hit, but Covid-19 restrictions had the craft brewery as to-go only until beer enthusiasts were allowed to be inside in late August. Double Branch finally held its official North Tampa Bay Chamber ribbon cutting ceremony Nov. 10, and is now a permanent fixture in the revitalized Grove at Wesley Chapel’s The Village shopping district.

“We do get a lot of people who say they’ve come out this way to try it — those beer seekers,” said Double Branch general manager Sam Guyer, who, along with her husband, Cody, is one of the four owners.

Although it hasn’t even been open for a year yet, at the U.S. Open Beer Championship — one of the top three beer competitions in the country, according to its website — recently awarded DBAA’s Purple Floors & Dinosaurs IPA a gold medal in the New England/Juicy DIPA category. The name also was picked as the No. 2 overall favorite beer name, behind Menace To Sobriety, a New York craft beer.

Meanwhile, Florida Avenue Brewing Co. opened its doors on Oct. 5 (also after some pandemic-related delays), and is just a mere 15 minutes (about five miles) away from DBAA in the former space of Sports + Field on S.R. 56.

After an impressive renovation of that fitness facility, Florida Ave. is now a trendy date night locale that, in just two months time, has already seen more than 17,000 customers walk through its doors.

“What we hear a lot from guests is that they’re so happy there’s some (place to dine and drink) on this side of the (S.R. 56 overpass) and a little away from (Tampa Premium Outlets) because they don’t want to get in their car and wait 30 minutes to go half a mile,” says Florida Avenue co-owner and operator Anthony Derby. “But I also think they’re excited for something new and fun with craft beer.”

DBAA will have a kitchen soon to go with it’s funky variety of IPAs. (Photo: Mike Camunas)

Indeed, there has been a real boom of craft beer breweries throughout the Tampa Bay area, which now boasts more than 70 of them. They have helped make places like Dunedin, Clearwater, St. Petersburg and Seminole Heights in Tampa trendy places to grab a bite and a beer.

In Pasco County, there are now 11 craft breweries, with more on the way.

The influx of malls, stores, businesses and, of course, more residents in Wesley Chapel has raised the demand for more cool drinking destinations.

Both Guyer and Derby, who is part of the ownership group that also owns Brew Bus in Seminole Heights, say they are only building on the demand for craft beer that has been present in Wesley Chapel for a while.

The original Brass Tap opened in 2008 at The Shops of Wiregrass mall, whetting the appetites of local beer enthusiasts looking for more than just a cold Budweiser in a smoky bar.

Florida Avenue Brewing. (Photo: Charmaine George)

Derby said he has had a number of conversations with Brass Tap owner Jeff Martin, who is as familiar with the local beer scene as anyone.

“I talked to him numerous times when we were planning on picking our location, so I knew there were definitely pockets of craft beer enthusiasts up here in Wesley Chapel,” Derby says.

The growth in Wesley Chapel may lead to more breweries in the future, perhaps mirroring what Seminole Heights has experienced. In that trendy, older neighborhood, many young people began moving in, so new restaurants and bars, especially more craft beer breweries, emerged as places for them to spend their evenings.

When Derby and his partners wanted to create a second location, but with a different brand than their Brew Bus, they took polls from distributors about where the highest concentration of craft beer sales were.

One of the most popular answers? Wesley Chapel.

“My mother-in-law lives across (S.R 56) in the neighborhood, so I was always up here, say, for a Sunday dinner, making me very familiar with the area and, given how the area bloomed, it was a no-brainer,” Derby says. “We’re very excited to be here and even have Double Branch up the road, because what they’re doing there is awesome and why we have collaborated with them already.”

Florida Avenue and DBAA have created a special brew with a nod towards Wesley Chapel locals, or “Chappies.” (Photo: Mike Camunas)

That’s right. Florida Avenue and Double Branch have already put their hoppy heads together and created a special beer just for Wesley Chapel — “Chappie’s Life,” an American-style light lager that’s available at both locations, and honors the growing area that was once a trucker stop down at the end of Bruce B. Downs Blvd. or, as longtime locals called it, “The Road to Nowhere.”

Now, it’s the road to some innovative and tasty craft beers.

“This area does seem to have its charm, right?,” Guyer asked. “I mean, I have obviously heard that it used to just be cows grazing, and now we have all this stuff and — believe it or not — a real-life craft beer scene.”

The 2020 Neighborhood News Reader’s Survey chose The Brass Tap as the best local bar — Florida Avenue opened after the contest began — with DBAA coming in second. Here’s the top 5 vote getters:

1 — The Brass Tap is more than just this year’s winner of our readers’ Favorite Bar in New Tampa or Wesley Chapel — because it had to stay closed (as all non-restaurant bars in Florida did) much longer than restaurant/bar combos, owner Jeff Martin and his crew have not only survived, but have come back strong after having to endure this year’s Covid-extended bar closure.

Therefore, it’s a true tribute to Jeff and his crew to be named this year’s Favorite Bar in our distribution areas.

2 — Double Branch Artisanal Ales is like a beer laboratory with how often they churn out new flavors and styles, and it’s a fun spot for a cold brew. Try the new Chappie’s Life light lager! When the kitchen opens, look out!

3 — Joe Whiskey’s is no longer a smoking bar and that may have something to do with this year’s best-ever finish in our Reader Survey. Smokers still have an outdoor patio and non-smokers can now enjoy karaoke four nights a week.

4 — The Basement on Wesley Chapel Blvd. in Lutz also had its best-ever finish in this year’s survey, but the last we heard was that it is not going to re-open. We agree with the readers who voted for it about its cool vibe, so it’s a sad loss.

5 — Linksters isn’t trendy or hip, and that’s not a bad thing, it’s a great thing. It’s a small bar with friendly staff, a pool table, jukebox and cold beer while you catch a game on TV. Perfect!

The Next 8, in order of votes: The Bar, Chapel Cigars, Fat Rabbit, Glory Days, O’Briens, Peabody’s, Mulligans, Stonewood Grill.

DBAA Florida Avenue Brewing

NT/WC’s Favorite Greek/Indian Restaurants

The Hungry Greek, like Vallarta’s, also keeps the locals happy (it’s #1 in New Tampa & Wesley Chapel) with great Greek and Mediterranean specialties at super-fair prices — especially when you factor in the quality of the food, the size of the portions served and the restaurant’s ability to get you in and out quickly while still cooking your food to order.

We recommend trying the Greek salads, gyro and chicken pita bread sandwiches (and platters) and variety of kabob entrées, falafel, dolmades (stuffed grape leaves), baked pastitsio (Greek lasagne) and spanikopita (spinach pie).

Wash it down with a Mythos or other Greek beer.

2 — Acropolis Greek Taverna New Tampa’s sit-down Greek restaurant has some of the best Greek cuisine around. Try the saganaki (Greek cheese flambé), grilled octopus, lamb chops and the Athenian fish.

3 — Little Greek on BBD in New Tampa is very similar in menu and serving style to Hungry Greek, and does an equally outstanding job of getting customers in and out quickly, even during its lunchtime rush.

4 — Minerva Indian Restaurant was the only Indian eatery to make this top-5 with its extensive menu packed with flavorful options, as well as one of the best Indian buffets around, with plenty of vegetarian choices.

5 — Al-Sham Palace in the Pebble Creek Collection is one of our area’s few truly authentic Syrian/Mediterranean restaurants, featuring a variety of shawarma and gyro sandwiches, plus kafta and chicken kababs & more.

The Next 5, in order of votes: Medilish Med Grill, Ice Spice Cafe, Atithi Indian, Taaza Mart Cafe, Petra Mediterranean Express (OOB).

Acropolis Al-Sham Palace greek Hungry Greek little greek Minerva