Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. Adds Even More Lunch Options!

The new Little Italy sandwich is the most popular new lunch item at Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. on S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel, but our editor prefers the new bagel dog (below). There also is a new cobb salad (below) and a new spicy grilled chicken sandwich (below right) on the Brooklyn Water Bagel lunch menu. (All Photos by Charmaine George)

Although Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. is a small chain of 24 locations in six states (the majority of which are located in Florida, including the original location in Delray Beach), local franchise owner Daniel Kurland takes great pride in his restaurant, the service he provides and the company’s growing menu.

Brooklyn Water Bagel has been open on S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel, just west of I-75 (at the front of The Grove at Wesley Chapel’s property) since 2021 and since then, Daniel says, his breakfast business has been booming. After all, Brooklyn Water Bagel’s kettle-boiled-then-baked bagels (and other baked goods) are made with water that is “Brooklynized” on the premises to give them that authentic New York-bagel taste.

But, since all Brooklyn Water Bagel locations are open for both breakfast and lunch, the company has been working on expanding its lunch menu and Daniel recently invited the Neighborhood News to come sample the new options.

He says the best seller of the new menu selections has been the Little Italy bagel sandwich — made with salami, capicola and ham with provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato, onions, banana peppers and vinaigrette dressing. It’s like an Italian sub but on your choice of Brooklyn Water Bagel’s dozen+ bagel varieties. 

My favorite new item, however, is the new bagel dog, a premium beef hot dog (or chicken sausage) that is wrapped in bagel dough, topped with everything seeds and served with spicy mustard and sauerkraut (which honestly, is the only way to eat a hot dog, in one reporter’s opinion). The menu doesn’t call the hot dog “Kosher” or even “Kosher style,” but at Jewish delis in my native New York, we would have called it a “special,” or oversized hot dog, and the flavor is definitely Kosher-style.

Photographer Charmaine George also enjoyed the new spicy grilled chicken sandwich (right), which is topped with bacon, pepper jack cheese, pickle slices, lettuce, tomato and spicy mayo. It is served on a club roll or the bagel of your choice. 

Charmaine and I also enjoyed the new club melt sandwich, which is served open-faced and combines warm ham, turkey and bacon with melted Swiss cheese, tomato, onion and butter on the bagel or bread of your choice. 

All of these lunch sandwiches also are served with an authentic deli-style sour pickle.

The new pastrami, egg and cheese breakfast sandwich was a hit with our editor. 

And, for you salad lovers, Brooklyn Water Bagel has now added a new cobb salad, with ham, turkey, bacon, egg and shredded cheese with grape tomatoes served atop a bed of tasty greens.

Of course, there’s also still delicious corned beef, pastrami (either of which are available as Reuben sandwiches), roasted turkey and chicken, tuna, egg or whitefish salad sandwiches on your choice of bread or as wraps. And yes, there is even a pretty authentic-tasting matzo ball soup, offered as a cup with one matzo ball, as well as in combination with a variety of different sandwiches.

New Breakfast Items, Too…    

The new menu options available at Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. aren’t only for lunch. First of all, the entire menu is available for breakfast or lunch, which itself is great news. 

However, for those looking for something more than the usual smoked salmon and cream cheese (it’s called The Williamsburg there) and egg, bacon (or Taylor ham) and cheese bagel sandwiches, there is now a new corned beef “hash” sandwich with a hash brown, plus corned beef, egg and American cheese, as well as pastrami, egg and cheese sandwiches. There’s even The Greenpoint sandwich with egg whites, spinach, mushroom and Swiss on a scooped bagel.

There’s no better way to top off a great meal than with a delicious S’mores bagel and a Cubsta iced coffee drink.

Save room for dessert, because not only does Brooklyn Water Bagel still have the most authentic (and decadent) black & white and chewy chocolate chip cookies in our area, a variety of fresh-baked muffins (including a new orange cranberry option), and flaky rugelach pastries, it also now offers a scrumptious, open-faced S’mores bagel with Nutella spread and toasted marshmallows (right).

And yes, I still love Brooklyn Water Bagel Co.’s delicious coffee blends, especially the Brooklyn Infusion blend (with vanilla, caramel and Kahlua flavors) and the new Hanna Banana blend, which is available for the spring only. If you don’t see a coffee flavor you want, you can add shots of U-Bet chocolate syrup, vanilla and a variety of other flavors. For you iced coffee lovers, check out the “Cubsta” iced coffee, available with coffee-flavored ice cubes. 

You can even take out bulk bagels, large-size cream cheese spreads and pre-packaged tuna, egg, chicken and whitefish salad.

Brooklyn Water Bagel (27835 Wesley Chapel Blvd., Suite 101 (next to King of the Coop), is open every day, 6 a.m.-3 p.m. For more info or to place an order, call (813) 775-2275, or visit BrooklynWaterBagel.com.    

Nibbles & Bites: Crazy Sushi Is Open At The Shops At Wiregrass; Azteca D’Oro To Open June 24!

As you can see in the ad on the left, Azteca d’Oro is set to host its Grand Opening in the space (at 2000 Piazza Ave.) at the Shops at Wiregrass previously occupied by Cantina Laredo on Saturday, June 24, with a mariachi band, indoor and outdoor bar with cocktails and more. Azteca d’Oro promises a truly authentic Mexican cuisine experience in an upscale, but still casual atmosphere. For more info, visit AztecaDOro.com.

Crazy Sushi Is Open!

Until Azteca opens, you probably should try the new Crazy Sushi Wiregrass at the Shops. Crazy Sushi is more than just another replacement for the several restaurants that have opened and gone out of business at 28152 Paseo Dr., #150 — it’s a much larger (having also taken over an adjacent store), real sit-down restaurant that just happens to also offer all-you-care-to-eat lunch (for $22.95 per person; available Mon.-Fri., 11 a.m.-3 p.m. only) and dinner (and Sat.-Sun. lunch, for $32.95) Japanese cuisine that, based on our first visit, is well worth the price. 

The sushi (the photo is of a tasty sushi sampler that isn’t on the menu) is really fresh, the appetizers (including gyoza dumplings, tempura veggies, fried chicken karaage, etc.) and lo mein are spot-on and the hibachi sirloin steak and chicken are both of a higher quality than what we’re used to getting at Ginza or Koizi. And. the premium full-liquor bar offers full-sized drinks at lower-than-mall prices.

For more information, call (813) 991-8989 or visit CrazySushiWesleyChapel.com and please tell our friend Edgar behind the bar that we sent you! 

Johnny C’s Italian Eatery Has Opened On Cross Creek Blvd.!

The new Johnny C’s Italian Eatery has been open at 10970 Cross Creek Blvd., Suite A (on Morris Bridge Rd.), in the former location of Precinct Pizza, since May 15, and the reaction to the food, the family atmosphere and the service have so far been pretty great.

Johnny C’s, named for Johnny Ciaccio, the father of former Saddlebrook Resort GM Pat Ciaccio, is a partnership between Ciaccio and former Saddlebrook owner Tom Dempsey and Erik Ravenna, a trained chef who worked for years in food and beverage (among other jobs) at the resort.

The restaurant, which is open for lunch and dinner (11:30 a.m.-9 p.m.) daily, features New York-style pizza (like the Margherita pizza shown top), plus a variety of Northern Italian comfort foods, from lasagna to chicken parmigiana, Italian meatballs (left) & more.

“One thing we noticed,” Ravenna told me during the Johnny C’s Friends & Family pre-opening, “is that (the other Italian restaurants in) this area doesn’t have a big variety of seafood options. We all do linguini with clams, but Johnny C’s also has shrimp marinara (shown being prepared above), parmigiana and scampi, as well as a spicy fra diavlo and even a frutti di mare (aka ‘Fruits of the Sea,’ right) with shrimp, mussels, clams and calamari over linguini.” (There’s also a mussels Posillipo appetizer.)

Ciaccio added, “We want everyone who visits Johnny C’s to feel like family. My dad owned restaurants his entire adult life and we lost him a few years ago, so Johnny C’s is a tribute to him.” To which Ravenna added, “He would have loved to have been the ‘mayor’ here.” For info, call (813) 278-8020, visit JohnnyCsItalianEatery.com.

Blush Champagne Bar Is Open!

The Blush Champagne & Cocktail Bar (photo above), the second establishment at the KRATE Container Park (the other is the nearly adjacent Blush Wine Room) owned by Felicia and Nimesh Desai, is an intimate, upscale champagne bar serving sparkling wine from both near and far, champagne cocktails and martinis, and a dozen frozen cocktails, with plans to serve food starting this summer. 

“Until then, you can grab food from the Blush Wine Room and drinks from either of our locations,” Felicia says. “And, just like at our original location, the Champagne & Cocktail Bar will have wines and cocktails you won’t find anywhere else.” For more info about the Blush Wine Room or Champagne & Cocktail Bar, call (813) 428-6247 or visit BlushWineRoom.com.

Provisions To Add A 3rd Location?

Meanwhile, Provisions Coffee & Kitchen, which was the first tenant to open in the KRATE Container Park, has announced that it will open a second Wesley Chapel location (Provisions also has a New Tampa location at 2816 E. Bearss Ave.) in a new plaza on BBD Blvd. that is home to Abdoney Orthodontics. For more info, visit either currently open Provisions location or ProvisionsCoffeeFL.com

Updates On Pomodoro/Mama B’s, Provisions, Blush Champagne Bar & Azteca! 

Pomodoro Pizza To Become Mama B’s!

Those of you who are fans of Pomodoro Pizza at 27607 S.R. 56 (in front of Sam’s Club) will be happy to hear that not too much will change when Brenda Bening-Thompson (photo left) and her husband David, who have already owned it for several months, officially change the name of the popular local pizzeria to Mama B’s Pizza.

“We’ll be officially changing the name when our sign outside and new menus come in,” Brenda (Mama B herself) says. “Basically, we’re changing the look of the menu and reducing the number of pasta dishes on it, since some of them haven’t been selling so great.”

She adds, however, that most of Pomodoro’s pasta favorites — including fettuccine Alfredo, lasagna and chicken parmigiana — “won’t be going anywhere.”

For more information, call Pomodoro Pizza at (813) 328-8063 or visit PomodoroPizzaFL.com.

Provisions Coffee & Kitchen To Open New Location

Meanwhile, Provisions Coffee & Kitchen, which was the first tenant to open in the KRATE Container Park at The Grove at Wesley Chapel, has announced that it will open a second location in a new plaza that currently only is home to Abdoney Orthodontics (see photo, right).

The announcement on Provisions’ Facebook page said that additional announcements were coming soon. Unfortunately, we were unable to speak with owner Dana Morris — who also has a Provisions location on E. Bearss Ave., just west of Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. — about the rumor we heard that the new Wesley Chapel Provisions will serve beer and wine (as the original location on BBD, where Bru Florida Growler Bar is now located, used to serve), as well as its usual coffee drinks. 

We also weren’t able to find out if the new location will replace the location at the KRATEs or if it will be a third location for Morris and her coffee-and-more business. But of course, we’ll keep you posted.

For more information, call or visit either Provisions location — at 5862 Goldview Pkwy. in the KRATES (call 813-803-7787) or at 2816 E. Bearss Ave. (call 813-252-6512) or visit ProvisionsCoffeeFL.com

Blush Champagne & Cocktail Bar Opens At The KRATEs

Literally the day we went to press with this issue, the Blush Champagne & Cocktail Bar (photo left) held a brief “soft opening” in anticipation of its full-time opening sometime before this issue reaches your mailbox. 

The Blush Champagne & Cocktail Bar, the second establishment at the KRATE Container Park (the other is the nearly adjacent Blush Wine Room) owned by Felicia andNimesh Desai (not pictured), is an intimate, upscale champagne bar serving sparkling wine from both near and far, champagne cocktails and martinis, and a dozen frozen cocktails, with plans to serve food starting this summer. 

“Until then, you can grab food from the Blush Wine Room and drinks from either of our locations,” Felicia says. “And, just like at our original location, the Champagne & Cocktail Bar will have wines and cocktails you won’t find anywhere else. We’re really excited about the new concept.” 

The Blush Wine Room is located at 5863 Goldview Pkwy., Unit 107, and the Blush Champagne & Cocktail Bar is at 5903 Goldview Pkwy., Unit 101. For more info about either location, call (813) 428-6247 or visit BlushWineRoom.com.

Azteca d’Oro Opening June 24!

As you can see in the ad above, Azteca d’Oro is set to host its Grand Opening in the space (at 2000 Piazza Ave.) at the Shops at Wiregrass previously occupied by Cantina Laredo on Saturday, June 24, with a mariachi band, indoor and outdoor bar with cocktails and more.

Azteca d’Oro promises a truly authentic Mexican cuisine experience in an upscale, but still casual atmosphere. For more info, see the ad or visit AztecaDOro.com.

TrebleMakers Dueling Piano Bar Adds Brunch &…A Robot? 

TrebleMakers’ co-owners (l.-r.) Joe Hess, Lee Bevan & Jamie Hess.

I’ve said this before but, as much as we love live music, Jannah and I don’t visit Treble Makers Dueling Piano Restaurant & Bar in the Village at The Grove every week for the weekend dueling piano shows. Don’t get me wrong, the shows are great — as are the free solo piano shows beginning at 6 p.m. every Thursday-Saturday. 

The shrimp tacos are served with house-made crispy potato chips. 
You can enjoy TrebleMakers’ delicious chicken bruschetta for brunch or dinner!

But, for those who still have never enjoyed a meal at TrebleMakers, I can’t urge you strongly enough to check it out for everything from its delicious fresh fish (the coconut curry grouper is one of executive chef Kevin Maggard’s true masterpieces) and seafood (love the diver scallops and many rave about the shrimp tacos), plus excellent steaks (the filet mignon and thick-cut prime rib are my favorites), great chicken options (like my latest favorite, the bruschetta chicken shown left), delicious pastas and starters like the seared ahi tuna, the fried calamari in sweet Thai chili sauce, the potato gnocchi, crispy Brussels sprouts and their most popular appetizer, the baked Imperial crab dip.

And, even though Jannah and I have been frequent visitors for lunch at TrebleMakers from the moment it opened in Sept. 2020, we now have a new reason to visit and enjoy it — the super-yummy Sunday brunch!

When all three of Jannah’s kids came to visit recently, we got her entire family together at TrebleMakers so that yours truly could check out the different brunch items being offered by TrebleMakers co-owners Jamie and his brother Joe Hess and Lee Bevan.

One piece of good news is that if you’re not a fan of bottomless mimosas for only $15 per person (or bottomless champagne for just $20 per person) or eating eggs at lunch time, no matter what day of the week it is, most of TrebleMakers’ entire delicious menu also is available during the Sunday brunch hours — 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

And, it appears the word about the brunch has already gotten out, as our party of 13 was only the second largest the Sunday we visited and there were a number of other tables on hand, all raving not only about the food, but also the recently added robot server (photo, below, and more on that below). 

About The Brunch Menu…    

The brunch specialty that isn’t on the regular lunch or dinner menu at TrebleMakers that most appealed to yours truly is the “Feather & Waffles,” which features super-crispy, house-brined chicken breast, served atop a Belgian-style waffle and served with applewood-smoked bacon, two eggs served your choice of sunny side up or scrambled, and real maple syrup.

Another brunch-only option sampled at our table was the fried egg smash burger, which features sausage-infused brisket smash patties on a brioche roll, cheddar cheese, that crispy applewood-smoked bacon, with lettuce, tomato, onion and garlic aioli, topped off by an over-easy fried egg and served with TrebleMakers’ super-crispy fries.

One option we didn’t try that I look forward to sampling in the future is the Treble Classic Platter, featuring TrebleMakers’ exclusive 12-hour espresso-rubbed brisket, roasted garlic hash, with Cuban toast, two sunny-side-up or scrambled eggs, bacon and maple sausage links. Also available on the brunch menu are Cuban avocado toast, featuring a La Segunda Bakery Cuban loaf, fresh Haas avocado smash, cherry tomato, everything bagel seasoning and local micro greens (you can even add two fried eggs to this one), brioche French toast, fried deviled crab Benny (with a honey deviled crab cake and potato hash on an English muffin) and the brisket skillet Treble hash with bell peppers, Brussels sprouts and a fried egg. All of the brunch menu items are only $13-$16 each. Kids menu items (including penne marinara, chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks and a kids cheeseburger) are all just $7 each. There’s even a solo piano show every Sunday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. 

TrebleMakers also served a special, “not your typical” Easter buffet brunch on Apr. 9, with chef-inspired stations for $44.95 per person ($39.95 for those aged 65+ and $19.95 for kids ages 5-12, 4 & under free). Jamie says many of the same items will be repeated for Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 14, so make your reservations now!

And yes, after seeing how efficient a robot server was at an Asian restaurant in New Tampa, Jamie, Joe and Lee decided to invest in a robot server for TrebleMakers. 

“And, rather than replacing our servers,” Jamie says, “it’s helped them and our busboys work more efficiently, as the robot brings the food to the table, so the server only has to put the plates in front of each patron.” The robot also politely asks for people to move out of its way and even plays ‘Happy Birthday!”

TrebleMakers (6034 Wesley Grove Blvd.) is open every day for lunch and dinner. For more information, call (813) 406-4371, visit TrebleMakersofWC.com.

Nibbles & Bites: New KRATEs Now Open & Coming Soon, Plus Mac’s Custom Meats + Deli

Although I never actually saw it close, The Fry Room at the KRATE Container Park at The Grove was quickly replaced by Top That! Pizza & More, which serves NY-style pizza (top photo), plus Buffalo wings and many of The Fry Room’s tasty fried chicken, fish and other specialties (but sadly, not the apple cider donuts). For more info, visit TopThatPizzaFL.com.

We also told you last issue that Valiart Jewelry was being replaced by Tutti Frutti Café. However, if you thought Tutti Frutti would be “just” a smoothie place, you (and I) were wrong. As it turns out, not only can you get a great smoothie there, Tutti Frutti also offers fresh organic juices and a variety of fresh fruit “sushi” and other platters. Even just the fresh fruit case (left photo) will make you want to go sample it. For more info, visit Tutti-FruttiCafe.com.

Likewise, we were sad to see the Computer Emergency Room location in the KRATEs — which is owned by TrebleMakers (see pg. 32) co-owners Jamie and his brother Joe Hess — close (they replaced my cracked iPhone screen while I waited during the KRATE Grand Opening event last year). 

But, when you see what Computer ER’s replacement — Paleta Mia — will have to offer when it opens sometime next month, let’s just say that it’ll surely soften the blow.

Mojo Grill (also in the KRATEs) owner Luis Ledezma says that Paleta Mia will offer truly gourmet, hand-crafted fresh fruit ice pops with a variety of toppings, but what really caught my eye were Paleta Mia’s unique waffle pops (right photo), many of which are chocolate-dipped, and also with a variety of toppings. So much for the diet! “We believe the price points at Paleta Mia will appeal to many people,” Luis says, “and the pops are definitely Instagrammable!” For more info, visit “PaletaMia_icepops” on Facebook.  

Mac’s Custom Meats + Deli

For those seeking unique options outside of the KRATEs, we’ve also waited until we had more info about Mac’s Custom Meats + Deli, which is now open in the northern anchor spot of the Grand Oaks Plaza on Wesley Chapel Blvd., before we told you about it.

Mac’s, named for owner and and grilling fanatic Daxton McLochlin (left photo), sells top-quality Angus steaks, plus delicious baby back ribs and other pork and chicken options. But for me, having a new deli so close to where we live carries the most appeal. 

For a variety of delicious pressed Cubans (including the excellent roast beef Cuban, with freshly sliced roast beef, shown here), grilled burgers and delicious deli meat and tuna & egg salad sandwiches, check out Mac’s, which opened just after we went to press with our April 18 Wesley Chapel issue.

“We’ll make your lunch and provide everything you need to grill your dinner,” Daxton says. He even sells his own line of Mac’s sauces to enhance your grilling experience.

For more info, call (317) 509-8798.