Category: Dining & Entertainment

By Gary Nager

I heard a rumor that the economy isn’t very good these days. If that’s true, then how come every time a business in New Tampa or Wesley Chapel closes, new places keep popping up in their place? This appears to be particularly true about local eateries, as you’ll be able to tell when you see all of the new places opening in both of our distribution areas!Continue reading

By Gary Nager

Firehouse Subs Moves

In case you were wondering what happened to the Firehouse Subs — which used to be located next to Publix in the New Tampa Center on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. — this might get a little confusing.

Firehouse is still located next to a Publix on BBD, but it just reopened in the Shoppes of New Tampa at Wesley Chapel, the plaza located across S.R. 56 from the Shops at Wiregrass mall. The proximity to the mall and the major intersection of S.R. 56 of BBD helped the owners decide that a move was in order.

Firehouse Subs is now located at 1824 BBD Blvd., between Publix & Bealls. For more info, call 977-3181.

 

Gerry’s Back At Winners!

Congratulations to Gerry Malynovsky, the original owner of all of the Winners Sports Grills in the Tampa Bay area, who recently took back over the Winners location in at 5429 Village Market, at the corner of Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. and S.R. 54.

Gerry, who has been primarily in the catering business since selling his three Winners locations (Odessa, Tampa Palms and Wesley Chapel), including handling the in-house catering kitchen at the Pepin Distributing Hospitality Center on N. 50th St. in Tampa, has been busy upgrading the Wesley Chapel Winners’ menu and promises to roll out an entirely new, upgraded menu soon.

“We’re going to be adding some great fresh fish options, additional steaks, pastas and daily specials,” he says. “We’re not going to forget that this is still a ‘sports grill,’ we just want to give our customers more choices.”

For more info, see the Winners ad on page 31 or call 973-7474.

 

Shops At Wiregrass Update

The new Ciao! Italian Bistro has opened and is offering a fantastic 20-percent-off your entire bill with the coupon in the ad on page 35.

I’ve only had a chance to sample Ciao!’s Italian fare a couple of times since it replaced Pagelli’s in the mall, but I really enjoyed both the parmesan-and-potato-crusted snapper pictured above (served with great homemade mashed potatoes and fresh asparagus, too) and the rigatoni alla Toscana, which features large tube pasta sautéed with Italian sausage, roasted peppers, onion and tomato sauce, topped with garlic-herb Rondele. For more info, call 907-2200 or visit CiaoItalianBistro.com.

Also now open in the mall, finally, is Blue Lagoon Island Grill Authentic Caribbean Cuisine. Located next to 900º Woodfired Pizza and featuring everything from authentic Jamaican jerk dishes to fresh fish entrées with mango and other fresh fruit sauces, Blue Lagoon’s menu is unique and everything looks and sounds pretty delicious. Look for an update on Blue Lagoon (994-1526, BlueLagoonTampa.com) in a future issue.

 

Toast Adds Coffee & More

Long-time readers of this publication know how much I enjoy the Toast Fine Wine Bar on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., just south of Tampa Palms, in the Oak Ramble Plaza. Although Toast has multiple owners, Hector Gonzalez is the face of the biz and one of New Tampa’s foremost authorities on fine wine — especially for those looking for outstanding wines at outstanding prices.

But now, Toast, which recently opened a second location in South Tampa, is expanding its kitchen and its food options and recently added an espresso bar serving delicious Illy coffee, espresso, cappuccinos, lattes and other coffee drinks.

Toast has live music, great wine dinners and also is a great place for finding wonderful buys on bottles of red, white and sparkling wines you won’t find at the grocery store for the holiday season and it’s also a great place to hold your next holiday party.

For more info about Toast Wine & Café (14921 BBD), call 632-3105 or visit ToastWineandCafe.com.

 

By Gary Nager

Firehouse Subs Moves

In case you were wondering what happened to the Firehouse Subs — which used to be located next to Publix in the New Tampa Center on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. — this might get a little confusing.

Firehouse is still located next to a Publix on BBD, but it just reopened in the Shoppes of New Tampa at Wesley Chapel, the plaza located across S.R. 56 from the Shops at Wiregrass mall. The proximity to the mall and the major intersection of S.R. 56 of BBD helped the owners decide that a move was in order.

Firehouse Subs is now located at 1824 BBD Blvd., between Publix & Bealls. For more info, call 977-3181.

 

Gerry’s Back At Winners!

Congratulations to Gerry Malynovsky, the original owner of all of the Winners Sports Grills in the Tampa Bay area, who recently took back over the Winners location in at 5429 Village Market, at the corner of Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. and S.R. 54.

Gerry, who has been primarily in the catering business since selling his three Winners locations (Odessa, Tampa Palms and Wesley Chapel), including handling the in-house catering kitchen at the Pepin Distributing Hospitality Center on N. 50th St. in Tampa, has been busy upgrading the Wesley Chapel Winners’ menu and promises to roll out an entirely new, upgraded menu soon.

“We’re going to be adding some great fresh fish options, additional steaks, pastas and daily specials,” he says. “We’re not going to forget that this is still a ‘sports grill,’ we just want to give our customers more choices.”

For more info, see the Winners ad on page 31 or call 973-7474.

 

Shops At Wiregrass Update

The new Ciao! Italian Bistro has opened and is offering a fantastic 20-percent-off your entire bill with the coupon in the ad on page 35.

I’ve only had a chance to sample Ciao!’s Italian fare a couple of times since it replaced Pagelli’s in the mall, but I really enjoyed both the parmesan-and-potato-crusted snapper pictured above (served with great homemade mashed potatoes and fresh asparagus, too) and the rigatoni alla Toscana, which features large tube pasta sautéed with Italian sausage, roasted peppers, onion and tomato sauce, topped with garlic-herb Rondele. For more info, call 907-2200 or visit CiaoItalianBistro.com.

Also now open in the mall, finally, is Blue Lagoon Island Grill Authentic Caribbean Cuisine. Located next to 900º Woodfired Pizza and featuring everything from authentic Jamaican jerk dishes to fresh fish entrées with mango and other fresh fruit sauces, Blue Lagoon’s menu is unique and everything looks and sounds pretty delicious. Look for an update on Blue Lagoon (994-1526, BlueLagoonTampa.com) in a future issue.

 

Toast Adds Coffee & More

Long-time readers of this publication know how much I enjoy the Toast Fine Wine Bar on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., just south of Tampa Palms, in the Oak Ramble Plaza. Although Toast has multiple owners, Hector Gonzalez is the face of the biz and one of New Tampa’s foremost authorities on fine wine — especially for those looking for outstanding wines at outstanding prices.

But now, Toast, which recently opened a second location in South Tampa, is expanding its kitchen and its food options and recently added an espresso bar serving delicious Illy coffee, espresso, cappuccinos, lattes and other coffee drinks.

Toast has live music, great wine dinners and also is a great place for finding wonderful buys on bottles of red, white and sparkling wines you won’t find at the grocery store for the holiday season and it’s also a great place to hold your next holiday party.

For more info about Toast Wine & Café (14921 BBD), call 632-3105 or visit ToastWineandCafe.com.