Gary’s 2023 Favorite Latin Restaurants In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel 

For me, this was one of the toughest of all categories, as virtually every place on the list has multiple dishes among my favorites. But, Lima’s ceviche and tallarin saltado de pollo (photo) keep it ahead of the merluza at Las Palmas, the ceviche at Pisco, the chicharrons at Rice N Beans and the cachapas at Chamo Bites. 

1. Lima Peruvian Cuisine 

2. Las Palmas Latin Grill 

3. Pisco Express 

4. Rice n Beans Puerto Rico

5. Chamo Bites 

6. Rice n Beans Express

7. Mojo Grill 

8. La Creacion Xpress 

9. Latin Twist CafĂ© 

10. Arepa Mia 

Gary’s Top 25 Favorite Wesley Chapel Restaurants Of 2023! 

Treble Makers Is Again Gary’s Favorite In Wesley Chapel! The Dueling Piano Bar & Restaurant Beats Out Falabella Family Bistro & Zukku-San For The Top Spot! 

Neighborhood News editor Gary Nager checks out a few of his favorite dishes at TrebleMakers, his favorite restaurant in Wesley Chapel again for 2023. (Photo by Charmaine George) 

 Every year, after our readers’ favorite restaurants in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel are published, I like to provide our readers with my own list of favorites — and there are always many differences between your choices and mine. 

I also always have a few haters every year who say that my reviews aren’t “real,” that I only pick my favorites based on which restaurants advertise with me and/or give me free food, that I have no taste whatsoever, etc. 

The primary thing these haters don’t seem (or want) to understand or believe is that the restaurants I tell you about in my annual “Gary’s Favorites” are not just the places I like the most, they’re also the places where I spend the most of my own money. And yes, when you consider that there are literally dozens of restaurants named on of this issue, Jannah and I do spend a lot of our money dining out (and taking out food) — I’m betting more than just about anyone else in our distribution areas, especially when you consider our combined annual income. 

The “trolls” also don’t seem to “get” the other reason I give my opinions on local eateries every year is that I so appreciate the feedback — both positive and negative — I get after “Gary’s Favorites” are published each year. 

I can’t even tell you how many people come up to me and Jannah when we’re sitting at the bar at The Grill at Morris Bridge, TrebleMakers, Stonewood, Zukku-San, Azteca D’Oro or any of our other favorite eateries to tell me what they think of my opinions. The vast majority of them say things like, “I only tried this place because of what you wrote about them” or “I didn’t really love this place the first time I tried it, but I decided to give it another try because of you.” If you’ve never felt that kind of love from strangers, I promise you that it’s one of the things that most makes the long hours I still put in 30 years since I first started this job worthwhile. 

And yes, a few people also come up to me to tell me that they totally disagree with my assessment of one restaurant or another. Others also tell me that they read my reviews “even though I know they aren’t real.” 

But, the fact is that whether my haters believe it or not, my dining reviews are 100% real. And, unlike the online trolls who think they’re dining “critics” because they tell their few followers that they hated something they ate (or the service they received) at a particular place, I still tell every restaurant owner in our area that when I write a review of their eatery, I will tell more than 170,000 of my “closest friends” (that’s the total possible number of readers we reach in print) everything I like about their place. Anything I don’t like I will tell the restaurant owner about — and pretty much all of them appreciate this approach a lot more then online trolls who cause their overall online ratings to drop. 

Despite all of the new restaurants that opened in the area I call Wesley Chapel — which includes everything from west of the Tampa Premium Outlets to Oak Grove Blvd. in Lutz — the only newcomers to make my top-25 are Azteca D’Oro and Cooper’s Hawk. And, even though we had never dined at any of family-owned Azteca’s previous locations, Cooper’s Hawk had a bit of an unfair advantage for me because Jannah and I have been eating and enjoying the huge varieties of wines at the Tampa location for the last nine years, so we’d already sampled most of the menu. Other newbies that received consideration but didn’t make my top-25 cut include Slim Chickens, Shuckin’ Shack, Crazy Sushi, Rice N’ Beans Express and even the Leonidas Chocolates CafĂ© which only added sandwiches and salads in Oct. of 2023. 

1. TrebleMakers   

6034 Wesley Grove Blvd., The Grove at Wesley Chapel 

(813) 406-4371 

TrebleMakersofWC.com.com

TrebleMakers continues to be my Favorite Restaurant in Wesley Chapel, and all you’d have to do to know this is true is check my bank records to see just how many times Jannah and I have eaten there every month since it opened. We just love sitting at the bar to enjoy a craft cocktail and we often share a Caesar salad and the always-fresh coconut curry grouper or a tender 8-oz. filet mignon. 

Whenever we’re not sharing, I will usually get one of the following: the lollipop lamb chops shown here, the 16-oz. prime rib or the diver scallops, and the seared ahi tuna or potato gnocchi appetizer (although co-owner Jamie Hess says the Baked Imperial Crab Dip is the most popular app). Try any of these and let me know what you think! 

2. Falabella Family Bistro    

6027 Wesley Grove Blvd., The Grove at Wesley Chapel 

(813) 428-6957 

FalabellaBistro.com

Any of my top-10 favorites could have made it to this spot, but one of the main reasons, for me, that Falabella Family Bistro nails down the #2 spot is because of its amazing weekend dinner specials, which can be anything from a honey bourbon pork chop to tender veal parmesan or Marsala and so many more. 

Anytime I miss a possible new favorite special (like on my deadline weekends), I always check with owner Steve Falabella to see if I can still get the special after the weekend. Of course, when your regular menu includes crispy zucchini chips, Sam’s meatballs,short rib ragu and the tender chicken parmesan shown here, plus one of our area’s best dessert displays — and the recent addition of full liquor to go with the Bistro’s already popular wine and beer options — helped make it even more popular with the Nagers. 

3. Zukku-San  

25916 Sierra Center Blvd., Lutz 

(813) 419-1351 

ZukkuSushi.com/zukku-san

Although I love the fresh sushi, there’s no doubt that the reason Jannah (who really only enjoys California roll) and I always have to come back to visit Zukku-San Sushi Bar & Grill is because of the amazing Starters — like deep-fried pork gyoza, steamed Zukku dumplings, veggie spring rolls, the incredible assortment of veggie tempura options (try the sweet potato and/or zucchini) and the chicken (photo) and tenderloin yakitori. The Japanese fried rice, grilled short ribs, crafted bowls and lychee martinis also are favorites. 

4. Pisco Express   

5903 Goldview Pkwy., Ste 109-111 

KRATE at The Grove 

(813) 703-2725 

PiscoRest.com 

Like Lima in New Tampa, there’s only one place in Wesley Chapel serving authentic Peruvian-style fish ceviche de pescado with giant corn kernels (photo) — Pisco Express. But, Jannah and I also crave other dishes at this unique Peruvian-Chinese fusion restaurant, including the fried pork chicharrons, tallarin saltado (with chicken or steak) and lomo saltado (steak sautĂ©ed with onions, tomatoes & peppers). 

5. Azteca D’Oro   

2000 Piazza Ave., Unit 170 

The Shops at Wiregrass 

(813) 527-6553

AztecaDoro.com 

From our first visit to the new Azteca D’Oro, Jannah and I agreed that its Mexican food was significantly better than Cantina Laredo, the restaurant Azteca replaced. We love Azteca’s huge menu of authentic dishes you won’t find at other local Mexican restaurants, including the borrego (lamb shank) shown above, the taquitos appetizer, the bar area and the place’s “vibe.” 

6. Cooper’s Hawk  

28963 S.R. 56 

Wiregrass Ranch 

(813) 755-4445 

CHWinery.com 

Although it opened in Wesley Chapel too late in 2023 to earn votes in our Reader Survey, Cooper’s Hawk has been a solid chain restaurant in the Westshore area of Tampa for years, so Jannah and I already had a few favorites, including the pan-roasted mahi (photo), parmesan-crusted filet mignon & others,. But, we’ve also found a few new faves since it opened here. 

7. Grillsmith   

2000 Piazza Ave., Unit 100 

The Shops at Wiregrass 

(813) 907-1900 

Grillsmith.com.com 

Grillsmith, the “mini-chain” with five Tampa Bay-area locations, has consistently finished in my top-10 favorites in Wesley Chapel, in large part because of its “Daily Catch,” which can include anything from mahi and grouper to pompano, amberjack and the Mediterranean-style corvina shown above. We do enjoy other entrĂ©es at Grillsmith, including the lemon feta chicken, port wine filet, as well as the crunchy ahi tuna appetizer and the great service. 

8. Noble Crust  

28330 Paseo Dr. 

The Shops at Wiregrass 

Noble-Crust.com

As our readers’ Wesley Chapel Favorite the last three years, Noble Crust also appeals to yours truly, but it seems that several of the dishes that have been my favorites get removed from the seasonally-changing menu or it would finish higher with me, because I love the place. The chicken fried chicken parm, ricotta gnocchi and steak frites (photo) are among my current faves.  

9. The Living Room  

2001 Piazza Ave., Unit 100 

The Shops at Wiregrass 

(813) 934-7911 

TLR.restaurant 

Despite its 20% service charge, the second location of The Living Room has been a welcome addition to the Wesley Chapel dining scene, although Jannah and I differ on our favorite dishes. She loves the beef tenderloin empanadas and pan-seared crab cakes (and the house white cosmo), while I’m partial to the brown butter scallops (photo), adobo-braised pork ossobuco and “You Bet…Churrasco.”  

10. Arroy Thai  

27427 Wesley Chapel Blvd. 

Pinebrook at The Grove Plaza 

(813) 501-4924 

ArroyThaiWesleyChapel.com 

If Jannah were a fan of Thai food, I’d eat at (and take out from) Arroy Thai a lot more. Still the only place in Wesley Chapel for crispy duck, soft shell crabs, and Thai-style chicken with garlic and black pepper sauce, as well as Thai-style house fried rice, Arroy Thai is a little hidden gem in the same plaza as Joe Whiskey’s. 

Gary’s 2023 Favorite Restaurants In Wesley Chapel #s 11-25 

11. Yamato 

12. Longhorn Steakhouse 

13. Rice-n-Beans 

Puerto Rico 

14. Pasta di Guy 

15. Florida Ave. Brewing Co. 

16. Top Shelf Sports Lounge 

17. Chick N’Fun 

18. Bubba’s 33 

19. Hungry Greek 

20. Blush Wine Room 

21. EggTown 

22. CafĂ© Zorba 

23. The Bacon Boss HQ 

24. Carrabba’s Italian Grill 

25. Señor Tequila 

Leonidas Chocolates CafĂ© — Much More Than Just The Finest Belgian Chocolates!

The Leonidas Chocolates Café in the Shops at Wiregrass sells more than just artisan Belgian chocolates (below left). There also are huge varieties of desserts imported from Italy (above), freshly baked flaky croissants and pastries (bottom) and sandwiches like the pressed prosciutto panini (below left) and caprese toast (below right).

For those of us who have never traveled to Europe, the name “Leonidas Chocolates” might not mean much, other than the fact that the Leonidas Chocolates CafĂ© opened in the Shops at Wiregrass last year. 

But, Leonidas is a family name that dates all the way back to 1913, when Greek citizen Leonidas Kestekides first started working on the company’s beloved praline in Brussels, Belgium — where the world’s favorite (and finest) chocolates are made. For four generations, the Kestekides family has made its mark on Leonidas, making this brand a true family business. What started out as a single shop with a sliding sash window, where pralines were displayed on the window sill, has evolved into an international brand experience with more than 1,300 shops worldwide. 

The “Maütres” (Master) Chocolatiers of Leonidas use only 100% pure cocoa butter chocolate (made with only sustainably sourced cocoa from the Rainforest Alliance and other areas throughout the world) and are still made 100% in Belgium, no matter which Leonidas location you visit. 

There are only about 20 Leonidas-branded locations in the U.S. and Canada (although many other stores carry the brand), with the first U.S. location opening on Madison Ave. in New York City in 1991. Although that store has since closed, the current Leonidas location in Manhattan is on Broadway. Even so, U.S. sales account for only about 2% of Leonidas sales worldwide. And, only about 10% of the Leonidas stores are “Chocolates CafĂ©s,” which carry far more than just the Leonidas chocolates themselves. Jannah and I have made many visits to the Wiregrass location, which is owned by Tom and Mary Caravellos. Their daughter Eleni is the operations manager. 

I am glad to have sampled not only the creamy and delicious Leonidas chocolates themselves, but many of the café’s other food and dessert items. See below for a lot more. 

Artisan Chocolates 

Whether you prefer dark, milk or white chocolate, Leonidas Wesley Chapel offers more than 50 different flavors of chocolates and confections, all available in the store. These varieties are filled with everything from delicious buttercream, ganache and praline to caramel, creme and liqueur, using only the finest ingredients from across the world. And, although I prefer Leonidas’ solid milk chocolate (available in bulk and packaged bars and a number of shapes) over any of those, no matter how gourmet your taste in chocolate runs, Leonidas has you covered. 

Start With Dessert? 

When you walk into the Wiregrass Leonidas CafĂ©, the first thing you see behind the counter is a soft-serve ice cream machine and a menu of available dips for that ice cream. We’ll tell you more about that in a moment. But, when you go up to the counter, your eyes immediately look to the left at the huge dessert display, with so many amazing-looking options that there’s no way I could list even half of them here. Among my favorites so far are the (top photo on this page, l.-r.) Opera layer cake, chocolate hazelnut cake and the Colombian “bombe,” as well as (photo right, l.-r.) the chocolate mousse, coppa mascarpone, the profiteroles cup and the babamisu (next to the coffee cup), all of which taste even better with a full-flavored latte or other coffee drink made with equally gourmet Illy brand Italian coffee. 

“Our pastries are flown in frozen directly from Italy,” Mary says. Descriptions of each decadent dessert are available in the display case, but store general manager Eri (photo below) also is happy to describe them for you and she honestly does a much better job of it than I ever could. 

Making Ice Cream Even Better! 

Every Leonidas Chocolates CafĂ© also offers locally-sourced ice cream, which is delicious on its own, but is only available in vanilla or chocolate at our cafĂ©, and is made even better with a large variety of chocolate dip flavors made with that amazing Belgian chocolate. My favorite is the banana milk chocolate dip, but there also are chocolate s’mores, red velvet, salted caramel, white, milk and dark chocolate, cookies ‘n’ cream, pistachio white chocolate and new flavors like raspberry and dark peppermint dips. There also are toppings like Fruity Pebbles cereal, chocolate chips, mini M&Ms and more you can add for even more flavor. 

The cafĂ© also offers a variety of different hand-spun milkshakes and even ice cream sundaes, with a different monthly special sundae. 

Sandwiches, Salads & More! 
Caprese toast.

Although I had previously seen a small display case of freshly baked croissants on the counter, until photographer Charmaine George and I walked in three weeks ago to take pictures for this story at the Leonidas Chocolates CafĂ©, I had no idea that the cafĂ© also served sandwiches and salads, despite my many earlier visits. 

“That’s because we only added the lunch items in October,” Mary says. “We know there are limited lunch locations in the mall and in Wesley Chapel, and this is a cafĂ©, after all.” 

Charmaine loved the caprese toast, which combines cherry tomatoes, Buffalo mozzarella, basil, pesto, balsamic glaze and a generous “shmear” of avocado on multigrain (or white) toast. I was thrilled with the pressed prosciutto panini sandwich, with thinly slice prosciutto di Parma, provolone, tomato and authentic pesto pressed on a delicious baguette. 

Pressed prosciutto panini.

Other sandwiches include the smoked salmon bagel (with cream cheese, red onions and capers); the Leonidas sandwich (turkey breast, Swiss cheese, tomato, lettuce and mayo on a baguette); a vegetarian sandwich (with roasted red peppers, goat cheese, sundried tomatoes and pesto on a baguette) and the pizza boat (a bread “boat” with three different types of peppers and mozzarella). 

I also enjoyed the tasty Cobb salad, with lettuce, chicken, bacon, onion, tomato, avocado, hard-boiled egg and zesty ranch dressing. Other salads include Greek, Caesar and spinach, plus Greek yogurt and smoothie bowls. 

And, don’t forget to check out the store’s retail displays (photos below), especially with Valentine’s Day coming up soon. 

“The reaction from the community so far has been amazing,” Mary says. “After doing our research for a year, we know we chose the right Wesley Chapel location.” 

The Leonidas Chocolates Café (28163 Paseo Dr., #105) is open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. every day. For more info, call (813) 388-9653, visit LeonidasWesleyChapel.com. 

 

Gary’s 2023 Favorite Ice Cream Places In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel 

You’ll note that there are no frozen yogurt shops on this list, as rich, creamy ice cream will always be favored by yours truly over anything else. Quality toppings — like real hot fudge or chocolate dip tops — will help elevate some over others (like Leonidas; see pg. 40), but the Ice Dreammm Shop is still my go-to. 

1. Ice Dreammm Shop 

2. Bruster’s Real Ice Cream 

3. Ice Ssscreamin’ (temp. closed) 

4. Astro Craft Ice Cream 

5. Leonidas Chocolates CafĂ© 

6. Twistee Treat 

7. Cold Stone Creamery 

8. Sub Zero Nitrogen Ice Cream 

9. Culver’s 

10. 35 Below 

Gary’s 2023 Favorite Breakfast Places In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel 

Jannah loves brunch more than I do, but I am and always have been a breakfast guy. It’s hard for me to not pick bagel places as my top choices for breakfast, but give me the fried eggs, toast, crispy bacon and perfect grits at EggTown (photo) over the other places on this list, all of which are worth visiting. 

1. EggTown 

2. Brunchie’s 

3. Zio’s NY Bagel & Deli 

4. Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. 

5. Happy Hangar Café