Stonewood Edges Via Italia As Your Favorite Restaurant In New Tampa! 

The Grill At Morris Bridge, Cali Tampa Palms & The Fat RabbitPub Round Out The Top 5! 

(Above) The quality of long-standing favorites like its bruschetta appetizer, plus it always-outstanding service, has kept Stonewood Grill & Tavern as our readers’ Favorite Restaurant in New Tampa for eight consecutive years. 

1. Stonewood Grill & Tavern  

17050 Palm Pointe Dr., Pointe at Tampa Palms 

(813) 978-0388 

StonewoodGrill.com 

When our 2022 Dining Survey asked our readers to name their Favorite Restaurants in New Tampa or Wesley Chapel, Stonewood Grill & Tavern finished fourth in that overall voting (behind three restaurants based in or near Wesley Chapel), but still finished as the New Tampa restaurant our readers liked best. That means that with its win again this year, the mini-chain (with fewer than ten Tampa Bay-area locations), has won the title of our readers’ Favorite Restaurant in New Tampa for each of the last eight years, after finishing as our readers’ second Favorite in New Tampa in 2015. 

There’s no doubt that Stonewood’s long history in the same location and its never-wavering commitment to quality food and outstanding service has kept it at #1 with our readers for nearly a decade. 

(Above) The pasta Bolognese at Via Italia Wood Fired Pizza & Bar is one reason the restaurant has risen in the rankings with our readers every year since it first opened in 2020. 

2. Via Italia Wood Fired Pizza & Bar  

8644 Hunter’s Village Rd., Village at Hunter’s Lake 

(813) 475-4857 

EatViaItalia.com 

In one of the closer votes in recent memory in New Tampa, Via Italia narrowly trailed Stonewood with our readers in this year’s voting. Since it first opened in 2020, owner Roberto Maganuco’s quality pizza and pasta restaurant and bar has improved its finish with our readers every year — from 9th in 2020, to 4th in 2021, 3rd in 2022 and now 2nd in New Tampa for 2023. 

Via Italia offers more different styles of pizza than you’ll find anywhere else, and its many varieties of authentic Italian pastas keeps helping it add new fans. 

(Above) The seafood risotto at The Grill at Morris Bridge includes shrimp, scallops, lobster and a lobster cream sauce. The Grill has finished in the top-three with our readers in both 2022 and 2023.

3. The Grill at Morris Bridge  

10920 Cross Creek Blvd., Cross Creek Commons 

(813) 388-5353 

TheGrillatMorrisBridge.com 

Because it opened as the reader voting was already ending in late 2021, The Grill at Morris Bridge finished as the second Favorite Restaurant in New Tampa last year and third in this year’s voting. 

Owners and brothers Frank and Jimmy Gouveia added our area’s only true tomahawk ribeye steak to The Grill’s already impressive menu, which also features outstanding fresh fish and seafood and the Gouveias have constantly evaluated and improved the menu since it opened. 

The Grill also features New Tampa’s most extensive wine list and excellent service. 

4. Cali  

17004 Palm Pointe Dr. 

Shoppes at The Pointe 

(813) 975-1222 

EatCali.com 

Cali, the mini-chain previously called Ciccio & Tony’s and then Ciccio Cali, has finished as high as 2nd Favorite in New Tampa with our readers more than once, but the restaurant that first brought “bowl culture” to New Tampa also has somehow — and somewhat surprisingly — missed the top-25 a couple of times (including last year) after finishing 7th in 2021. 

5. Fat Rabbit Pub 

16029 Tampa Palms Blvd. W. 

City Plaza at Tampa Palms 

(813) 252-3004 

FatRabbitPub.com 

Having finished as high as 4th with our readers, and also being the runaway winner as Favorite Bar in New Tampa & Wesley Chapel this year (see pg. 36), the Fat Rabbit has been a pretty consistent favorite for its crispy, delicious wings, great burgers, sandwiches, salads, hot dogs, a wide variety of crispy tater tots and other bar favorites, along with a great “vibe.” 

6. Liang’s Bistro Asian Cuisine  

17515 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. 

(813) 978-1225 

LiangsBistroTampa.com 

Another consistent favorite with our readers, Liang’s was 4th Favorite in New Tampa last year, 3rd in 2021, 5th in 2020, 3rd in 2019, 3rd in 2018 and…well, you get the idea. Liang’s Asian fusion cuisine also has kept it atop our Favorite Asian Restaurant in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel reader rankings pretty much every year it has been open — and repeated that win again this year.

7. Fresh Kitchen  

8648 Hunter’s Village Rd. 

The Village at Hunter’s Lake 

(813) 336-3800 

EatFreshKitchen.com 

Fresh Kitchen has elevated the fast-casual bowl concept to both a science and an art form, as even the sometimes long lines (especially at lunch time) never really slow you down and the options are all delicious and definitely offers healthy options. 

The Florida-based chain, now with 12 locations, has only been open here since 2021, but it finished as the 10th Favorite in New Tampa with our readers that year and was up to 9th Favorite last year and has now jumped up to 7th for 2023. 

8. Mr. Dunderbak’s 

14929 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. 

Oak Ramble Plaza 

(813) 977-4104 

DunderbaksBeer.wordpress.com 

Although it mysteriously disappeared from last year’s top-25 with our readers, Mr. Dunderbak’s and its German cuisine has otherwise been super-consistent — 2nd in 2021, 3rd in 2020 and 4th in 2019. 

Also known for its huge selection of beers, Mr. D’s is Tampa’s “German Bierhalle, Braueri, Marketplatz und Restaurant” 

9. Olive Garden  

9. Olive Garden 

17011 Palms Pointe Dr. 

The Pointe at Tampa Palms 

(813) 866-5253 

OliveGarden.com 

This is the one restaurant that has ranked with our readers nearly every year that I simply don’t understand, other than for its value. Even with its unlimited salad (which I do like) and breadsticks, I have never been a fan. 

Although Olive Garden missed our readers’ top-25 in New Tampa last year, it finished 23rd in 2021 and 14th in 2020. 

 

10. Minerva  

19050 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. 

New Tampa Plaza 

(813) 978-8586 

MinervaTampa.com 

Not only is this Minerva’s first-ever top-10 finish with our readers, I’m pretty sure it’s the first Indian restaurant to ever crack the readers’ top-10. 

Known for its huge lunch buffet and dishes from every region in India, Minerva has won “Favorite Indian Restaurant in New Tampa & Wesley Chapel” before, but this was a major rise in its overall rank. 

Our Readers’ 2023 Top-25 Favorite Restaurants In New Tampa (#s 11-25) 

11. Sushi Cafe 

12. Lima Peruvian Cuisine 

13. Frammi American Grille & Italian Food 

14. Chili’s Grill & Bar 

15. Cantina Mexican Grill & Bar 

16. Glory Days Grill 

17. EggTown 

18. Thai Lanna & Sushi 

19. First Watch 

20. (tie) Kobe Ichiban Japanese Steakhouse 

20 (tie) Hungry Crab Juicy Seafood 

22. Acropolis Greek Taverna 

23. Capri Pizza & Pasta 

24. (tie) Gorkhali Kitchen Tampa

Mac’s Custom Meats + Deli — A Sandwich Place ‘Disguised’ As A Butcher Shop! 

Dax (left) & Drew McLochlin invite you to visit Mac’s Custom Meats + Deli (store photo below) in the Grand Oaks Plaza on WC Blvd. in Lutz. (Photos by Charmaine George & Dax McLochlin) 

When Daxton (Dax) McLochlin and his brother Drew were kids, they used to stay at their Grandpa’s condo in the Saddlebrook Resort community when their family would visit Florida from their native Indiana. The McLochlin brothers loved visiting our area, with its much warmer climate and beautiful beaches a short drive away. 

The fresh certified Angus boneless (l.-r.) NY strip, filet mignon & ribeye steaks at Mac’s.

When Dax tore his arm up during his sophomore year at Huntington University in Indiana, he transferred to the University of South Florida hoping to walk on the baseball team. 

When that didn’t work out for him, Dax worked a number of sales jobs, while Drew got a job working for the Tampa Bay Bucs. 

The brothers had no idea at that time they would partner up with their entire family to open Mac’s Custom Meats + Deli in the Grand Oaks Plaza on Wesley Chapel Blvd. in Lutz. 

“We loved this place called Rick’s Custom Meats + Deli in Plant City,” Dax says, “so we modeled pretty much everything about our store after theirs, when we saw that the Wesley Chapel area didn’t really have a great meat market. Without Rick’s, none of this would even be possible.” 

Try Mac’s self-labeled sauces. 

Boneless certified Angus ribeye, NY strip and filet mignon steaks are the main stars in the Mac’s meat case and I can vouch for how delicious and tender all of those steaks are when you grill them. The meat case also features huge chicken breasts and wings, a variety of pork products (including beautiful chops and fresh bacon), as well as ground beef, Nathan’s Kosher-style hot dogs, beef jerky and more. 

Dax says that on the first Saturday of pretty much every month since the store opened, Mac’s has hosted a “Grill & Chill” event where Dax and Drew’s dad Mike grills one or more of those delicious meats and the store sells plates of them with a side of chips and a drink, “to introduce our customers to some of the different meat options we carry,” Dax says. 

To date, Jannah and I have enjoyed the hamburger, chicken and steak fajita and hot dog Grill & Chills, which also always feature one of Mac’s delicious self-branded sauces. Dax and I agree that the “Chick’n Dippin’ Sauce” is our favorite. 

But, What About The Deli? 
Everyone loves Mac’s fresh-pressed Cubans.

I’m so glad you asked. Mac’s, which opened with a different brand of sliced deli meats and cheeses for its sandwiches, switched over to Boar’s Head® brand a few months ago, “because it seemed like pretty much everyone requested it,” Dax says. “We definitely sell a lot more sandwiches than meat. And, all of our customers really seem to love our pressed Cubans.” 

And, those Cubans come in a nice variety of options, including not only a traditional, with ham, pork, salami and Swiss cheese, but also turkey, ham & cheese and my favorite roast beef Cuban with Swiss (or provolone), all on fresh pressed Cuban bread. There also are “Mac Daddy” (with double the ham) and “Big Mac” (with double roast beef, turkey, ham and cheese) Cuban options. 

How about a freshly grilled steak sandwich?

You can even get grilled cheeseburgers, hot dogs, grilled chicken, pork and steak sandwiches at Mac’s. The grilled Boar’s Head pastrami and cheese pressed on Cuban bread also is a must-try, and all of the Boar’s Head meats and cheeses are available by the pound. There’s also tuna and egg salad, cole slaw, potato and macaroni salad available. And, all frozen meats are 30% off regular prices, with deeper discounts available on certain Wednesdays. 

“Drew and I also want to give a shout-out to our entire family — our dad Mike, mom Jessi, my wife Macaley and my young son Chance” for being so supportive of us during this journey,” Dax says. 

In other words, if you haven’t yet checked out Mac’s Custom Meats & Deli, please visit the clean, attractive shop soon — and please tell Dax and Drew we sent you! 

Mac’s Custom Meats + Deli (26316 Wesley Chapel Blvd.) is open Tues.-Fri., 11 a.m.-6 p.m., and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sat. It is closed Sun. & Mon. For more info, call (813) 428-6573, search “Mac’s Custom Meats + Deli” on Facebook. 

Rice & Beans Opens Its ‘Express’ Location On S.R. 54 

Congratulations to owners Cindy and David Cruz and their entire family (photo above) and staff on the opening — finally! — of their Rice-n-Beans Express location at 24726 S.R. 54 in Lutz, a mile or so west of the Tampa Premium Outlets. 

Although there are a few tables inside the new location, Rice-n-Beans Express is much more of a take-out place than the Rice-n-Beans Puerto Rico restaurant on Wesley Chapel Blvd., which has a large formal dining area, a full-liquor bar and live entertainment on the weekends. 

The great news is that the authentic Puerto Rican cuisine at the Express location is just as delicious as at the WC Blvd. restaurant. 

Jannah and I were happy to be invited to the private Friends & Family ribbon cutting event on Nov. 9, which included a great live DJ, free homemade sangria and samples of many of the new restaurant’s many menu items. 

Our favorites included the fritters/ empanadas, which include traditional beef (left photo), chicken and even ham & cheese options, as well as a unique spinach, artichoke and cheese version that had its own delicious flavor. 

We also loved the rotisserie chickens (photo below) that provide the centerpiece of the new Express location, the Cuban sandwiches and yes, both the red and the black beans and rice. 

Since that truly wonderful Grand Opening event, Jannah, photographer Charmaine George and I have sampled quite a few other menu items at Rice-n-Beans Express, including the pernil (roast pork; left) entrée (which comes with your choice of one or two sides), the sweet plantains, the canoa (a plantain “canoe” stuffed with ground beef & shredded cheese), the yellow rice with pigeon peas, the yucca with mojo sauce and perhaps my favorite menu item at the full-service restaurant, the chichårrons (fried pork skin; bottom right photo). 

The rotisserie chickens are available in a variety of sizes, from quarter chickens with one or two sides to the “Familia Grande,” which includes two whole chickens, 32 ozs. of rice, 16 ozs. of beans and two additional large sides. There’s also a huge chicken & pork combo meal. 

Save room for dessert because the Puerto Rico Desserts case in the Express offers vanilla and Nutella tres leches and three varieties of flan. Decadent! 

 For more info, call (813) 428-5077 or visit “Rice N Beans” on Facebook and please tell them I sent you! -GN

The Readers Have Spoken! Noble Crust “Three-Peats” & These Are Your Top-25 Favorite Restaurants In Wesley Chapel For 2023!

Azteca D’Oro Finishes 2nd & Grillsmith 3rd In Super-Close 2023 Readers Dining Survey & Contest 

Its unique fusion of Italian and Southern cuisine has made Noble Crust in The Shops at Wiregrass the winner of our readers’ Favorite Restaurant in Wesley Chapel for three consecutive years. (Photos by Charmaine George) 

1. Noble Crust 

28330 Paseo Dr., Shops at Wiregrass 

(813) 703-2602 

Noble-Crust.com 

Since it only has three locations — Wesley Chapel, Carrollwood and the original in St. Pete — you can’t really call Noble Crust a chain. 

What you can call it, however, is a three-peat winner as our readers’ Favorite Restaurant in Wesley Chapel. Noble Crust, which is known for its Southern-inspired Italian fare, craft cocktails and great vibe, has been in our readers’ top-5 every year since it opened in the Shops at Wiregrass in 2017, and has taken home top honors for 2021, 2022 & 2023. 

Although runner-up finisher Azteca D’Oro (see below) had the most first-place votes, Noble Crust had more 2nd-, 3rd-, 4th- and 5th-place votes than any other Wesley Chapel restaurant this year to secure the top spot with our readers. 

Although it has been open in the Shops at Wiregrass less than a year, Azteca D’Oro’s monster burritos helped make it our readers’ Second Favorite Restaurant in Wesley Chapel for 2023.

2. Azteca D’Oro 

2000 Piazza Ave., #170, Shops at Wiregrass 

(813) 527-6553 

Aztecadoro.com

A family-owned mini-chain with eight other locations from New Smyrna Beach to Lakeland, Azteca D’Oro opened in the Shops at Wiregrass earlier this year to mostly rave reviews and came within a few points of winning the top spot with our readers in its first year here. 

Azteca D’Oro’s quality, authentic Mexican cuisine and huge portions helped the newcomer earn the most first-place votes of the more than 500 Neighborhood News readers who voted in this category this year and it might have finished ahead of Noble Crust had it had as many 2nd-5th-place votes. 

Grillsmith has been in our readers’ top-10 Favorite Restaurants in Wesley Chapel every year it has been open, and it gives the mall a clean sweep of the top-3 this year. 

3. Grillsmith 

2000 Piazza Ave., #100, Shops at Wiregrass 

(813) 907-1900 

Grillsmith.com.com 

Another perennial favorite, this five-location mini-chain has finished in our readers’ top-10 every year since it opened (including first-place honors as recently as 2020), Grillsmith’s third-place finish this year gives the Shops at Wiregrass a clean sweep of the top-three spots in this year’s survey. 

The restaurant’s fairly-priced American fare, like its “short-trip fresh fish,” and comfortable bar continue to attract fans among our readers. 

4. Bonefish Grill 

25264 Sierra Center Blvd., Lutz 

(813) 907-8202 

BonefishGrill.com 

Although it’s never finished in the top-10 at its newer location on S.R. 56 before, this former two-time Readers Survey winner jumped up to #3 this year, thanks in part to its revamped menu. 

With nearly 200 locations nationwide, Bonefish is a full-fledged chain known for its fresh seafood, like the bang-bang shrimp shown here. 

5. Zukku-San 

25916 Sierra Center Blvd., Lutz 

(813) 419-1351 

ZukkuSushi.com

Jumping up from its #19 finish with our readers last year (and #14 in 2021), Zukku-San on S.R. 56 is an upscale, family-owned Japanese restaurant with a premium full-liquor bar and delicious food. 

Starting with just a sushi “stall” at Tampa’s Armature Works, Zukku-San has added a full location in North Carolina and another fast casual concept called Ato at the KRATE Container Park at The Grove. 

6. The Living Room 

2001 Piazza Ave., #100 

Shops at Wiregrass 

(813) 934-7911 

TLR.restaurant 

It was only open for a short time when most of our readers submitted their ballots last year, so it came in at #25, but this upscale addition to The Shops at Wiregrass obviously pleased a lot of locals this year. 

The original Living Room in downtown Dunedin is a perennial favorite, and the Wesley Chapel location being voted Best Pasco Restaurant by Creative Loafing readers probably didn’t hurt its recognition factor with our readers this year. 

7. BJ’s Brewhouse 

2300 Grand Cypress Dr., Lutz 

(813) 575-1830 

BJsRestaurants.com 

Jumping up from #11 with our readers in 2021, BJ’s is another full-fledged chain with more than 200 U.S. locations that is still serving a wide variety of favorites, despite obviously reducing its number of menu options over the past year. 

Its ideal location in front of the Tampa Premium Outlets on S.R. 56 definitely helps keep the parking lot and wait list full at our local BJ’s and its fair pricing and premium full-liquor bar has helped keep it among our readers’ favorites 

8. Bahama Breeze 

25830 Sierra Center Blvd., Lutz 

(813) 949-0779 

BahamaBreeze.com 

Like BJ’s Brewhouse, Bahama Breeze didn’t crack the top-25 when we asked readers for one list of favorites among all Wesley Chapel and New Tampa restaurants last year, but it was #7 in Wesley Chapel in 2021, the last time we split our areas into separate votes, as we did this year. 

This 43-unit chain still attracts plenty of locals with its island-inspired fare. 

9. Ford’s Garage 

25526 Sierra Center Blvd., Lutz 

(813)540-3673 

FordsGarageUSA.com 

This is by far Ford’s Garage’s highest finish with our readers since 2019, when it finished 11th. 

The 22-location chain, which utilizes the Ford Motor Company’s logo, is located on the north side of S.R. 56 and features a wide variety of hand-crafted burgers and other better-than-the-average-burger-place food, plus a full-liquor bar. 

10. Bubba’s 33 

26340 Silver Maple Pkwy. 

(813) 522-5090 

Bubbas33.com

Bubba’s 33, the 27-unit sports bar chain from our friends at Texas Roadhouse, is another eatery that has finished higher with our readers this year than in any of the last five years. 

Bubba’s has been a solid top-20 finisher with our readers most years, but its combination of great food, sports and music videos attracted its most votes ever. 

Our Readers’ 2023 Top-25 Favorite Restaurants In Wesley Chapel (#s 11-25) 

11. Texas Roadhouse 

12. Vallarta’s Mexican Restaurant 

13. Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen 

14. Chuy’s Tex-Mex 

15. PizzaMania 

16. Florida Ave. Brewing Co. 

17. Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux 

18. TrebleMakers Dueling Piano Bar & Restaurant 

19. Amici Pizza 

20. Outback Steak House 

21. Umu Japanese & Thai 

22. First Watch 

23. Hungry Greek 

24. (tie) Yamato Japanese Restaurant 

24. (tie) Sonny’s BBQ