Gary’s Top 25 New Tampa Restaurants!

Every year, in the issue after we report the results of our annual Reader Dining Survey & Contest, I always feel compelled to give you my dining favorites, including all of the restaurants that opened in (or very near) Wesley Chapel and New Tampa the previous year.

As someone who remembers when Good Fellas, The Boston Cooker, The Ultimate Bagel and Joy-O-Wok in Tampa Palms were the only restaurant options in New Tampa —  and who has sampled every new place to eat since then — I do feel uniquely qualified to provide you with my annual list of favorites in both of our distribution areas. 

And, even though quite a few new eateries opened in our distribution areas in 2021 after the reader voting ended, my top-25 “survey” lists aren’t quite as different from the readers’ lists this year as they have been in previous years, especially in Wesley Chapel.

 And, I’m excited to say that this year, both Stonewood Grill & Tavern and Treble Makers Dueling Piano Bar & Restaurant have both repeated as my Favorite Restaurant in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel, respectively, which is a pretty big accomplishment, considering all of the new competition that opened in 2021 in both of our distribution areas.

On pages 28-32 of the latest New Tampa issue, you’ll find short write-ups about my 25 favorite restaurants (new and existing) in New Tampa for 2021.

Enjoy! And, try to remember that, as it says above, these opinions about local restaurants are mine alone, so I don’t expect you to agree with me about everything (or anything). Feel free to let me know when you agree or disagree!

1 — STONEWOOD GRILL & TAVERN
17050 Palm Pointe Dr., Tampa Palms
(813) 978-0388

Despite the fact that a number of new restaurants have opened in New Tampa the last two years, it was still too hard for me to disagree with our readers as to which restaurant in New Tampa is my #1 favorite for 2021 — Stonewood Grill & Tavern!

     There is no doubt that despite the fact that all seven of my top New Tampa favorites on this page are good enough, in my opinion, to one day challenge for New Tampa’s #1 restaurant, Stonewood still has the best (and best variety of) steak, the best ahi tuna appetizer and some of the best fresh fish options, and those have always been the  most important choices for yours truly.

    Stonewood also has delicious bruschetta, an outstanding sweet tea brined pork chop, an excellent blackened chicken pasta, super-tasty Tuscan chicken and great new crafted bowls with ahi tuna, southwest chicken or salmon, plus  an incredible “two hand” chicken club sandwich with bacon and Swiss. 

    When you throw in the fact that Stonewood also is mine and Jannah’s favorite bar in New Tampa, with superlative service and fair drink prices, and you can understand why it has repeated as my favorite restaurant in New Tampa this year (as it has been with our readers every year but one since 2015) and has long been in my top 5. 

2 — VIA ITALIA
8644 Hunter’s Village Rd.
The Village at Hunter’s Lake
(813) 475-4857

Although I still prefer it for pasta moreso than for its amazing variety of pizzas, the reason Via Italia ranks as my #2 favorite restaurant in New Tampa is because those pasta dishes are all so authentic and delicious it’s hard for me to go very long without them.

A lot of places in our area have good pasta with pesto sauce, but Via Italia’s pesto Genovese is the best and also is the only place that serves authentic pasta pesto Siciliana (photo). And, add in delicious bruschetta, meatballs, oven-baked chicken wings, lasagne, cavatelli with broccolini and sweet Italian sausage and the “intensely flavored” linguine alle vongole (clams) and you have one of New Tampa’s best.

If owner/chef Roberto Maganuco ever adds fresh fish and/or grilled steaks and chops, it could easily be my #1.

3 — ACROPOLIS
14947 Bruce B Downs Blvd.
Oak Ramble Plaza
(813) 971-1787

Even though Acropolis Greek Taverna isn’t new, it was taken over by new owners Eddie Nasr and Stacy Esposito in 2021 and has definitely returned to its former top-5 glory with both yours truly and our readers. My favorite dishes are the saganaki (fried cheese) appetizer, the lamb lollipop chops and the amazing Athenian fish pictured above, although there are many other Greek specialties I enjoy, too — including the mini-gyro trio (lamb, pork and chicken), the pastitsio (Greek-style lasagne), the chicken Rhodes (in garlic parmesan wine sauce) and the pasta Santorini  (in a creamy lemon wine sauce), to name a few — to keep me coming back for more. And, while the “Acropolis dressing” on the Greek salad isn’t a traditional Greek vinaigrette, it’s pretty yummy.  

4 — FRAMMI
17631 Bruce B. Downs Blvd.
(813) 523-5075

Before 2021, this restaurant was still called “Oakley’s Grille” and featured some of New Tampa’s best hamburgers, chicken sandwiches and a few Italian specialties from new owner Luca Ammirati, who took over a couple of years earlier. But, when Luca decided to add an entire additional menu of his native Italian specialties and rename his restaurant Frammi early last year, it catapulted all the way up my list of favorites, with an outstanding black angus beef ragu, pasta pesto Genovese, a semi-spicy sausage ragu, a spicier arrabiata red sauce and the savory pasta vongole (clams) pictured above. Yes, Frammi still has those great burgers, fajitas, chicken and pressed sandwiches on his expanded American menu, but it is his new and extensive (without being expensive) Italian menu that keeps me coming back for more. 

5 — THE GRILL AT MORRIS BRIDGE
10920 Cross Creek Blvd.
(813) 388-5353

When I first heard that a new, upscale restaurant was coming to the space previously occupied by Beef O’Brady’s and a couple of failed Italian restaurants in the Cross Creek Plaza, I was excited about the possibilities. Once I got to sample the new Grill at Morris Bridge opened in Dec. by brothers Frank and James Gouveia and Executive Chef Daniel Friley, I was even happier. No, The Grill isn’t cheap, but it has excellent steaks, delicious fresh fish, the best Caesar salad in New Tampa or Wesley Chapel, great crab cakes, authentic New England clam chowder, a tasty dry aged pork chop and a wonderful rigatoni with chicken and baby broccolini, plus New Tampa’s best wine list and amazing bar food and drink specials.   

6 — FAT RABBIT PUB
16029 Tampa Palms Blvd.
City Plaza at Tampa Palms
(813) 252-3004

Even though the Fat Rabbit Pub could have dropped a little more in my personal rankings when it stopped offering a fresh fish special every week, the fact is that this is still one of New Tampa’s best restaurants with one of its most creative, better-than-sports-bar-food menus in our area. The Fat Rabbit serves the best blackened wings, plus delicious burgers, an amazing blackened chicken roll appetizer, delicious street tacos (with pork, shrimp or short ribs) and new rice bowls like chicken tortilla and the tasty and tender short rib bowl shown above, plus blackened chicken, Tampa Palms cheese steak, Key West grilled chicken and other unique sandwiches, and the area’s best tater tots, all coupled with an ultra-premium liquor bar and craft beers.  

7 — LIMA PERUVIAN
19056 Bruce B. Downs Blvd.
New Tampa Center
(813) 304-0205

You may not have known that Peruvian food has long been considered the best of the Latin cuisines, but if you try owner Oscar Escudero’s Lima Rotisserie Chicken & Peruvian Cuisine, you’ll understand why it’s true. Yes, the rotisserie chicken is outstanding, but I love Lima for its fresh fish ceviche (available with one or a trio of unique sauces), lomo saltado Lima (beef tenderloin tips or diced chicken breast wok-sautéed with soy sauce, onions and tomatoes) and tallarin saltado with flamed tenderloin tips, a variety of shellfish or diced chicken (photo) with lo mein-style noodles, pescado a la chorrilana (fried fresh fish filet), Peruvian-style fried rice and some of the best black beans and rice in our area. And, you can top it off with a Cusqueña Peruvian beer.      

8 — CALI
17004 Palm Pointe Dr.
Shoppes at The Pointe
(813) 975-1222

It seems that virtually every restaurant in our area now serves some sort of bowls, but Cali (formerly Ciccio Cali) was undoubtedly the first local restaurant to focus on the now-popular bowl culture. Cali also serves great wrap sandwiches (like the California club wrap with bacon and char chicken), unique baked pizzas and of course, those epic bowls.

The bowls at Cali are all available with seared ahi tuna, char or blackened chicken, grilled steak and  a variety of  veggies proteins (like lentil bites) and bases, but my favorites are the Hot & Crunchy bowl with seared ahi tuna, the Lean & Clean bowl with char chicken, roasted broccoli and cauliflower and the grilled steak fajita bowl.

9 — BAYSCAPE BISTRO
10630 Plantation Bay Dr.
@ Heritage Isles Golf Club
(813) 994-3445

F or good, old fashioned American cuisine with a variety of other options, owner/chef Eddie Bujarski’s Bayscape Bistro offers breakfast all day (try the brioche French toast, meat lover’s hash or the Breakfast in Hand), smaller plates like delicious battered and fried grouper baskets, wings and chicken strips, a fresh grilled mahi and other sandwiches, hot dogs and burgers, and wonderful signature dishes like mojo pork loin, a 12-oz. ribeye steak, a pasta garden with roasted veggies, roast half chicken and a really delicious country fried chicken (photo). Yes, even though it’s located at a golf course, Bayscape is open to the public and also features karaoke on Friday nights and $25 family of four takeout meals.

10 — FRESH KITCHEN
8648 Hunter’s Village Rd.
The Village at Hunter’s Lake
(813) 336-3800

My third favorite new restaurant to open in New Tampa in 2021, Fresh Kitchen is a Florida-based mini-chain with 15 locations either already open or opening soon, and it has some of the best options for your freshly made bowl of any restaurant.

My favorite proteins are the grilled steak, the almond-baked chicken planks (both shown in the bowl above), grilled citrus or BBQ chicken and even Caprese tofu. My favorite bases are the baby kale Caesar and kale slaw, but Jannah loves the sweet potato noodles and spinach salad bases. We both enjoy the parmesan broccoli and sesame green beans, as well as the creamy white ginger and herb balsamic vinaigrette sauces. 

The best of the rest:

11. LAS PALMAS
12. LIANG’S BISTRO
13. ORONZO HONEST ITALIAN
14. KOBE JAPANESE STEAK HOUSE
15. CANTINA REAL MEXICAN
16. SUSHI CAFE
17. WOOD FIRED PIZZA
18. MICHI RAMEN
19. LITTLE GREEK
20. GLORY DAYS
21. THAI RUBY
22. POKE ISLAND PLUS
23. MAHANA FRESH
24. BURGER 21
25. PEABODY’S

The Story of Justin Scott: Never Give Up!

Justin Scott, surrounding by his family and friends, got his first playing time on Senior Night against Durant. (Photo: Charmaine George)

Wharton senior Justin Scott took in every high five, every pat on the back and every hug on the most glorious night of his life.

The doctors who birthed him wouldn’t have believed it. His first teachers would be floored. Most anyone who knows anyone with cerebral palsy would be flabbergasted.

This kid can play.

Overcoming the greatest of odds, Justin held his head high as he walked off the field towards the locker room, still talking about the game, a 2-0 Wildcats win over Durant, a victory he started and played almost all 80 minutes of, like it was a dream he hoped would never end.

“I was told I would never walk, I would never walk, and I was told I was going to die before I was two year old,” Justin said. “Now look where I am — playing soccer for my high school team.”

On Jan. 14, 18-year-old Justin started at forward for the Wharton boys soccer team, a surprise reward for his years of perseverance, his positivity and his commitment to his teammates.

Justin says soccer has long been  his passion. He once had a hat trick in a league game at the YMCA and, in limited action at Turner-Bartels K-8, he was a goaltender who never allowed a shot past him.

But, in high school, as the players get bigger and stronger, Justin was outmatched.

He didn’t try out for the soccer team as a freshman, because he was too nervous. He was cut as a sophomore but, instead of giving up, he accepted a spot as the team’s manager and promised he would try out again.

He again was cut junior and senior years. “I really thought this year I had a chance,” Justin said.

His chance did finally come, on Senior Night, where friends, teachers and family — his mother Michelle and her husband Rob, his father Michael Scott and his wife Jennifer, and grandmother Blannie Whalen — gathered while waving cutouts of Justin’s head on a stick, to celebrate the young man  who just wouldn’t quit.

Justin’s teammates were as excited for him as he was, smiling as they welcomed him to the starting lineup. (Photo: Karl Greeson)

When he was introduced as part of Wharton’s starting lineup, he trotted out to the middle of the field where his smiling teammates high-fived him. When the first whistle blew, he took off like a bolt, chasing down the opponent, and blocking a long pass attempt by jumping in front of the ball, the thud sending a shiver down his mother’s spine.

“I was pretty nervous,” Michele said, “but I was also so full of pride. He played so well. He was fearless.”

Justin was born prematurely, a childbirth during which Michelle had an allergic reaction “to a penicillin-type drug” and went into anaphylactic shock. Justin was born with brain damage and, sometime around the age of 1, was diagnosed with cerebral palsy.

He learned how to walk, which wasn’t supposed to happen, and learned how to talk, too. Eventually, he was running and jumping around and fell in love with soccer, and grew into a popular kid that teachers and classmates rallied around.

While cerebral palsy had stripped Justin of many of the motor skills and coordination needed to play, he never stopped once he started, not only playing but learning how to be a linesman and refereeing games and helping to coach his old middle school team.

And, of course, he was a great manager, always there, always encouraging, so eager to be part of the team. But of course, his dream was to play. And Wharton coach Scott Ware finally gave him his opportunity. 

Justin didn’t score, but he had a few chances. (Photo: Karl Greeson)

“He deserved it,” Ware said. “He’s definitely earned it.”

Justin called his mom when he first heard it might happen and, when it became official, he brought home his kit (uniform) and proudly tried it on for her. 

“He told me, ‘Mom, this isn’t just about me, I just want people with disabilities not to give up on themselves,’” Michelle said. “That’s how he is.”

The next day, Justin, who has been accepted into a number of colleges but is really hoping to attend the University of Florida, wore his kit to school, and later that night played in it: No. 14.

And Justin played hard, as hard as he could, eager to make the most of the moment. He chased down opposing players who had the ball, mixed it up in the box with others trying to jostle for a shot, actually had a few potential goals go awry and even had a header. 

Every time he came close to a ball near the goal, his teammates on the bench would lean forward, and in unison yell “Justin” in anticipation of a miracle.

“We were all excited for him that he was playing,” said senior Christian Lundblad. “If he had scored, I would have stormed the field. I might have gotten in trouble for it, but I would have done it. We were all rooting for him tonight.”

At halftime, he was asked if he was tired. “I could keep going for another two days,” he said. 

In the second half, a ball was played into the box from the far side. The ball miraculously found its way through four players and the keeper, right to the feet of Justin. He was surprised it got to him, and reacted as quickly as he could, sliding and poking the shot just wide of the open net. It was agonizingly close.

“Nine times out of 10 the goalkeeper stops that ball,” Justin said. “That’s why I missed it. That will haunt me for days and years.”

But, it didn’t stop him from smiling afterwards.

Just playing in the game was a dream come true. Justin said he doubts his coach even knows just how much it meant to him. He was proud, and grateful beyond words for an opportunity he thought would never come.

“I just never gave up,” he said. “It’s the story of my life.”

PHSC Officials Cut The Ribbon At The New IPAC!

Pasco Hernando State College held the official ribbon cutting of its Instructional Performing Arts Center (IPAC), which has been open less than a year, on Jan. 6. Speakers praised the public-private effort to bring the facility to fruition. (Photos: Charmaine George)

After nine months of operating quietly on the campus of Cypress Creek High off Old Pasco Rd., the Pasco Hernando State College (PHSC) Instructional Performing Arts Center (IPAC) is preparing to spread its wings in 2022.

On Jan. 6, PHSC and governmental officials held the IPAC’s official ribbon cutting, with a dozen or so local dignitaries (like county commissioners Ron Oakley and Mike Moore and Florida State Rep. Randy Maggard, a PHSC graduate) on hand to give short speeches, some of them focusing on the success of the IPAC and its future offerings to the community.

Afterwards, IPAC executive director Lauren Murray, DMA (pictured above), said that PHSC students have already embraced the theater classes, and will be able to take dance classes this semester and participate in the facility’s music program starting this fall.

There also will be group piano and guitar lessons, which also will be available to the public, and Murray (right photo)has high hopes for launching a community art series this fall, which would include things like jazz trios, locally produced musicals and even stand-up comics.

“It will be pretty diverse, with musical, theatrical and dance events that we expect will reach a broad range of people,” said Dr. Murray.

The state-of-the-art, 35,000-sq.-ft. IPAC features a number of studios for things like dance, music and video production, and the 444-seat Will Weatherford Theater — named for the former Florida Speaker of the House who helped secure funding for the $18-million facility, is considered the heart of IPAC.

The facility already has won two awards — a first place Special Projects in the Florida Educational Facilities Planners’ Association, Inc., 2021 Architectural Showcase!, and an Excellence in Collaboration award from the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce.

“It’s a nearly $20-million investment in our region that will be truly transformational for our students, our families and the residents of this area,” said PHSC Provost Dr. Kevin O’Farrell. “There is really nothing like the Instructional  Performing Arts Center that we have here at PHSC.”

Ray Gadd, deputy superintendent for Pasco County Schools, was one of those first approached when the idea of building a performing arts center or arena came up years ago. He told the ribbon-cutting crowd that in his search for the right kind of design, he collected floor plans from the Tampa Bay area’s Mahaffey, Capitol and Straz theaters, and even a theater in Singapore that had a $100-million price tag.

“We didn’t quite get there,” he said, laughing. “Regardless of the cost, what we got was a jewel.”

There have already been 26 events held at the IPAC, most of them small and self-produced by local groups who rented the theater. There have been two fully-staged theatrical productions, musical events, day-long conferences and Dr. Murray said the active Indian community in Wesley Chapel has held two dance events with three more planned this spring.

She is hoping to augment the positive start with the community art series, outdoor festivals, week-long festivals and large-scale events.

“We plan to reach a lot of people,” Murray says. “We really are looking to cover the gamut.”

For more information, visit PHSC.edu or call (813) 536-2816.

Commissioner Mike Moore Retiring After Term

County Commissioner Mike Moore announced his retirement Monday.

Pasco County District 2 Commissioner Mike Moore, who represents most of Wesley Chapel and has played a pivotal role in the growth of the area, unexpectedly announced Monday that he will not run for re-election in November.

“It has been an honor and a pleasure to serve the citizens of Pasco County over the past seven years,” Moore wrote in a statement released Monday afternoon, “and I am pleased to have led a number of transformative changes to better the quality of life for the citizens of Pasco County.”

Moore said in the statement that after much deliberation with his family, he would be returning to the private sector full-time as a small business owner (he owns a business consulting firm) at the conclusion of his term. 

He gave no further hints to what lies ahead.

“Not sure what I’m doing yet,” he told the Neighborhood News in a text message. “Haven’t made any decisions.”

Moore has held the District 2 seat since 2014, when he defeated Democrat Erika Jean Remsberg with 59 percent of the vote; he won re-election with 60 percent of the vote in 2018, defeating challenger Kelly Smith.

He has served as the commission chairman in 2017 and 2020, and vice-chairman in 2016 and 2019.

Moore has helped speed up a number of major transportation projects, including the diverging diamond interchange, spearheaded the addition of a new indoor recreation center (and before that, a universally inclusive playground) at Wesley Chapel District Park as well as playing a role in the building of the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County, and most recently was the driving force behind a six-month (now one year) moratorium on new apartments in the Wesley Chapel area.

In 2017, the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber presented him with the Community Hero Award (picture), honoring his efforts in helping grow Wesley Chapel.

“I am extremely grateful for the citizens of Pasco County who placed their trust and vote in me,” Moore wrote. “Even though I am retiring from the commission, I will always be your champion and will continue to be by your side fighting for what is best for our county’s future.”

A former radio/TV major at the University of Central Florida, Moore launched Reel Politics in August 2021, a weekly talk show that can be heard on The Answer 860 AM or 93.7.

Moore lives in Wesley Chapel with his wife Lauren and their three children.

Gary’s Favorite Wesley Chapel Restaurants!

Treble Makers owner Jamie Hess (left) and executive chef Kevin Maggard pose with Neighborhood News publisher Gary Nager, who has once again chosen Treble Makers as his favorite Wesley Chapel restaurant again.

Every year, in the issue after we report the results of our annual Reader Dining Survey & Contest, I always feel compelled to give you my dining favorites, including all of the restaurants that opened in (or very near) Wesley Chapel and New Tampa the previous year.

As someone who remembers when Cracker Barrel, Denny’s, Waffle House and Brewmaster’s Steakhouse (the original tenant in Vallarta’s spot in the Village Market plaza) were the only “restaurants” in Wesley Chapel outside of Saddlebrook Resort — and who has sampled every new place to eat since then — I do feel uniquely qualified to provide you with my annual list of favorites in both of our distribution areas. 

And, even though quite a few new eateries opened in our distribution areas in 2021 after the reader voting ended, my top-25 “survey” lists aren’t quite as different from the readers’ lists this year as they have been in previous years, especially here in Wesley Chapel.

1 — TREBLE MAKERS
6034 Wesley Grove Blvd.
The Grove at Wesley Chapel
(813) 406-4371
Even though a number of local chain restaurants made it to my top-25 list of Gary’s Favorites in Wesley Chapel for 2021, I am still someone who most appreciates great mom-&-pop eateries. And, as someone who has been observing, enjoying and writing about the local dining scene for 28 years next month, I just have to say that of all the mom-&-pop places that have opened in Wesley Chapel and New Tampa (at least those that are still in business) since I bought the Neighborhood News in 1994, Treble Makers Dueling Piano Bar & Restaurant truly is my #1 favorite — now for two years in a row!

In order to be at the top of my Favorites list, a restaurant has to specialize in the items that I appreciate most when Jannah and I go out to eat, whether for lunch or dinner.

Wahoo Bianco

First of all, we love sharing a great steak (Jannah prefers a filet, but I also love the New York strip).

Second, our favorite places always have to have great fresh fish on the menu, too. You can keep us coming back for more with grouper, snapper, mahi-mahi or the amazing wahoo bianco — it’s my favorite new dish in Wesley Chapel for 2021 — so thanks to Treble Makers Executive Chef Kevin Maggard for staying creative.

Co-owners Jamie and his brother Joe Hess and Lee Bevan also are to be commended for sticking to their guns with providing an affordable, yet upscale, fine dining experience with great food, located in Wesley Chapel proper, despite all of those chain restaurants and having to fight through the worst pandemic of all of our lifetimes. 

An, while Treble Makers is still also an entertainment destination, especially on weekend evenings, you owe it to yourself to check it out during the day or any night other than Friday or Saturday, when Jamie admits that the service can be slower due to the sold-out nature of most of those dueling piano shows.

Jannah and I have enjoyed those shows, but most of the time, we just visit for a great meal. My favorite appetizers are the sesame-crusted seared ahi tuna appetizer, the potato gnocchi with smokey Alfredo sauce and the sweet & spicy fried calamari. 

In addition to the delicious, tender steaks and the wahoo, our favorite entrées are the coconut curry grouper (which doesn’t really taste like curry at all; I told Kevin and Jamie they should just rename it coconut grouper), the savory penne alla vodka (to which we add the most tender grilled chicken) and my new favorite grilled double lollipop lamb chops. All are amazing.

I also really enjoy the diver scallops and bruschetta chicken entrées, but it’s hard to sample everything on the menu because we love all of these items so much. I don’t think we’ve had any of the handhelds on the menu other than the brisket/chuck blend cheeseburger and the blackened chicken sandwich, which also are among the reduced number of menu items available on the lunch menu at reduced prices. Our favorite sides are the Brussels sprouts and the garlic mashed potatoes.

In other words, Treble Makers is my back-to-back Favorite restaurant in Wesley Chapel for good reason.

Treble Makers Dueling Piano Bar & Restaurant is open every day for lunch and dinner. For dinner & show reservations or more info, call (813) 406-4371 or visit TrebleMakersofWC.com. `

2 — GRILLSMITH
2000 Piazza Ave #100
The Shops at Wiregrass
(813) 907-1900

Speaking of fresh fish, Grillsmith’s “short trip” fish entrée has elevated the Tampa-based mini-chain to near the top of my rankings since it was first added to the Grillsmith menu a few years ago. We’ve had everything from grouper and mahi to corvina and amberjack since then and we’ve never been served anything but nice-sized portions of fresh, delicious fish. We’re also really fond of the smashed cauliflower side, as well as the crunchy tuna appetizer, the lemon feta chicken, port wine filet and the outstanding service we always receive at the spacious bar. I also enjoy the skirt steak chimichurri entrée and the desserts, and Grillsmith currently has “Fireside Flavors” like white chicken chili and burgundy braised beef tips. The Sunday brunch menu is outstanding, too.

3 — FALABELLA FAMILY BISTRO
6027 Wesley Grove Blvd.
Suite 105
(813) 428-6957

Congrats to owner Steve Falabella, his family, GM Adrian Luna and the staff of Falabella Family Bistro, my favorite new restaurant to open in Wesley Chapel in 2021. Steve also managed to open his second local pizza place — 900º New York Pizza — adjacent to the Bistro in The Grove, all while turning the Bistro into the favorite Italian restaurant in The Chap. With delicious Italian specialties like beef short rib ragu, Sam’s meatballs and the spaghetti with white clam sauce shown above, plus amazing desserts (amazing cheesecakes, tiramisu, etc.) by Evelyn Barreno of 7 Layers Bakery, if the Bistro adds a fresh fish dish other than salmon to the regular menu (I loved the mahi-mahi special), the Bistro could move up in my ratings.       

4 — ZUKKU-SAN SUSHI BAR & GRILL
25916 Sierra Center Blvd., Lutz
(813) 419-1351
The second year of Zukku-San being open on the north side of S.R. 56 hasn’t done anything but confirm for me why we loved it so much in the first place. From the most creative and delicious sushi (try the bluefin tuna options) and the appetizers like the chicken and beef tenderloin yakitori shown above, the gyoza dumplings, Japanese spring rolls, tempura and more, to the best chicken teriyaki entrée (served with amazing fresh, sautéed veggies) and the best Japanese-style fried rice, and its full liquor bar, it should come as no surprise that Zukku-San is again my favorite Asian restaurant in Wesley Chapel. And, later this year, the owners of Zukku-San will open Ato Sushi Burritos & Poké Bowls in the KRATE Container Park at The Grove. 

5 — FLORIDA AVE. BREWING CO.
2029 Arrowgrass Dr.
(813) 452-6333
Although the menu is missing some of our favorite items, what remains available at Florida Ave. Brewing Co. still keeps it near the top of my rankings. And, with the opening of what may be the largest microbrewery in Florida in 2021, Florida Ave. is only getting more popular. The restaurant’s cutely named specialty burgers are tasty, but you can still order a plain bacon cheeseburger with fresh veggies (photo) — and you won’t regret it. Florida Ave. also has crispy wings, a great chicken club sandwich and popular Korean-style bibimbap bowls (now available with a variety of protein options, from chicken and bulgogi shaved prime rib to salmon and vegan Beyond burger), plus beers, ales, hard seltzers and ciders and a full-liquor bar. 

6 — NOBLE CRUST
28330 Paseo Dr.
Shops at Wiregrass
(813) 703-2602
I would be lying if I said that so many of you voting for Noble Crust in this year’s Reader Survey didn’t convince me to take Jannah there a little more often towards the end of last year. Although I enjoy a lot of Noble’ Crust’s ever-changing menu items, my favorites are still the house-made gnocchi, the unique beef and pork meatball appetizers (there’s even Impossible meatballs available now), as well as the chicken fried chicken parm (picture, right) entrées. And, I believe the fried chicken and waffles are outstanding, too. We also enjoy Noble Crust’s oven-baked pizzas, although we usually go for the entrées. We wish the bar area was a little bigger, but it offers an amazing selection of ultra-premium liquor and a great, fun vibe. 

7 — BLUEFIN JAPANESE RESTAURANT
6034 Wesley Grove Blvd.
(813) 803-4709
Based on the rankings shown on this page, BlueFin was my second favorite new restaurant to open in Wesley Chapel in 2021. It also qualified as my second favorite Asian restaurant in Wesley Chapel, behind Zukku-San. And for good reason. This newcomer offers completely different takes on its large sushi and sashimi menu, and its gyoza dumplings (photo), and veggie tempura, soft shell crab, chicken teriyaki and steak fried rice are all outstanding. We also really enjoy the hibachi-style filet mignon, chicken and scallops, the fried pork or chicken katsu and the overall vibe of the place, which is located directly next door to Treble Makers in The Grove. There’s also a great variety of beer, wine and sake. 

8 — OMARI’S GRILL
Lexington Oaks Golf Club
26133 Lexington Oaks Blvd.
(813) 907-7270
Omari’s Grill at the Lexington Oaks Golf Club may have dropped a little in my rankings this year, but not because the quality of the food has slipped at all. The problem is that, like many restaurants nationwide, Omari’s has greatly reduced the number of choices on its menu, including several of mine and Jannah’s favorites. The good news is that you can still get co-owner/chef Anass El-Omari’s perfect grilled mahi-mahi topped with mango salsa, crispy, but tender chicken parmigiana, filet mignon with cream sauce and Cajun pasta with andouille sausage, but only as Friday night dinner specials. The burgers and grilled chicken sandwiches (photo, right), wings and salads on the regular menu are all as good as you’ll find here.

9 — TOP SHELF SPORTS LOUNGE
AdventHealth Center Ice
3173 Cypress Ridge Blvd.
(813) 953-1032
When Top Shelf first opened at what is now called AdventHealth Center Ice, it was a best-kept secret as far as being a place with great food and a rockin’ full-liquor bar scene for watching Tampa Bay Lightning games. Well, the word is out now, as Top Shelf is almost always packed, especially for Bolts games, but the food is still outstanding. Top Shelf still has some of the best wings, burgers and bar food around (you can even get delicious mixed veggies as a side), and has added new menu items like the brisket quesadilla (pictured) and ahi tuna and Havana bowls. The true Canadian-style poutines are super-popular, as are the craft beers from owner Keelan Cottle’s own 81Bay Brewing.

10 — CHUCK LAGER AMERICA’S TAVERN
2001 Piazza Ave, Suite 175
Shops at Wiregrass
(813) 820-4500
Now in its second year, it didn’t take much for this third link in a new, small chain with a menu inspired by celebrity TV chef Fabio Viviani to surpass its predecessor (Primebar) in its space at the Shops at Wiregrass. Chuck Lager is a beautiful restaurant with a great vibe and a unique menu that has caught on with locals, even though it opened deep into the pandemic. Jannah and I love the Fabio’s meatball sub and Cajun grouper taco (pictured) handhelds, as well as the chicken parmesan, pork chop Milanese and Italian steak entrées and the sautéed baby broccolini is amazing. There also are great burgers, flatbreads and salads. Try the bourbon flights, featuring everything from Redbreast to Hotel Tango. Smooth.

12 — The Hungry Greek
13 — Bonefish Grill
14 — Bubba’s 33
15 — Glory Days Grill
16 — Outback Steakhouse
17 — Vallarta’s Mexican Restaurant
18 — Umu Japanese & Thai
19 — Arroy Thai
20 — Rice-n-Beans
21 — 900 Degrees Woodfired Pizza
22 — Amici Pizza
23 — Capital Tacos
24 — Texas Roadhouse
25 — Brooklyn Water Bagel