Most Saddlebrook residents are aware the once-prime development they live in is showing signs of age, and has been badly in need of a refresh for years.
However, what new owners Mast Capital have planned for the resort and surrounding community isn’t quite clear, residents argued on Jan. 5 at a Pasco County Planning Commission meeting in New Port Richey.
While Mast Capital’s plans to redevelop Saddlebrook by changing the county’s comprehensive plan and producing a new Master Planned Unit Development (MPUD) managed to pass the planning commission by a 5-2 vote and will eventually require approval by the Board of County Commissioners (BCC), most of the 100 or so opponents that showed up to the nearly four-and-a-half hour meeting left scratching their heads.
The issue for most of them was clarity.
What the plans were clear about was adding apartments, townhomes and more than 100,000 sq. ft. of retail and commercial space outside the gates of the resort, on the undeveloped land along S.R. 54. However, the details were murkier regarding what is actually going to happen inside the gates of Saddlebrook, particularly with the renowned golf courses, tennis courts and resort.
“We were very disappointed,” said JoAnn Barbetta, who along with husband Larry formed the Save Saddlebrook Coalition last month. “I was really surprised that they (the Planning Commission) could move forward to recommend something that seems so lacking in detail.”
Eran Landry, the managing director of Mast Capital, told the Planning Commission members that the resort would receive a significant upgrade “and be much more upscale than what it’s been.”
Plans include 5,000 sq. ft. of retail, a new 12,000-sq.-ft. clubhouse, renovated restaurants, new outdoor amenities, improved dorms and additional parking.
Landry mentioned ice cream shops, splash pads and a more family-friendly environment, upgrading the “underwhelming” pool and improving resort rooms “that just aren’t competitive” in today’s market.
But, the plans for the two Arnold Palmer-designed golf courses and driving range (which is currently located near the entrance of the resort and serves as the training center for Saddlebrook’s golf academy) riled opponents.
“We love nature and it hurts my heart when developers come in and mow down every tree to get every dollar out of every inch of land,” resident Jacqueline May said. “That’s why we bought in Saddlebrook.”
While Mast’s original plans to add 60 single-family homes and 100 townhomes over one of the golf courses were scrapped, Landry said the 36 total golf holes would be reconfigured to 27 holes, and the driving range would be relocated.
He did not say who was going to redesign the newly configured golf course, saying Mast was in talks with the late Arnold Palmer’s design company and another golf course designer, and did not say where the driving range would be moved.
Also, there were questions over what would fill any space remaining in the aftermath of reducing the number of holes, and how that would affect home owners who bought their homes for the golf course views.
Jacqueline May, a teacher at Pasco-Hernando State College, held back tears as she told the Planning Commission members that her and her husband’s home was their retirement nest egg, and that they purchased it because of the view and the natural beauty surrounding it.
“We love nature and it hurts my heart when developers come in and mow down every tree to get every dollar out of every inch of land,” she said. “That’s why we bought in Saddlebrook.”
There also was no mention by Landry about whether or not there were any plans for the tennis courts in the same area. Saddlebrook has notably been the training ground for professional tennis stars like Martina Hingis, John Isner, Jennifer Capriati, Jim Courier and many others.
Changes Along S.R. 54
Plans for the two outer parcels were clearer.
Mostly west of the main entrance at Saddlebrook Way on S.R. 54, a 35-acre parcel will include 75,000 sq. ft. of commercial, 465 apartments and 35 townhomes. An additional road, the long-rumored Vision Rd. which is eventually supposed to connect to both Wiregrass Ranch Blvd. and Bruce B. Downs Blvd., will be built to accommodate additional traffic in and out of the new development.
Justina Gale of Florida Design Consultants told the Planning Commission this area would become a true mixed-use integrated and multi-story project, with retail on the bottom and offices above it, with the apartments further back off S.R. 54. It will include trails, neighborhood parks, plazas and will “create a sense of place.”
An additional 19-acre parcel further west will include another 25,000 sq. ft. of commercial as well as 120 townhomes.
Opponents cited traffic as a concern — there is only one way in and out of Saddlebrook, which they say will create traffic jams. They also said replacing the green space along the resort’s entrance with apartments and restaurants was incompatible with the nature theme the resort has cultivated for more than 40 years.
“Saddlebrook is a gem and needs to be treated that way,” JoAnn Barbetta said. “Growth and development is a part of our life and I understand that. But, there comes a time when we need to take a pause, step back and ask whether we want to completely alter the character of a beloved, historic community like Saddlebrook.”
The Planning Commission had concerns with the lack of detail in the plans, as well as a few errors and omissions. Chief assistant county attorney David Goldstein, who did not have a vote, questioned whether that lack of detail “would put the Board in a bad spot.”
Planning commission member Jon Moody was the most outspoken against approving the plans. He had originally flagged them when they hadn’t been seen by residents and somehow ended up on a consent agenda, which recommends approval without debate, leading to the Jan. 5 meeting where residents could hear about and finally see the plans and voice their concerns.
“I will tell you I would not feel comfortable today denying this application,” Moody said. “But I would feel more comfortable if it were brought back to us with more detail at a later date.”
Planning Commission chair Charles Grey sympathized with the concerned residents, especially those who fear losing the golf course views they paid a premium for decades ago, but also told them they needed to understand that, “if you don’t do something, your beautiful development is going to die.”
He voted against forwarding the plans to the BCC, but urged the residents to work with Mast.
After some consternation, the Planning Commission moved the plans forward, with a hopeful request that more details are provided will be by Mast Capital in the proposed MPUD before the BCC has its say next month.
Although 2022 was a busy year for restaurants that opened and closed in New Tampa, there was a lot more dining news on the way for 2023 in zip code 33647 as the year came to a close.
Over the past few weeks, several local eateries closed their doors for good, while others were just getting ready to open.
We were sad to see that both Nova Pizza in the Pebble Creek Collection and Precinct Pizza (top right photo) on Cross Creek Blvd. at Morris Bridge Rd. had closed.
While we haven’t yet heard about anything new opening in Precinct’s place, we’re definitely excited that Zio’s New York Bagel & Deli Co. (bottom right photo) is expected to take over for Nova by sometime in February.
Zio (which means “Uncle” in Italian) is the brainchild of Wesley Chapel resident Jeff Cofini, who previously owned several bagel places in upstate New York.
“We’ll have homemade, NY-style bagels,” Cofini says, “plus great bacon, egg & cheese sandwiches, Boar’s Head deli meats, and we’ll be open for breakfast and lunch every day.”
Cofini says he is definitely looking for hard-working help at Zio’s. Email him at ZiosNYBagels@gmail.com if you or someone you know might be interested.
Speaking of possible Feb. 2023 openings, real progress has finally been made on the new location of Kobé Japanese Steakhouse (below) and one of the contractors at the site told me that the plan is to try to open the new Kobé in time for Valentine’s Day.
We also were sad to say good-bye to the Walk at Highwoods Preserve location of Oronzo Honest Italian last month. We haven’t yet heard of a replacement for the fast-casual Italian concept, but Oronzo has another location in Midtown Tampa.
We also hoped that the new Macaw Latin Provision on Cross Creek Blvd. would be open before we went to press with this issue, but as of Jan 13, we were told that the former location of three previous restaurants — Hawkeye’s NYS Pizza, Deano’s Pizza and Fish Fiesta — was now not going to open at all and the restaurant space behind the Mobil station was available again. — GN
Brunchery Becomes Brunchin’
For anyone who was wondering why the sign above The Brunchery on S.R. 56 had changed to Brunchin’, wonder no more.
Owner Al Marku of Brunchin’ says that all three of his existing Brunchery locations (S.R. 56, New Tampa and Lithia) are in the process of becoming Brunchin’ because The Brunchery name was previously in use by other restaurants.
So, even though Brunchin’ has the same ownership, menu and outstanding service as Marku’s local Brunchery restaurants, he says he decided to make the change to a unique name that wasn’t already in use as he prepares to open his fourth Brunchin’ location in Riverview.
After finishing #2 in this year’s Reader Survey for Favorite Breakfast, Brunchin’ was named my #1 Favorite Breakfast. — GN
It’s been nearly 20 years in the making, but the long-anticipated interchange at I-75 and Overpass Rd. is officially opened.
The Florida Department of Transportation announced Wednesday morning that the project, which began in October 2020, was now open to traffic
The interchange, at the new Exit #282 off I-75, is located halfway between S.R. 54 (Exit 279) and S.R. 52 (Exit 285) and provided drivers in and around Wesley Chapel another option to enter and exit S.R. 75.
The Overpass Rd. Interchange (Photo: FDOT)
According to FDOT, the new interchange will address the projected increase in traffic in the area and “significantly” reduce the volume of traffic on S.R.s 52 and 54.
The diamond-shaped interchange includes a flyover ramp for those traveling west on Overpass Rd. and seeking access onto southbound I-75. It is expected to be a boon for the area, which is growing quickly and already includes Cypress Creek High School on the west side and to the east the Connected City and neighboring Villages of Pasadena Hills projects, which upon completion could add roughly 40,000 homes and hundreds of thousands of square feet of commercial projects to the area.
The Overpass Interchange project, first studied in 2005, cost $64.6 million. It first received federal approval in 2014 and overcame a roadblock in 2017, when then-Governor and current Senator Rick Scott vetoed $15 million for the project. However, the request was re-inserted into the budget in 2018 and spared another veto, pushing the project forward.
The interchange is only part of the project, which includes the widening of Overpass Rd. from two lanes to four lanes between the interstate and Old Pasco Rd. to the west and six lanes (including two auxiliary lanes) between the interstate and Boyette Rd. to the east.
Also, Blair Dr. has been realigned to connect with Old Pasco Rd., and McKendree Rd. has been realigned to connect with Boyette Rd.
A 10-foot wide sidewalk has been constructed on the north side of Overpass Rd (next to the westbound traffic lanes), and a 6-foot wide sidewalk is open on the south side (next to the eastbound traffic lanes).
Favorite New Restaurant 1. The LIVING ROOM 2. The Grill at Morris Bridge 3. Miller’s Ale House 4. Carrabba’s Italian Grill 5. Chuck Lager America’s Tavern
One of the most anticipated new restaurant openings in Wesley Chapel in 2022 was the opening of the second location of Dunedin favorite The Living Room in the Shops at Wiregrass.
And, it would appear that our readers were not disappointed, as The Living Room (see ad on pg. 26) dominated the “Favorite New Restaurant in New Tampa & Wesley Chapel” category in this year’s survey, despite (because of?) the opening of so many new places to eat at The KRATE Container Park at The Grove.
Obviously, the locals are enjoying the food, craft cocktails and ambience owners Christina and Zach Feinstein (with scissors above) have brought to Wesley Chapel.—GN
Favorite Breakfast 1. FIRST WATCH 2. The Brunchery 3. Brunchie’s 4. Keke’s Breakfast Café 5. Cracker Barrel
We thought the addition to the Wesley Chapel and New Tampa area of more local breakfast joints the past few years might make repeating as Favorite Breakfast a tough task for perpetual survey champ First Watch.
Well, we were wrong.
First Watch’s breakfast, brunch and lunch items continue to be popular with our readers. From avocado toast to pancakes (banana nut crunch, yum!) to omelettes, frittatas and skillet hashes, you can throw a dart at the breakfast menu and hit something delicious, decadent and healthy or indulgent. And, you can wash it all down with a Kale Tonic, Morning Meditation fresh juice or even a Bloody Mary or Mimosa. — JC
We’d be lying if we told you that we thought Starbucks had the best coffee around, but what they do offer is unmatched — a variety of hot and cold coffees, mochas, lattés and frappuccinos with never-ending options.
Because of that variety, ordering drinks at Starbucks is truly an art form. Order just a plain old cup of hot coffee and you have a choice of 20 syrups (sugar cookie syrup? Yes, please!) or sauces to add to it, eight different sweeteners and 10 different kinds of milk — like soy, oat, almond and coconut (and you can get any of them steamed…or not.)
That may not be for everyone, but try telling that to the lines of folks in every Starbucks drive-thru. — JC
Sometimes, a restaurant or eatery can get caught up in trying to do too much.
But, that’s not the case at Nothing Bundt Cakes. It does bundt cakes and nothing but (duh!). Delicious, moist, sweet, melt-in-your-mouth bundt cakes.
Since opening at the Shops at Wiregrass in 2017, Nothing Bundt Cakes has been a perennial favorite in our dessert category, previously winning top honors in 2018.
You can choose between 11 flavors (including one gluten-free) in different sizes — bite-sized bundtinis, mini bundtlets or special-order full-sized bundt cakes — and, well, boom: perfection. — JC
Favorite Dessert/Frozen 1. TWISTEE TREAT 2. Ice Dreammm Shop 3. Bruster’s Real Ice Cream 4. Cold Stone Creamery 5. Culver’s
It should probably come as no surprise that an ice cream place that is actually shaped like an ice cream cone would be our readers’ Favorite Frozen Dessert, unseating last year’s winner — the Ice Dreammm Shop.
Twistee Treat has locations in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel, and serves up 30 different flavors of soft-serve ice cream in cups and cones, dipped and topped with more than a dozen different kinds of cookies and candy. It also makes Waffle Tacos, Cookiewiches and sundaes to order. The twirl ice cream cones are a favorite of customers.
What truly separates Twistee Treat from the rest, however, is the convenience of the drive-thru, especially when you have a carload of kids. The “big ice cream cone building” is great for making visits quick and hassle free. — JC
Favorite Indian Restaurant 1. MINERVA 2. Saffron 3. Ice Spice
Due to the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel’s ever-growing Indian population, as well as the slew of new Indian restaurants popping up in the area over the past few years, we decided this would be a good time to add a Favorite Indian Restaurant category, and we’re not that surprised that Minerva is our first winner — and only three Indian places garnered enough votes to even make our list.
Minerva, located in the New Tampa Center at the corner of Bruce B. Downs Blvd. and New Tampa Blvd., opened in June 2016, and many instantly became fans of the restaurant’s authentic Indian flavors, ambiance and lunch buffet (photo, right).
Minerva tries to hit all the right notes with its popular butter chicken, chicken tikka masala and chicken, goat/lamb, fish and vegetable biryani (mixed rice) dishes. Be sure to check out the biryani specials Thursdays and Sundays and, of course, the impressive lunch buffet for dine-in only.
The oven-baked garlic naan is always a favorite, and Minerva offers a host of Indian drinks (including beers) and desserts. — JC
Favorite Greek 1. HUNGRY GREEK 2. Little Greek 3. Acropolis Greek Taverna 4. Cafe Zorba 5. El Prince Mediterranean
Although it hasn’t won this category every year we’ve asked our readers to tell us their favorite restaurants, The Hungry Greek on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in Wesley Chapel has never finished lower than second in this suddenly-more-competitive category.
And, there’s a good reason for that: Hungry Greek offers a consistently good product — from gyro sandwiches to kabobs to Greek salads — all at always-fair prices with outstandingly quick service. In fact, even though the line at the counter where you place your order can sometimes be long, especially at lunch time, you’re never kept waiting more than a few minutes.
And, Hungry Greek also offers a selection of decadent desserts and even Greek beer to go with the huge portions of delicious food.
Hungry Greek’s success here — and at the original location in West Tampa — surely has contributed to the rise of eight other locations in and around the Tampa Bay area, with the latest opening soon in San Antonio. — GN
Favorite Burger BURGER 21 2. Red Robin 3. Ford’s Garage 4. Bacon Boss HQ 5. Five Guys 6. Burger Monger 7. Bubba’s 33 8. Culver’s 9. Fat Rabbit 10. Frammi
With arguably more competition than any other category, Burger 21 continues to dominate the Favorite Burger category of our annual Reader Survey.
Dating back to 2013, Burger 21 has never not won the category, whether it was just New Tampa or New Tampa and Wesley Chapel combined. In fact, Burger 21 has been such a force it actually finished as New Tampa’s favorite overall restaurant in 2015 (after finishing second overall in 2014).
That’s a pretty amazing feat.
Readers continue to flock to the local chain’s Bruce B. Downs Blvd. location, due to a variety of different ways to get their burgers, all served on toasted brioche buns. You can get anything from regular cheeseburgers to a variety of Burger 21’s specialty burgers, like the limited time chimichurri burger. There are chicken, seafood and veggie options, as well. The fries are always nice and crispy, and don’t leave without capping your meal without one of Burger 21’s creamy, hand-spun shakes. — JC
Favorite Asian Restaurant 1. LIANG’S BISTRO 2. Asian Buffet 3. Yamato Japanese Steakhouse 4. Zukku-San Sushi 5. Umu Japanese & Thai
When you speak of perennial favorite restaurants in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel, there’s no doubt that few (if any) have been as dominant as Liang’s Bistro.
Since completely revamping a defunct Burger King 20 or so years ago, Liang’s has been voted — by a wide margin every year — as either your “Favorite Asian” or “Favorite Chinese” Restaurant (or both) every year since.
And honestly, while Liang’s isn’t a traditionally authentic Chinese or even New York-style Chinese restaurant, its combination of NY-style egg rolls and BBQ spare ribs — plus everything from Mongolian-style beef, chicken or shrimp to more Japanese-style teriyaki chicken or steak and fried rice, with a few Thai and Korean BBQ-style and even fresh fish and vegetarian dishes thrown in — have kept Liang’s at the top of our readers’ annual list.
Of course, the fact that it also is our only upscale sit-down Chinese restaurant, also serving beer and wine, hasn’t hurt, either. — GN
Favorite KRATE 1. BACON BOSS HQ 2. Shake-A-Salad 3. Blush Wine Room 4. TJ’s Hot Dogs 5. The Fry Room
It was a simple concept started by Josh and Christy Norland in 2015 — let’s make something everyone loves…bacon!
In 2022, that one idea gave birth to the Bacon Boss HQ.
Rarely disappointing, what began as a food truck has now become the biggest hit at the new KRATE at the Grove, according to our readers.
Items like the John Gotti burger (with Gouda cheese and bacon jam), the Nicky Santoro spicy burger (mango jalapeño relish!) and Mafioso Patty Melt (bacon-infused burger inside a bacon grilled cheese!) are all favorites.
And, while the smoked brisket over creamy mac & cheese (above), chicken wings and Fat Tony tater tots topped with mac & cheese and bacon may not be good for your waistline, they are good for your soul. (But, if you tell your personal trainer we said that, we’ll just deny it.) — JC
When Stonewood Grill & Tavern opened in Tampa Palms 20 years ago, it was a more upscale version of an Outback Steakhouse, as its founders had previously been Outback executives. Our Tampa Palms location was the First Stonewood on Florida’s west coast, and it was an instant hit with New Tampa residents and, eventually, with residents of Wesley Chapel, too.
Now, however, despite so many new restaurant options in both of our distribution areas, Stonewood is still our readers’ favorite New Tampa eatery and this year, it officially also has your favorite steak in both communities.
The rest of your top-5 steak places appear below and none of them are in New Tampa. — GN
Considering how many restaurants there are in both of our markets that serve sushi, it’s almost hard to believe that the five restaurants on this list put so much distance between themselves and any of their competition.
Even so, Zukku-San won the Favorite Sushi category by a fairly wide margin with our readers. We don’t know if that’s due to Zukku-San’s artistic interpretations of your favorite rolls, hand rolls and sashimi or if more people come to Zukku-San for its variety of other Asian-inspired dishes (you can check out Ato, the fast-casual concept from the owners of Zukku-San on pg. 32) and stay for the sushi, but we’re guessing it’s a combination of both factors. — GN
Favorite Full Liquor Bar 1. THE BRASS TAP 2. Florida Ave 3. Fat Rabbit 4. Stonewood 5. Joe Whiskey’s 6. Bahama Breeze 7. Noble Crust 8. Falabella Bistro 9. Glory Days 10 (tie) Peabody’s 10 (tie) Chili’s
Considering that it became popular as a place serving a huge variety of craft and micro-brewed beers on tap at lower prices than any of the beer-oriented restaurants located in the Shops at Wiregrass, we were surprised that The Brass Tap didn’t place in this year’s top-5 Favorite Beer/Wine Bar category (see pg. 28) with our readers, but finished first in the Favorite Full Liquor Bar category — as we separated the two types of bars for the first time.
There is no doubt, however, that The Brass Tap offers a cool vibe and is the choice of many of our readers, regardless of what type of alcohol they prefer to imbibe. It also allows you to bring in food ordered from the restaurants at the Shops. — GN
Favorite Latin Restaurant 1. RICE-N-BEANS 2. Latin Twist Cafe 3. Las Palmas 4. Lima Peruvian Cafe 5. Mojo Grill
One thing we had noticed over the years of this Reader Survey was that restaurants serving Latin cuisines other than Mexican food weren’t being given enough credit by our readers.
So this year, with all of the new restaurants, especially at the KRATEs, serving a variety of Latin cuisines, we decided to ask our readers to pick their favorite Latin restaurant that didn’t focus on fajitas, enchiladas, quesadillas and burritos.
The result was that virtually every Latin restaurant serving something other than Mexican food registered a decent number of votes.
There was no doubt, however, that the Puerto Rican cuisine served at the ever-popular Rice-N-Beans was the winner in this category. Serving authentic mofongo, chicharrons, pan-fried whole snapper and even a chilled octopus salad, Rice-N-Beans also offers an upscale atmosphere, a reasonably priced bar and evening entertainment that none of the other non-Mexican Latin places on our list can boast.
And, owner Cindy Cruz says the Rice-N-Beans Express on S.R. 54 in Lutz (west of the Tampa Premium Outlets) should open soon. — GN
Favorite Mexican 1. VALLARTA’S 2. Cantina (CC Blvd) 3. Señor Tequila 4. Cantina Laredo 5. Don Julio
Vallarta’s is coming pretty close to making us retire the Favorite Latin & Mexican Restaurant categories (don’t worry, amigos, we’ll give you another shot next year!).
Despite closing its New Tampa location a few years back, Vallarta’s is once again the most popular place our readers choose for Mexican food, even if the only local location is in Wesley Chapel.
The sizzling fajitas are always a hit, and the variety of tacos, nachos, burritos and quesadillas is impressive and can be served with steak, chicken or beef.
Or, you can go veggie with just beans and rice.
Vallarta’s also nails one of the most important attributes of a Mexican restaurant — the price, which absolutely is affordable, especially the lunch specials and combo plates; the atmosphere, which is festive and loud; and the drinks, which are always large (e.g., “big as your head” margaritas!) and are often on special. — JC
A confession — I have been surprised for years that Thai Lanna hasn’t been named the Favorite Thai restaurant more often, because it really is superb.
It’s about time our readers agreed. (OK, rant over).
Tucked away in the corner of a gasoline-anchored strip mall on Cross Creek Blvd. in New Tampa, Thai Lanna may be hard to find — kind of like a treasure box for varied flavors — but it’s worth the effort.
The dinner menu offers a variety of authentic and traditional dishes like its top-selling Pad Thai, Pad Woon Sen and Massaman Curry. All of the fried rice options also are exceptional, and there are many curry dishes — red, green, yellow and even pineapple — from which to choose.
The expansive menu features a host of noodle, seafood, duck and vegetarian dishes, as well as fresh sushi and sashimi (photo).
And, save room for the Mango Delight (mango sticky rice). It might just be the best dessert in New Tampa. — JC
Favorite Italian 1. VIA ITALIA 2. Falabella Bistro 3. Noble Crust 4. Olive Garden 5. Frammi 6. Oronzo 7. Amici Pizza
One of New Tampa and Wesley Chapel’s most highly-regarded restaurants, Via Italia has been near the top of our readers’ favorites since Roberto Maganuco opened it in 2020.
And, why wouldn’t it? Via Italia mixes a great atmosphere with wonderful Italian food that is arguably the best you’ll find in our area.
But, the compliment that you hear most about Via Italia, and one that rings louder than any other when you’re talking about any ethnic restaurant, is authentic.
There are few, if any items on the expansive menu that don’t drip with authenticity, from more than 20 different kinds of wood-fired pizza to nearly just as many pasta dishes (like the tagliatelle Bolognese above). Just reading the menu is enough to get your mouth watering.
And, don’t forget to try out the variety of bruschetta options, or a high-end charcuterie board, filled with imported meats, cheeses and dried fruits from Italy. — JC
Favorite Beer/Wine Bar 1. FLORIDA AVENUE BREWING CO. 2. Blush Wine Room 3. Brew Bar (KRATE) 4. TrebleMakers 5. Double Branch 6. Fat Rabbit 7. Mr. Dunderbak’s 8. Brass Tap 9. Grill at Morris Bridge 10 Bru Growler Bar (BBD)
Although the menu has changed multiple times at Florida Avenue Brewing Co. since it first opened a few years ago, we were still a little surprised the former location of Sports + Field on S.R. 56 didn’t finish in the top-25 Favorite restaurant category with our readers this year.
However, Florida Ave. did dominate our first-ever “Favorite Beer or Wine Bar in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel” category.
No other local bar or tavern in New Tampa or Wesley Chapel offers both craft beer made on the premises AND full liquor, and the recent opening of Florida Ave.’s perhaps-largest-in-Florida on-site brewing operation at its Wesley Chapel location certainly has helped its popularity among our beer-drinking readers. And of course, cutely-named favorites like “You’re My Boy, Blue” and “Noggy By Nature” — and the opportunity to sample them all — haven’t hurt Florida Ave.’s popularity, either. — GN
Favorite Pizza 1. 900º WOODFIRED & NY 2. New York New York 3. PizzaMania 4. Amici 5. Cappy’s 6. Via Italia 7. Marco’s 8. Noble Crust 9. Fratelli’s 10 (tie) Taste of NY 10 (tie) Best NY
It may be time to crown owner Steve Falabella the King of Pizza in the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel area, as once again his 900º Woodfired Pizza is the reader’s pick for Favorite Pizza in our distribution areas.
900º has developed a loyal following in Wesley Chapel, in part due to the omnipresent Falabella, who has two popular pizza locations in Wesley Chapel and also has opened the popular Falabella Family Bistro.
The Shops at Wiregrass mall location put Falabella on the map, as the only local eatery serving both woodfired Neapolitan-style and delicious New York-style pizza. Made with crispy crust and topped with a sauce made from six different tomatoes and Grande cheese, as well as any other toppings you might like, 900º Woodfired & 900º New York Pizza have been our readers’ choice for years.
Like a perfect pizza topping, though, the topping on Falabella’s success is the consistency of the product and the always-friendly efforts of those serving it. — JC
Not only is Chuck Lager America’s Tavern Wesley Chapel and New Tampa’s favorite American restaurant, it came very close to taking top honors for favorite restaurant in New Tampa & Wesley Chapel, finishing second to fellow Shops at Wiregrass favorite Noble Crust.
That’s likely a testament to the delicious food, crafted by celebrity TV chef Fabio Viviani.
The restaurant offers an impressive drink menu of wine, beers and craft cocktails, and its appetizers — especially the giant pretzel dusted in parmesan — are popular, too.
The burgers come in different varieties and sandwiches like the smoked brisket grilled cheese also are popular.
The pasta, chicken and seafood dishes also are generally highly praised. You can’t go wrong with the prosciutto, goat cheese and fig jam flatbread, but you can also get it with many different toppings. And, an added bonus is the weekend brunch menu! — JC
Favorite Chicken/Wings 1. BUFFALO WILD WINGS 2. King of the Coop 3. Fat Rabbit 4. Chick-fil-A 5. Wingstop
There are almost endless ways to get your chicken at Buffalo Wild Wings, whether you want it on a salad, on a sandwich, on a wrap or even on a bar pizza.
In fact, the Buffalo tender stacked burger, grilled chicken Buffalito and Nashville hot chicken sandwich are some of BWWs most popular items.
But, if we had to venture a guess, we’d say the most popular way folks eat their chicken at BWWs is via the mighty wing.
Whether you get your wings with the bone or without, Buffalo Wild Wings offers a long list of flavors to choose from, aside from just regular old Buffalo, teriyaki or BBQ sauce.
Some of the more adventurous (and tasty) options include Blazin’ (proceed with caution…and definitely have a beer in hand), Caribbean jerk, mango habanero and Thai curry. But, there’s never any shame if you choose the safer lemon pepper or parmesan garlic choices, either. — JC
Kiran’s son Satvik (left) is a clinical psychiatrist; her younger son Sahit is in medical school.
Kiran Indian Grocery, located on Cross Creek Blvd. in the Cross Creek Center plaza, has been a mainstay at this constantly-changing plaza since 2014. Before that, owner Kiran Vanthenapalli owned a store (from 2003-06; and an Indian restaurant, too) on E. Fowler Ave. and, from 2006-10, her store was in the Pebble Creek Collection on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd.
That means that some of her beloved customers have known and trusted Kiran and her family and staff to provide their (predominantly) Indian and Pakistani spices, coffees and teas, frozen foods, meats, snacks, sweets and even hair care and other cosmetic products (and so much more) for almost 20 years.
And of course, Kiran is perhaps best known for her amazing selection of fresh produce, with so many Indian specialty items I’ve never tasted (or even seen) before at prices that she says she knows, “no one can beat. I do my research — and no one beats my prices on produce.”
For example, she can describe the difference between coconuts used for Indian prayers and those that are meant for eating, and of course, stocks both in the store.
But actually, saying that Kiran is best known for her produce isn’t 100-percent accurate. Kiran Indian Grocery is actually best-known for Kiran herself, something that no other store of any kind can boast.
Not only can Kiran tell you where each and every one of her thousands of available items are located, she also can tell you the prices for each — all off the top of her head. That’s kind of amazing because she has so many different items and many different brands of the same types of products — e.g., she has as many different “masala” seasonings and brands as most grocery stores have beers — crammed into a store that somehow seems both much bigger and much smaller than it actually is because it offers such an amazing variety of products.
“I can’t do my own inventory on a computer,” Kiran says. “My computer is right here (pointing to her head).”
But, Kiran’s staffers also are knowledgeable. It’s just pretty much impossible for anyone else to have memorized the prices, sizes and exact location within the store of so many different items — many of which aren’t even marked with prices.
But, if Kiran tells you what the price is on any item, rest assured that when that item is rung up at the check-out counter, the exact price she quoted will pop up.
Also stored in Kiran’s computer brain are the favorite items of every one of her regular customers. She re-orders many items based on when she knows the customers who regularly purchase those items will be back in to buy them.
“I don’t like disappointing anyone,” she says with her usual sweet smile. “If I am running low on an item you always get, I’ll hold enough of that item for you,” so you can stay stocked until she gets her next shipment of it. And, “If I only have three left, and I don’t know how soon I’ll get more, I’ll tell you to buy two of them.”
And, if Kiran does somehow run out of one of your favorites, she’ll suggest an alternative that you can try that you might end up liking better.
A Love Of Animals
Kiran and her husband Sudeer have always also served not only their community, but people — and even animals — in need around the world.
She has been involved — at least since opening her store in Cross Creek — with the Tampa Bay chapter of the SPCA (the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) and she has donated fresh produce, rice and really anything the local chapter has needed because she is such a strong believer that people need pets and that so many of the pets in shelters can and do help individuals and families who need the kind of companionship and love that only a dog or cat can provide.
“I love the SPCA,” Kiran says. “It feels good to help them because they help so many people…and animals.”
When Covid-19 hit back in March 2020 and I started going through issues with my printer, Kiran was probably the first (but thankfully, not the only) advertiser to call me and say, “What do you need? How can I help?
She thought I said that I was going out of business. “I started crying,” she said. “I told (her husband) Sudeer, ‘We have to help our brother.’”
Even though I thankfully never got to that point and have no Indian heritage whatsoever, Kiran has been calling me her brother for years now. And, even though she seems to treat everyone who stops into the store like a member of her family, I refer to her as my sister, too. You just can’t fake her kind of genuine goodness and compassion for others.
“Gary, my brother, I’m so sorry that I’m out of your favorite chocolate bars right now,” she said to me on my most recent visit. “I also had to order (my wife) Jannah’s favorite tea. I’ll let you know when all of that comes in.”
But, it’s a big compliment to me because Kiran does also have an amazing family of which she is equally proud. Sudeer is a software engineer and their older son Satvik graduated from medical school at USF and is now a clinical psychiatrist, while younger son Sahit currently is in med school and plans to become a psychiatrist as well.
Another case in point about how Kiran treats everyone is that, when people check out at her store, she or her cashier will put coupons from other local businesses in the customers’ shopping bags. She has helped most of the Indian restaurants (as well as the new Gorkhali Kitchen Nepalese restaurant now located next to her store) and other businesses owned by people from India and Pakistan in our area this way and she says that she would be happy to do it for other businesses, too.
“We’re all in this together,” she says.
And of course, whether you like or want to cook Indian food or not, if you’re a fan of delicious chocolate cookies or other sweet and/or salty treats, or you want the best prices in town on a most unique selection of fresh produce items, you owe it to yourself to visit my sister Kiran.
Kiran Indian Grocery is located at 10042 Cross Creek Blvd. and is open Monday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. For more information, call (813) 994-6202, search “Kiran Indian Grocery” on Facebook or see the ad on pg. 34.
