Dev (the accountant who owns Ameriken Consulting) and Shejal (the head of the pharmacy residency program at AdventHealth Tampa) are long-time New Tampa residents who saw a need for a new liquor store in the area and have made it clear that they are not only happy to have opened the store, but also promise to provide whatever members of the community want their neighborhood liquor store to provide.
āWe already have lots of unique bottles here you wonāt find anywhere else,ā says Dev, pointing to the shelves behind the cash register, where everything from Lamborghini champagne to 14- and 15-year old bottles of Red Perfection bourbon are proudly displayed. āIf thereās a special bottle you havenāt been able to find at other area liquor stores, Iām happy to find and order it for you.ā
They also promise to offer unique gift ideas for many occasions, such as the bouquet of miniature Tequila Rose bottle roses to amazing Dalmore Cigar Malt Scotch gift baskets (right) and more. Dev says Shejal creates the gift baskets herself and trust us, theyāre pretty awesome.
And yes, there are also plenty of unique red, white and sparkling wine and imported, domestic and micro-brewed beers available, plus hand-rolled cigars and, perhaps best of all, free tastings of different beers, wines and spirits every other weekend.
āAs New Tampa residents, weāre big believers in the power of the Neighborhood News,ā says Shejal. āWeāve already had quite a few customers tell us theyāve seen our ads, so keep looking for more announcements in the future.ā
The Liquor Shoppe (10020 Cross Creek Blvd.) is open every day, 11 a.m.-10 p.m, and until midnight on Fri. & Sat.. For more info, call (813) 388-2164 or visit LiquorShoppe.us. ā GN
Wesley Chapel and New Tampa have been on a great run of fun and interesting projects, and 2022 should be no different. Here are the five weāre most looking forward to this year.
1. KRATE Container Park
The long-awaited KRATE container park at The Grove at Wesley Chapel is expected to be fully open by summer 2022 ā which is great news for local residents in the quickly expanding S.R 54 corridor looking for more shopping and dining options.
Photos by Charmaine George
There are so many cool things coming to Wesley Chapel this year, but KRATE ranks as No. 1, thanks to the unique nature of the project and the anticipation that has built up because it has taken much longer than many expected, due in no small part to a variety of Covid-related issues.
KRATE was the jewel of developer Mark Goldās plans when his company, Mishorim Gold Properties, bought The Grove ā then a moribund 250-acre parcel anchored by a shopping center ā for $64 million in September 2019. Gold has invested an additional $20 million in the KRATE, which he claims will be the largest container park in the U.S. and something that will draw visitors from around the state to Wesley Chapel.
The seven-acre KRATE project will feature 55 businesses in converted shipping containers, each with their own product-centric mural painted on the side by artist Whitney Holbourn of Colorado.
At our press time, only two stores ā Provisions Coffee & Kitchen and Shake-A-Salad ā were already open. Once the others are ready, the KRATE is expected to cash in on what is likely to be a welcome experience in these Covid-ridden times ā walking an open-air market featuring restaurants, retail shops and even a stage that will host concerts and other performances.
Its proximity to The Groveās big box stores, and its popular restaurants like Treble Makers and the Falabella Family Bistro (see pg. 36), the Double Branch Artisanal Ales craft brewery, The Grove movie theater (and home of Side Splitters comedy club) and a new mini-golf course (see below) will make The Grove arguably the top entertainment destination hub in Pasco County, if not all of Tampa Bay.
2. New Tampa PAC
If we didnāt like shopping and desserts so much, this would be our No. 1.
Regardless, the New Tampa Performing Arts Center (NTPAC; photo, left) will provide a cultural boost to the area with its promise of music, dance and theatrical performances. The area already has an acting troupe, the New Tampa Players (NTP), that will call the PAC home and be one of what we hope are hundreds of groups to bring productions to the 350-seat theater.
When was the last time you had to get dressed up to attend anything in New Tampa proper?
Our only gripe ā it would have been nice to see the NTPAC fronting Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in all its glory, lit up at night as drivers-by gawked, as opposed to being tucked out of view between an apartment complex and a grocery store.
But, after a nearly 20-year battle to get the place built, whoās complaining?
3. Lotte Market
This, very quietly, might be the coolest thing to open anywhere in 2022, because if you know, you know.
While we havenāt had any updates in a while on the plans for the new market, and no official announcement at all, weāre guessing Lotte Market will fill the 55,000-sq.ft. former Sweetbay Market with hard-to-find Korean, Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese food items, as well what is likely to be the largest selection of fresh ā and, dare we say, unique ā seafood, fruits and vegetables in the area.
The only other Lotte Market in Florida is located in Orlando, and that store, like most of its others located in Maryland, New Jersey and Virginia, have a handful of Asian restaurants or a food court. Lotte has already been approved by the city to put restaurants in the market, and we canāt wait to see which ones they will be.
4. Mini-Golf
The groundbreaking of PopStroke Entertainment was held on Feb. 2
Remember a few years ago, when the major complaint about the area was that there was nothing to do? Well, since 2016, weāve added an Urban Air Adventure Park in Tampa Palms, and in Wesley Chapel we now have the Advent Health Center Ice facility, the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County, an indoor recreation center and outdoor roller hockey rink at the Wesley Chapel District Park and the Main Event bowling alley and game center on S.R. 56.
As if thatās not enough, in 2022, Tiger Woods PopStroke Entertainment, a mini-golf and restaurant concept the golf superstar owns with entrepreneur Greg Bartoli, is coming to Wesley Chapelās Cypress Creek Town Center on the north side of S.R. 56.
The project officially broke ground on Feb. 2 and should be ready by the beginning of summer, if not sooner.
Builders describe the place as an āexperiential golf and casual dining concept merging a dynamic, technologically advanced competitive golf environment with food and beverages.ā
Sign us up!
And while weāre at it, please also reserve us a spot at the new Grove Mini-Golf, which is expected to open in March. While PopStroke skips all the bells and whistles associated with a traditional mini-golf course, Grove Mini-Golf is leaning into them with plenty of holes requiring tricky shots ā one hole you shoot over a river, another into a river (youāll see), and thereās even a figure-8 hole and lots of hills and rocks to accentuate a rich, tropical oasis experience.
And, nighttime neon lighting and fire will give it a fun, festive feel. All of the holes will be illuminated with neon lights and glow-in-the-dark flags and balls. Very cool!
5. Diverging Diamond Interchange
If navigating castles, rocks and water on a mini-golf course doesnāt get you excited, how about navigating the soon-to-be-completed (no, weāre not kidding) Diverging Diamond Interchange at the S.R. 56 and I-75 intersection?
Weāre not sure if it will be easier figuring out the DDI or, say, shooting par, but the folks building it promise the new intersection is less confusing than it looks.
That would be great for those who want to venture out to that area but donāt because, well, ugh…that traffic. But, the DDI is supposed to eliminate all those conflict points and make for a safer interchange, using free flowing lanes ā sometimes taking you to the other side of the road (relax, itāll be fun!).
Just to be safe, though, weād suggest hitting up YouTube to watch a few videos.
And…While these are our top 5, they arenāt the only cool things happening in our area in 2022, like the completion of the S.R. 54 widening project, Wesley Chapelās second lagoon at Mirada āwhich, at 15 acres, is twice as large as the one in Epperson ā new restaurants like The Living Room, and we might even see a few surprises. (Weāre looking at you, empty Best Buy building on BBD).
When you visit The Salt Room in the Windfair Professional Center off Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in Wesley Chapel, youāll meet (l.-r.) master esthetician Regina Motter, manager Lana Foti, owner Danielle Howard and manager Monica Crabtree.
Monica Crabtree says she has suffered from terrible asthma and allergies her entire life. Even into her 30s, she was a slave to nebulizers and inhalers, four different allergy medicines and constant disruptions of her life.
Knowing this, a friend of Monicaās suggested she give the Salt Room Wesley Chapel a try.
Now, four years later, not only is Monica an employee of owner Danielle Howardās Salt Room Wesley Chapel, which is located right off Bruce B. Downs in the Windfair Professional Center behind Florida Orthopaedic Institute, she also is one of its top evangelists.
āWe donāt want to oversell it,ā she says, ābut it changed my life.ā
Salt therapy, also known as halotherapy, is essentially breathing in salt particles, which is supposed to help with several maladies. Salt therapy can treat upper and lower respiratory conditions like colds and flu, allergies, asthma, bronchitis, cystic fibrosis, sinus infections, hay fever and emphysema. The anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of salt, according to the Salt Therapy Association, have been shown to help treat eczema, dermatitis and psoriasis.
At The Salt Room Wesley Chapel, there are explanations on the backs of cards explaining how the salt therapy can help with each of these issues.
Monica says the idea is not so different than other ways of taking advantage of saltās holistic healing properties, like gargling with warm salt water to help ease a sore throat or breathing in the salty air near a beach, which has long been considered to be beneficial for your air passages even if itās not medically proven.
In Monicaās case, salt therapy helped with her asthma and allergies. Although she was skeptical, she did one session and experienced some nasal drainage, prompting her to try another session. After experiencing the same results, Monica signed up for a one-month unlimited membership and began visiting the Salt Room four days a week.
She says by the third week, she noticed she was not using her inhaler as much, where before, she had been using it multiple times a day. She stopped taking Claritin D every day. Her nebulizer and other medications were no longer such a big part of her daily routine.
āSalt therapy isnāt a treatment for asthma,ā Monica says, āand itās not going to get rid of asthma or allergies, but itās a complement to what youāre already doing.ā
Asthma and allergies are barely a part of Monicaās life anymore. As one example, she doesnāt have to vacuum the house wearing an N95 mask with the doors open. When she does feel a little stuffy, she says a therapy session will help flush her out.
āIām now 34 years old, and I love going to the doctor and finally being able to write āN/Aā under what medications I am using,ā she says.
Stories like Monicaās are the reason Danielle opened the Salt Room nearly five years ago. She recently sold her second Salt Room location, located at the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis Center, but is opening a third Salt Room in Citrus Park sometime this month.
Before opening her original location, Danielle had been driving her young son to The Salt Room Orlando for salt therapy and was thrilled with the results. She says her son has never been on antibiotics and has never had an ear infection.
A big believer in using what the earth provides ā she also co-owns LĆ¼fka, a refillable, zero-waste store that operates under the same all-natural premise ā Danielle says there are plenty of natural alternatives to many of the medications provided by doctors. There is a time and place for medications, she says, but adds that they can be overused and often abused.
One of The Salt Roomās clients, an 88-year-old military veteran, had suffered for decades with sinus issues. After several salt therapy sessions, he said he could taste his coffee and smell his fresh-cut grass for the first time in 40 years.
āThere are success stories that will make you cry,ā Danielle says.
Relaxation & Results
The Salt Room Wesley Chapel strives to be a relaxing and therapeutic oasis. It has two salt therapy rooms, each with three tons of natural rock salt covering the floors and walls. Clients can sit or lay in the room and relax as soft āspaāmusic plays in the background.
A top-of-the-line halogenerator also pulverizes pharmaceutical grade salt into small particles that are pumped into the room and inhaled.
Each room, which can be set to a variety of moods (see above) can accommodate multiple people and is even used for salt therapy yoga classes.
A childrenās room (photo, right), with more than a ton of salt, also is popular. Children can enjoy books and toys while playing on salt that is providing potential health benefits.
While it is mostly known for its salt therapy, The Salt Room Wesley Chapel also offers other wellness services.
Dr. Stephen Dell-Jones, a Doctor of Oriental Medicine (DOM) and a Florida Health Department-licensed Acupuncturist, offers acupuncture and cupping, while master esthetician Regina Motter offers holistic salt room facials as well as other specialty facials, and Star Ryan offers organic hair coloring.
Danielle says Covid has helped place an emphasis on respiratory care and self-care. While the spread of the virus initially shut her business down for six weeks in 2020, this past year has been like a slingshot effect, making it her most successful yet. Clients are seeking her out for what they believe are the physical benefits of salt therapy, as well for the reduced stress and anxiety she says it helps promote.
āThis is a passion,ā she says. āItās not a fad, itās not going to come and go. We just want to educate people on the benefits of salt therapy, and the more people that try it the more they stay with it.ā
The Salt Room offers individual 45-minute salt therapy sessions for $45, or you can buy monthly and yearly memberships for the therapy, as well as for the variety of other wellness services offered.
The Salt Room Wesley Chapel is located at 2718 Windguard Cir., Suite 102. It is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; 2 p.m.-6 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday; and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday. For more information, visit SaltRoomWesleyChapel.com or call (813) 501-8578.
Patrick Paterson and Brianna Miranda are proud to serve you a hard-to-find beer in a traditional beer stein (above) at Mr. Dunderbakās. (Photo: Charmaine George)
1. Mr. Dunderbakās 14929 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. (813) 977-4104 Dunderbaks.com
When J.B. Ellis bought Mr. Dunderbakās 25 years ago, it had just six beers on draught and he says the first thing he did was get rid of the Natural Ice and Bud Light. Donāt be shocked.
He replaced those popular favorites at other bars, and expanded the bar, with the kinds of beers you would expect in a European pub: a variety of English, Belgian and German lagers, just for starters. You could argue, by the cases and cases of beers throughout, that the joint looks like a beer hoarder had moved in to live there.
When Ellis moved the bar/restaurant from its original space in University Square Mall to its current location on BBD, he cut a hole in the wall of what used to be a hair salon next door and added an in-house brewery, āso I could brew things I want to brew.ā
The wide and traditional selection of beers, along with a quirky and comforting setting and a menu featuring German goodies like sandwiches, sausages and schnitzels that draw in big crowds, make it New Tampaās best bar this year (at least, according to our readers), despite the fact it only offers beer and wine and no hard liquor.
A charming curmudgeon, Ellis is definitely old school. He was at ground zero of the craft and home beer explosion in Tampa Bay, and offers more beers (500+) that you canāt find anywhere else than anyone else in the New Tampa, including favorites like Hacker Pschorr and many others.
āYour chances of finding a candy corn-flavored, lactose-infused cookie dough bull—- beer is just not going to happen here,ā he says.
Which is why he proudly sells T-shirts that say āBeer Flavored Beerā on them at his popular location.
Of all the winning restaurants and bars in this yearās survey, no one has a better Google rating than Mr. Dunederbakās ā an impressive 4.8 out of 5 stars average, with more than 2,000 reviews.
Our readers are definitely among those who agree. ā JCC
Although it hasnāt always finished as high with our readers for Favorite Bar as it has for Favorite Restaurant in New Tampa (including this year), one of the highest compliments you can pay the local location of this mini-chain is that there may be no more New Tampa crowd at any bar in our area year after year than at Stonewood Grill & Tavern.
The drinks arenāt cheap, but neither are they overpriced, and many locals (including Jannah and yours truly) prefer to dine at the bar instead of the more private tables and booths in the main dining area.
Part of the reason for that is the crowd itself ā which is usually made up of Stonewoodās well-dressed regulars ā but itās also because of the outstanding service provided by the always-attentive bartenders. In other words, Stonewood is your place for great food, drinks and conversation. ā GN
3. Fat Rabbit Pub 16029 Tampa Palms Blvd. W. (813) 252-3004 FatRabbitPub.com
There arenāt too many things that The Fat Rabbit Pub does wrong, hitting the triple crown of bar services ā great food, great bar and a relaxing and clean atmosphere. It caters to both drinkers and eaters, and a plethora of TVs makes it a perfect place to catch a game after work.
The Fat Rabbit has a wide variety of beers, the lineup being regularly tweaked with craft and local beers, as well as a full offering of premium liquor and wine. It may also be the sharpest-looking bar in town.
When it comes to food, Fat Rabbit, which was the No. 4 overall favorite restaurant last year (#11 this year), can make the case for having both the best (and widest variety of) wings, as well as the best burgers in New Tampa. Oh, and the tater tots (try the New Tampa Truffle) are a treat, too.
The Fat Rabbit isnāt an entertainment venue, but its food, drinks (try a bourbon flight) and service are outstanding. ā JCC
The rest of your Favorite Bar in NT top 10: (4) Glory Days (5) Acropolis (6) Via Italia (7) Peabodyās (8) Chiliās (9) Bayscape (T10) Red Lobster and Olive Garden.Ā
Naya Navas loves making carloads of kids smile. Here she is serving a chocolate ice cream Twirl with Oreos, and a Cookiewich with Reeses Pieces.Ā
1. Twistee TreatĀ 8810 New Tampa Blvd. (321) 445-9103 TwisteeTreat.com
If you drive by New Tampaās Twistee Treat on just about any night, you are likely to encounter an overflow line in the drive through. Thatās a testament to the variety and flavors offered by the familiar āBig Ice Cream Coneā on the corner of BBD and New Tampa Blvds.
The 25-foot cone-shaped building serves up tasty ice cream on cones, in cups and between cookies (below left), to name just a few ways to enjoy it. Whatever you choose, however, seems to agree with local sweet tooths ā in an area with some very good competition, Twistee Treat is No. 1 according to our readers.
Its Twirls ā with the ice cream of your choice topped with more than 15 different kinds of cookies and candies of your choice ā are among the most popular items.
Twistee Treat also has Waffle Tacos made to order, Cookiewiches (we got ours with Reeseās Pieces), brownie sundaes and banana splits, as well as shakes and slushies.
With the exception of cakes, if you can make it with ice cream, Twistee Treat can make it for you, with the kind of endless varieties that might also explain the long lines.
After all, a carful of kids can make choosing between nearly 30 flavors of ice cream to put on more than a half-dozen different cones with a variety of toppings an adventure, but a tasty one at that. ā JCC
āWelcome to Cold Stoneā might be four of the happiest words you can hear. Once inside, the ice cream parlor serves up delicious and creamy ice cream (mmmm, butter fat!) prepared with your favorite toppings (like Oreos, Kit Kats and M&Ms….or just a shmear of regular old peanut butter), on a cold stone while you watch. You can get regular ice cream flavors, but the signature creations, like a Birthday Cake Remix, Cookie Minster or Mud Pie Mojo, are the most popular way to go and perfect for any movie night at home.
And while ice cream with mix-ins is king here, Cold Stone may be almost as well known for its crazy-good ice cream cakes as well. The Cake Batter Fudge (above) or Cookie Dough Delirium might change your life.ā JCC
Brusterās Real Ice Cream is a long-time staple of New Tampa, having survived the Frozen Yogurt Wars of the early- to mid-2000s, and it is always among the dessert favorites in our reader survey.
Why?
The ice cream is creamy, rich and delicious and the choices are seemingly endless. No, really, you might spend as much time choosing your ice cream as you do eating it. There are more than 30 flavors, and all kinds of ways to order — cones, shakes, sundaes, mixers, pies and on and on and…ā JCC
The rest of your 2021 NT Dessert Top 10: (4) Smallcakes (5) The Cake Shop (6) Grain & Berry (7) Dunkinā (8) You Do The Dishes (T9) Ice SSSScreaminā & Coffee Speaks & Tea Talks
