The Grill At Morris Bridge, Cali Tampa Palms & The Fat RabbitPub Round Out The Top 5!
1. Stonewood Grill & Tavern
17050 Palm Pointe Dr., Pointe at Tampa Palms
(813) 978-0388
When our 2022 Dining Survey asked our readers to name their Favorite Restaurants in New Tampa or Wesley Chapel, Stonewood Grill & Tavern finished fourth in that overall voting (behind three restaurants based in or near Wesley Chapel), but still finished as the New Tampa restaurant our readers liked best. That means that with its win again this year, the mini-chain (with fewer than ten Tampa Bay-area locations), has won the title of our readers’ Favorite Restaurant in New Tampa for each of the last eight years, after finishing as our readers’ second Favorite in New Tampa in 2015.
There’s no doubt that Stonewood’s long history in the same location and its never-wavering commitment to quality food and outstanding service has kept it at #1 with our readers for nearly a decade.
2. Via Italia Wood Fired Pizza & Bar
8644 Hunter’s Village Rd., Village at Hunter’s Lake
(813) 475-4857
In one of the closer votes in recent memory in New Tampa, Via Italia narrowly trailed Stonewood with our readers in this year’s voting. Since it first opened in 2020, owner Roberto Maganuco’s quality pizza and pasta restaurant and bar has improved its finish with our readers every year — from 9th in 2020, to 4th in 2021, 3rd in 2022 and now 2nd in New Tampa for 2023.
Via Italia offers more different styles of pizza than you’ll find anywhere else, and its many varieties of authentic Italian pastas keeps helping it add new fans.
3. The Grill at Morris Bridge
10920 Cross Creek Blvd., Cross Creek Commons
(813) 388-5353
Because it opened as the reader voting was already ending in late 2021, The Grill at Morris Bridge finished as the second Favorite Restaurant in New Tampa last year and third in this year’s voting.
Owners and brothers Frank and Jimmy Gouveia added our area’s only true tomahawk ribeye steak to The Grill’s already impressive menu, which also features outstanding fresh fish and seafood and the Gouveias have constantly evaluated and improved the menu since it opened.
The Grill also features New Tampa’s most extensive wine list and excellent service.
4. Cali
17004 Palm Pointe Dr.
Shoppes at The Pointe
(813) 975-1222
Cali, the mini-chain previously called Ciccio & Tony’s and then Ciccio Cali, has finished as high as 2nd Favorite in New Tampa with our readers more than once, but the restaurant that first brought “bowl culture” to New Tampa also has somehow — and somewhat surprisingly — missed the top-25 a couple of times (including last year) after finishing 7th in 2021.
5. Fat Rabbit Pub
16029 Tampa Palms Blvd. W.
City Plaza at Tampa Palms
(813) 252-3004
Having finished as high as 4th with our readers, and also being the runaway winner as Favorite Bar in New Tampa & Wesley Chapel this year (see pg. 36), the Fat Rabbit has been a pretty consistent favorite for its crispy, delicious wings, great burgers, sandwiches, salads, hot dogs, a wide variety of crispy tater tots and other bar favorites, along with a great “vibe.”
6. Liang’s Bistro Asian Cuisine
17515 Bruce B. Downs Blvd.
(813) 978-1225
Another consistent favorite with our readers, Liang’s was 4th Favorite in New Tampa last year, 3rd in 2021, 5th in 2020, 3rd in 2019, 3rd in 2018 and…well, you get the idea. Liang’s Asian fusion cuisine also has kept it atop our Favorite Asian Restaurant in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel reader rankings pretty much every year it has been open — and repeated that win again this year.
7. Fresh Kitchen
8648 Hunter’s Village Rd.
The Village at Hunter’s Lake
(813) 336-3800
Fresh Kitchen has elevated the fast-casual bowl concept to both a science and an art form, as even the sometimes long lines (especially at lunch time) never really slow you down and the options are all delicious and definitely offers healthy options.
The Florida-based chain, now with 12 locations, has only been open here since 2021, but it finished as the 10th Favorite in New Tampa with our readers that year and was up to 9th Favorite last year and has now jumped up to 7th for 2023.
8. Mr. Dunderbak’s
14929 Bruce B. Downs Blvd.
Oak Ramble Plaza
(813) 977-4104
Although it mysteriously disappeared from last year’s top-25 with our readers, Mr. Dunderbak’s and its German cuisine has otherwise been super-consistent — 2nd in 2021, 3rd in 2020 and 4th in 2019.
Also known for its huge selection of beers, Mr. D’s is Tampa’s “German Bierhalle, Braueri, Marketplatz und Restaurant”
9. Olive Garden
9. Olive Garden
17011 Palms Pointe Dr.
The Pointe at Tampa Palms
(813) 866-5253
This is the one restaurant that has ranked with our readers nearly every year that I simply don’t understand, other than for its value. Even with its unlimited salad (which I do like) and breadsticks, I have never been a fan.
Although Olive Garden missed our readers’ top-25 in New Tampa last year, it finished 23rd in 2021 and 14th in 2020.
10. Minerva
19050 Bruce B. Downs Blvd.
New Tampa Plaza
(813) 978-8586
Not only is this Minerva’s first-ever top-10 finish with our readers, I’m pretty sure it’s the first Indian restaurant to ever crack the readers’ top-10.
Known for its huge lunch buffet and dishes from every region in India, Minerva has won “Favorite Indian Restaurant in New Tampa & Wesley Chapel” before, but this was a major rise in its overall rank.
Our Readers’ 2023 Top-25 Favorite Restaurants In New Tampa (#s 11-25)
11. Sushi Cafe
12. Lima Peruvian Cuisine
13. Frammi American Grille & Italian Food
14. Chili’s Grill & Bar
15. Cantina Mexican Grill & Bar
16. Glory Days Grill
17. EggTown
18. Thai Lanna & Sushi
19. First Watch
20. (tie) Kobe Ichiban Japanese Steakhouse
20 (tie) Hungry Crab Juicy Seafood
22. Acropolis Greek Taverna
23. Capri Pizza & Pasta
24. (tie) Gorkhali Kitchen Tampa
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