* Since not everyone who voted for 900º Woodfired Pizza & 900º NY Pizza specified which place they were voting for, we combined all of their votes for this category.
YOUR FAVORITE PLACES FOR SUSHI IN NT/WC
1. Zukku-San
2. Sushi Café
3. Bonsai
4. Crazy Sushi
5. Umu
YOUR FAVORITE BARS IN NT/WC
1. Fat Rabbit
2. Brass Tap
3. Florida Ave.
Brewing Co.
4. Glory Days Grill
5. Peabody’s
YOUR FAVORITE LATIN RESTAURANTS IN NT/WC
1. Rice N Beans
2. Lima
3. Latin Twist
4. Las Palmas
5. Mojo Grill
YOUR FAVORITE BREAKFAST PLACES IN NT/WC
1. First Watch
2. Brunchies
3. EggTown
4. Keke’s
5. Happy Hangar
YOUR FAVORITE MEXICAN/SW RESTAURANTS IN NT/WC
1. Azteca D’Oro
2. Cantina
3. Vallarta’s
4. Señor Tequila
5. Chuy’s Tex-Mex
Unfortunately, the categories that we didn’t include until October got a lot less votes than those we started in September.
For example, we had fewer than 100 votes in the “Favorite Bar” category, but more than 200 votes in the “Favorite Pizza” category — and every pizza place in the top-10 (left) received at least 20 votes.
We congratulate all of this year’s winning restaurants, but will likely change up the categories again next year, as we ran out of time to include all of the categories we intended to have this year. — GN
Its unique fusion of Italian and Southern cuisine has made Noble Crust in The Shops at Wiregrass the winner of our readers’ Favorite Restaurant in Wesley Chapel for three consecutive years. (Photos by Charmaine George)
Since it only has three locations — Wesley Chapel, Carrollwood and the original in St. Pete — you can’t really call Noble Crust a chain.
What you can call it, however, is a three-peat winner as our readers’ Favorite Restaurant in Wesley Chapel. Noble Crust, which is known for its Southern-inspired Italian fare, craft cocktails and great vibe, has been in our readers’ top-5 every year since it opened in the Shops at Wiregrass in 2017, and has taken home top honors for 2021, 2022 & 2023.
Although runner-up finisher Azteca D’Oro (see below) had the most first-place votes, Noble Crust had more 2nd-, 3rd-, 4th- and 5th-place votes than any other Wesley Chapel restaurant this year to secure the top spot with our readers.
Although it has been open in the Shops at Wiregrass less than a year, Azteca D’Oro’s monster burritos helped make it our readers’ Second Favorite Restaurant in Wesley Chapel for 2023.
A family-owned mini-chain with eight other locations from New Smyrna Beach to Lakeland, Azteca D’Oro opened in the Shops at Wiregrass earlier this year to mostly rave reviews and came within a few points of winning the top spot with our readers in its first year here.
Azteca D’Oro’s quality, authentic Mexican cuisine and huge portions helped the newcomer earn the most first-place votes of the more than 500 Neighborhood News readers who voted in this category this year and it might have finished ahead of Noble Crust had it had as many 2nd-5th-place votes.
Grillsmith has been in our readers’ top-10 Favorite Restaurants in Wesley Chapel every year it has been open, and it gives the mall a clean sweep of the top-3 this year.
Another perennial favorite, this five-location mini-chain has finished in our readers’ top-10 every year since it opened (including first-place honors as recently as 2020), Grillsmith’s third-place finish this year gives the Shops at Wiregrass a clean sweep of the top-three spots in this year’s survey.
The restaurant’s fairly-priced American fare, like its “short-trip fresh fish,” and comfortable bar continue to attract fans among our readers.
Although it’s never finished in the top-10 at its newer location on S.R. 56 before, this former two-time Readers Survey winner jumped up to #3 this year, thanks in part to its revamped menu.
With nearly 200 locations nationwide, Bonefish is a full-fledged chain known for its fresh seafood, like the bang-bang shrimp shown here.
Jumping up from its #19 finish with our readers last year (and #14 in 2021), Zukku-San on S.R. 56 is an upscale, family-owned Japanese restaurant with a premium full-liquor bar and delicious food.
Starting with just a sushi “stall” at Tampa’s Armature Works, Zukku-San has added a full location in North Carolina and another fast casual concept called Ato at the KRATE Container Park at The Grove.
It was only open for a short time when most of our readers submitted their ballots last year, so it came in at #25, but this upscale addition to The Shops at Wiregrass obviously pleased a lot of locals this year.
The original Living Room in downtown Dunedin is a perennial favorite, and the Wesley Chapel location being voted Best Pasco Restaurant by Creative Loafing readers probably didn’t hurt its recognition factor with our readers this year.
Jumping up from #11 with our readers in 2021, BJ’s is another full-fledged chain with more than 200 U.S. locations that is still serving a wide variety of favorites, despite obviously reducing its number of menu options over the past year.
Its ideal location in front of the Tampa Premium Outlets on S.R. 56 definitely helps keep the parking lot and wait list full at our local BJ’s and its fair pricing and premium full-liquor bar has helped keep it among our readers’ favorites
Like BJ’s Brewhouse, Bahama Breeze didn’t crack the top-25 when we asked readers for one list of favorites among all Wesley Chapel and New Tampa restaurants last year, but it was #7 in Wesley Chapel in 2021, the last time we split our areas into separate votes, as we did this year.
This 43-unit chain still attracts plenty of locals with its island-inspired fare.
This is by far Ford’s Garage’s highest finish with our readers since 2019, when it finished 11th.
The 22-location chain, which utilizes the Ford Motor Company’s logo, is located on the north side of S.R. 56 and features a wide variety of hand-crafted burgers and other better-than-the-average-burger-place food, plus a full-liquor bar.
Bubba’s 33, the 27-unit sports bar chain from our friends at Texas Roadhouse, is another eatery that has finished higher with our readers this year than in any of the last five years.
Bubba’s has been a solid top-20 finisher with our readers most years, but its combination of great food, sports and music videos attracted its most votes ever.
It’s been a long journey, but this is your last chance to enter this year’s Reader Dining Survey & Contest for a chance to win $100, $60 or $35 in FREE dining to the restaurant of your choice located anywhere in the Tampa Bay area.
Even if you have already entered before, you can still enter and win free dining by also telling us your Favorite Mexican Restaurant in (or near) New Tampa & Wesley Chapel.
Each time you answer a different Dining Survey question, you’ll receive an additional chance to win one of our FREE dining prizes — to the restaurant of your choice located anywhere in the Tampa Bay area! You all love free dining, right?
Enter by clicking HEREor email the entry form to Ads@NTNeighborhoodNews.com. Even if you already answered any previous questions, you can still enter again by clicking HERE!
Note — Please don’t forget that we include restaurants (and bars) located in Lutz (either on Wesley Chapel Blvd., S.R. 56 or S.R. 54, within two miles of I-75) as Wesley Chapel eateries; and those located in the Palms Connection Plaza on E. Bearss Ave. and the Oak Ramble Plaza on BBD Blvd. (both are located in zip code 33613) as acceptable places to vote for in New Tampa.
Remember, whether you enter by mail, email or on our website, there is never any purchase necessary to enter and win, but we do need your first AND last name, the community you live in, your daytime telephone number and a valid email address to be eligible to win any of our FREE dining prizes — and please enter all of your Survey entries by no later than November 16 to be eligible to win prizes! All winners will be announced in our December issues!
If you haven’t yet, but still want to answer any of our other dining questions click on the titles below. Good luck! — GN
We are giving you another chance to win a FREE dining prize of $100, $60 or $35!
Even if you have already entered before, you can still enter and win free dining by also telling us your Favorite Breakfast Place in (or near) New Tampa & Wesley Chapel.
Each time you answer a different Dining Survey question, you’ll receive an additional chance to win one of our FREE dining prizes — to the restaurant of your choice located anywhere in the Tampa Bay area! You all love free dining, right?
Enter by clicking HEREor email the entry form to Ads@NTNeighborhoodNews.com. Even if you already answered any previous questions, you can still enter again by clicking HERE!
Note — Please don’t forget that we include restaurants (and bars) located in Lutz (either on Wesley Chapel Blvd., S.R. 56 or S.R. 54, within two miles of I-75) as Wesley Chapel eateries; and those located in the Palms Connection Plaza on E. Bearss Ave. and the Oak Ramble Plaza on BBD Blvd. (both are located in zip code 33613) as acceptable places to vote for in New Tampa.
Remember, whether you enter by mail, email or on our website, there is never any purchase necessary to enter and win, but we do need your first AND last name, the community you live in, your daytime telephone number and a valid email address to be eligible to win any of our FREE dining prizes — and please enter all of your Survey entries by no later than November 16 to be eligible to win prizes! All winners will be announced in our December issues!
