Congratulations go out to co-owners Victor (at right in top photo) and Armando (not pictured) Ramos and general manager Cristina Casimiro (left in same picture) of Azteca DâOro Mexican Restaurant, which celebrated its one-year anniversary in The Shops at Wiregrass on a rainy June 29.
The authentic Mexican restaurant celebrated with live DJ Rico Smooth (below left) and an outdoor bar in front of the restaurant at 2000 Piazza Ave, Unit 170.Â
âWe were packed earlier today,â Victor said, âbut once the rain hit, it definitely kept away a lot of people, even though it let up.â
We tried to help out by posting on our Facebook page that the anniversary party was still going on â which reached about 5,000 people â but thankfully, Azteca is still open every day for lunch and dinner (we love the made-tableside guacamole, the chicken taquitos and fajitas) and still has mariachi and Latin DJ music every Thursday night and more DJ music every Saturday night. .
For more info, call (813) 527- 6033 or visit Aztecadoro.com.
Both Azteca DâOro in the Shops at Wiregrass (see ad below) and the two Don Julioâs locations (see ad below) will host huge celebrations â with mariachis, food & drink specials and more â for Cinco de Mayo on Saturday the 4th, and the celebrations also will continue on Sunday, the 5th, at both Don Julioâs locations.
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Its unique fusion of Italian and Southern cuisine has made Noble Crust in The Shops at Wiregrass the winner of our readersâ Favorite Restaurant in Wesley Chapel for three consecutive years. (Photos by Charmaine George)Â
Since it only has three locations â Wesley Chapel, Carrollwood and the original in St. Pete â you canât really call Noble Crust a chain.
What you can call it, however, is a three-peat winner as our readersâ 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 readersâ 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 DâOro (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.Â
Although it has been open in the Shops at Wiregrass less than a year, Azteca DâOroâs monster burritos helped make it our readersâ Second Favorite Restaurant in Wesley Chapel for 2023.
A family-owned mini-chain with eight other locations from New Smyrna Beach to Lakeland, Azteca DâOro 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 DâOroâs 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.Â
Grillsmith has been in our readersâ 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.Â
Another perennial favorite, this five-location mini-chain has finished in our readersâ top-10 every year since it opened (including first-place honors as recently as 2020), Grillsmithâs third-place finish this year gives the Shops at Wiregrass a clean sweep of the top-three spots in this yearâs survey.
The restaurantâs fairly-priced American fare, like its âshort-trip fresh fish,â and comfortable bar continue to attract fans among our readers.Â
Although itâs 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.Â
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 âstallâ at Tampaâs 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 didnât hurt its recognition factor with our readers this year.Â
Jumping up from #11 with our readers in 2021, BJâs 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 BJâs and its fair pricing and premium full-liquor bar has helped keep it among our readersâ favoritesÂ
Like BJâs Brewhouse, Bahama Breeze didnât 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.Â
This is by far Fordâs Garageâs highest finish with our readers since 2019, when it finished 11th.
The 22-location chain, which utilizes the Ford Motor Companyâs 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.Â
Bubbaâs 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.
Bubbaâs 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.Â
Congratulations to co-owners Victor and Armando Ramos of the ninth family-owned location of Azteca DâOro, in the space previously occupied by Cantina Laredo in the Shops at Wiregrass.
Azteca Wesley Chapel opened on June 19 and hosted an incredible Grand Opening event the weekend of June 24-25, with a mariachi band and dancers all in traditional Mexican garb â and Victor says that mariachis will play âevery Thursday, 6 p.m.-8 p.m.â
However, while the âfiestaâ music was great and the completely revamped restaurant â which now features not only outdoor seating, but seats both inside and out at the extra-large bar â is beautiful, without great food, it would all mean next to nothing.
Chicken Taquitos.Pork osso bucco. Tableside guacamole. Coctel de camarones (shrimp cocktail).Combo Fajitas. (l.-r.) Azteca DâOro general manager Cristina Casimiro & co-owners Victor & Armando Ramos.
Although I admit to having missed it when three Tampa restaurants were awarded Michelin Stars last month, I wanted to congratulate the owners of Gorkhali Kitchen, the Tampa Bay areaâs only Nepalese-Himalayan restaurant, located in the Cross Creek Center plaza at 10044 Cross Creek Blvd., which was one of only two Tampa eateries to win the Michelin Bib Gourmand award (the other was Psomi, a Greek concept in South Tampa).
Michelin Stars are offered to the best of the most upscale eateries, while the Bib Gourmand awards are given to restaurants with âconsistently good quality, good value cooking,â but both awards are presented only after multiple Michelin Guide inspectors make multiple visits and all agree on the restaurantâs quality.
Gorkhaliâs Nepalese (and Indian) fare includes the countryâs signature Momo dumplings, sizzling Tandoori lamb chops and chicken wings, tender goat dishes and the Nepalese fried rice (with chicken) shown here.
Gorkhali Kitchen co-owners Rajesh Pathak, Reena Widdoes, Poonam Gurung and Menora Panthi have rightfully been inundated with new customers since the announcement.
Gorkhali Kitchen is open every day for lunch and dinner. For more information, call (813) 388-6404 or visit GorkhaliKitchenTampa.com.
Grand Hampton: The Movie Series Makes It To Orlando Film Fest!
Photo provided by Antony Capers.
Speaking of congratulations, I also have to give big props to filmmaker Antony Capers and his talented cast and crew of âGrand Hampton the Movie Series – Super Vita,â which has been invited to the nonprofit Orlando International Film Festival (OIFF) the weekend of July 13-16.
Capers says, âBeing a part of the OIFF is huge, and a great accomplishment. We have no celebrity actors or figures in our movie, we had no production budget, nor any high-end specials effects, but yet myself, and Annette (Simmons-Brown)wrote a movie that had a strong enough story to make an impact.â
Capers & crew, who got to present (photo) and even film a portion of the series at the historic Tampa Theatre in downtown Tampa earlier this year, says that although âGrand Hamptonâ will be one of about 200 short and feature-length films presented at the OIFF, âI think being in this film festival will help expose our âGrand Hampton the Movieâ brand to a wider audience… Hopefully being in the festival, we can get enough eyes on it and possibly get a movie or production deal from Netflix, HULU or a service like that because our story is very unique and different.â
To see all episodes of âGrand Hampton,â visit âGrand Hampton the Movie Seriesâ on Youtube.
Sportsmanâs Warehouse To Replace Best Buy In August
Those who enjoy outdoor activities â including hunting, shooting, fishing, camping, boating, outdoor cooking, etc. â will be thrilled to know that Sportsmanâs Warehouse is expected to open in The Walk at Highwoods Preserve (in the former location of Best Buy) on (or around) Thursday, August 17.
For more info, including how to register to win a GMC AT4 truck and outdoor gear package, visit Sportsmans.com.
Azteca DâOro Is Open At The Shops At Wiregrass!
Although it wasnât yet open when we went to press with this issue, the opening of the new Azteca dâOro Mexican restaurant at the Shops at Wiregrass (across from The Living Room; left photo) took place last week, with a Grand Opening event the weekend of June 24-25.
We were planning to visit and take both pictures and video last week, so look for updates on NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net as soon as you receive this issue in your mailbox.
I met with co-owner Victor Ramos and the rest of the Azteca team the day this issue went to press, where I got the only picture I could (right photo) of a fully completed area inside this beautiful new, upscale Mexican dining experience.
Azteca dâOro (2000 Piazza Ave., Unit 170) is open every day for lunch and dinner, with Aztecaâs âBuy One, Get Oneâ Happy Hour available all day on Sunday and Monday-Saturday, 3 p.m.-6 p.m.). For more information, visit Aztecadoro.com.
Checking Out The Third Annual Rum & Seafood Festival!Â
Our congratulations go out to Florida Penguin Productions for putting on a successful third-annual Rum & Seafood Festival at the Tampa Premium Outlets on June 3, despite the constant threat of bad weather that could have caused the eventâs cancellation.
A steady stream of adult visitors paid $15 per person to get into the Festival, which featured live music, dozens of vendors â including Siesta Key and Sailor Jerry rums, FishHawk Spirits and Jack Danielâs Tennessee Whiskey â and great seafood food trucks like Charm City Eats, Super Grouper, Got Lobstah? and From the Soul to the Sea. Among this yearâs highlights were the Crab Races (that I unfortunately missed) and the ârooftopâ bar.
The North Tampa Bay Chamber received a portion of the eventâs proceeds.
