NT/WC’s Favorite Asian & Latin Restaurants

Shrimp-fried rice

Liang’s Bistro has been a consistent winner as the Favorite Asian Restaurant in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel pretty much every year since it opened and its location on BBD Blvd. in New Tampa (near I-75) is the favorite sit-down, upscale Chinese/Asian fusion restaurant in either of our distribution areas.

Liang’s has wonderful NY-style barbecued spare ribs, egg rolls and pan-fried dumplings, and even offers a popular seared ahi tuna appetizer.

The signature dishes at Liang’s include General Tso’s chicken, orange chicken, beef or shrimp, Mongolian beef, chicken or shrimp, excellent sizzling teriyaki or Shanghai-style steak and Liang’s recently added salmon and tuna pokĂ© bowls. 

Another thing that sets Liang’s apart in our area is that it also offers Korean BBQ, Thai curry dishes and Japanese-style, as well as Chinese-style, fried rice.

You also have to try the sautĂ©ed string beans (I order them spicy), with or without ground chicken. Liang’s also serves beer and wine.

2 — Kobe Japanese Steakhouse has been our readers’ favorite Japanese steak house in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel pretty much every year it’s been open and it also serves great sushi, to go with top-quality hibachi steak, chicken and seafood.

3 — Bonsai Sushi was originally located on Bearss Ave., just south of New Tampa, but its Shoppes of New Tampa at Wesley Chapel location has been even more popular for delicious, fresh sushi and other Japanese specialties.

4 — Umu Japanese & Thai Since opening in the former OTB CafĂ© space in the plaza across from AdventHealth WC, Umu has been a local favorite with the best selection of white meat fish sushi, plus entrĂ©es like miso sake Chilean sea bass.

5 — China Wok has takeout locations in the WC Village Market and one on County Line Rd. in New Tampa. Since many of our readers didn’t specify which one they were voting for, it’s possible that neither finished this high. 

The Next 10, in order of votes: Arroy Thai (WC), Asian Buffet, Sushi Cafe, Thai Ruby, Koizi, Hibachi Express, China Gourmet, Palm Thai, Thai Lanna, Gonna China.

FAVORITE LATIN: Vallarta’s

Vallarta’s Restaurante Mexicano (aka Los Vallarta) was the first Mexican place to open in Wesley Chapel and even though so many other Mexican places in both of our distribution areas have come and gone, it seems that Vallarta’s still strikes the balance that resonates with our readers for its authenticity, food quality and price. 

There’s also good reasons why Vallarta’s is loved by the locals in all of its locations in the Tampa Bay area — even though its Tampa Palms restaurant closed in 2019.

First of all, we still think Vallarta’s has the best sizzling fajitas of any Mexican or Southwest place in New Tampa or Wesley Chapel. You also simply can’t beat the variety of tacos, nachos, burritos, quesadillas or enchiladas, but we also love the selection of steak, pork and chicken entrĂ©es, as well as the awesome daily and Happy Hour specials at its full liquor bar.

In other words, the Wesley Chapel Vallarta’s is here to stay. 

2 — Cantina Laredo Wesley Chapel’s most upscale Mexican eatery is definitely a really nice restaurant with very good food and a premium full-liquor bar, even though it is a little pricy. Try the guacamole made tableside. 

3 — Chuy’s Tex-Mex is still a relative newcomer to Wesley Chapel’s Latin restaurant scene (this is only its 2nd year in our survey), but it continues to attract plenty of votes from our readers for its food, full liquor bar and Elvis-themed vibe. 

4 — Rice N Beans also has been open in Wesley Chapel for less than two years and its focus is on unique Puerto Rican dishes like mofongo and chicharrones, plus live music, salsa dancing and a premium, full-liquor bar.

5 — Las Palmas has the best Cuban around, having won the Best of Tampa top award twice, so it’s not open to debate. Start with a Tour of Havana Trio, but don’t forget to try the roasted pork and steak entrĂ©es.

The Next 10, in order of votes: Latin Twist, Capital Tacos, Chipotle, Tijuana Flats, Don Julio’s, Moe’s, Lima, Pollo Tropical, Taco Son, Taco Bus.

A CELEBRATION OF FOOD!

Thanks to delicious steaks like this, Stonewood Grill & Tavern is New Tampa’s favorite restaurant again.

There isn’t anyone alive today who hasn’t been touched by Covid-19 in one way or another. Restaurants, however, were more than touched. They have practically been strangled.

This year has been arguably the hardest on the hospitality industry in American history, thanks to the pandemic that has been a living nightmare and is likely to have long-lasting effects.

Locally, as the novel coronavirus spread through the state, restaurants were closed in the spring for more than a month. Employees lost their jobs. Owners had to pivot to a takeout model for survival, and the community rallied around many of them. Facebook pages implored their communities to place orders and help local eatery owners stay afloat.

But, even as restaurants, and finally bars, reopened, tables inside remained empty. The fear is real. Covid-19 is still in full (or is it fuller?) swing, businesses in virtually every industry — but especially restaurants — still haven’t bounced all the way back, and the road to full recovery is a long one.

Cali – Tampa Palms is always among New Tampa’s top 5 favorites.

So this year, it’s our hope that our annual Reader Dining Survey & Contest results will serve as a celebration of food and drink, and of all of our readers’ favorite places in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel.

The number of you who took part in the survey this year was less than half of those who entered last year, although a lot of that probably can be attributed to the fact that we didn’t spend nearly as much time in restaurants and bars in 2020 as we have in previous years.

But nonetheless, more than 100 restaurants and bars in the Wesley Chapel and New Tampa area received votes in one category or another.

In the favorite restaurant category, 99 restaurants in Wesley Chapel and New Tampa received votes. More than 25 Asian restaurants were selected as the favorite by readers, 26 restaurants offering sweets like cake, ice cream and drinks were chosen, and more 30 different pizza places — yes, 30! — received votes. That is a lot of choices, people. And clearly, you do have your favorites.

Let’s start with the top 20 Restaurants in New Tampa as chosen by our readers.

1 — STONE GRILL & TAVERN
Stonewood Grill & Tavern in Tampa Palms has been either the #1 or #2 favorite restaurant in New Tampa every year since it opened and this year was no exception under new managing partner Matt Passardi.

For anyone who has never tried Stonewood, it combines fresh fish and seafood, perhaps the best variety of hand-cut steaks of any restaurant in either of our distribution areas (Longhorn and Outback are the only ones even close), and the addition of lunch a couple of years ago definitely enhanced its standing as New Tampa’s favorite place for a great, more-upscale meal out, whether for lunch, dinner or even Sunday brunch.

Yes, Stonewood now offers “bottomless bubbles” (for just $12 per person), along with unique brunch items like a crab cake or prime rib “Benny,” creme brulĂ©e French toast and shrimp and grits on Sundays, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

And yes, Stonewood may also have New Tampa’s favorite upscale bar scene, even though it didn’t make the top-10 in this year’s Survey.  

2 — Cali-Tampa Palms (nee Ciccio Cali)
The name has changed, but Cali was the first to bring “bowl culture” to New Tampa and still has some of the best wrap sandwiches, stir-fry dishes and thin-crust pizzas in our area.

3 — Mr. Dunderbak’s
While it may have originally been located in the University Mall, Mr. Dunderbak’s has been New Tampa’s favorite German eatery since its move more than a decade ago to the Oak Ramble plaza south of Tampa Palms. 

4 — The Fat Rabbit
Although it has only been open for a few years in Tampa Palms, The Fat Rabbit has made its mark on not only our readers but our staff as well — especially since it added a fresh catch entrĂ©e to its more upscale sports bar fare (amazing wings & burgers, and don’t forget the side of tater tots!). 

5 — Liang’s Bistro
Liang’s Bistro has been among the top-10 in New Tampa with our readers every year since it opened and continues to be your favorite Asian restaurant in our area — for good reason. Our faves are the NY-style appetizers. 

Dining Survey: New Tampa Favorites

In our 2016 Reader Dining Survey & Contest, the top three restaurants — according to more than 500 readers who submitted surveys — in both of our distribution areas were all part of small local or regional chains and in New Tampa, seven of the top ten also are links in (albeit small) chains. The interesting thing to me was that the larger national and regional chains, which could only receive Write-In votes on our Dining Survey again this year, got fewer votes and points than ever before.

Stonewood Grill & Tavern made it back to the top spot as our readers “Favorite Restaurant in New Tampa.” Last year’s winner, Burger 21, dropped to #3 with our readers and last year’s #5 — Ciccio Cali — moved up three spots to #2. In fact, for the third straight year, the same ten restaurants in New Tampa received the most points from our readers as last year, although once again, the orders of those ten restaurants has changed.

We will be posting winners in individual categories all week, so make sure you check back! For now, here are your overall favorites in New Tampa.

1. Stonewood Grill & Tavern

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. Kobe Japanese Steakhouse
7. Mr. Dunderbak’s
8. Oakley’s Grille
9. Koizi Endless Hibachi & Sushi
10. Vallarta’s TP
11. Café Ole
12. Cappy’s Pizza
13. Thai Ruby
14. Little Greek
15. Las Palmas
16. Mulligan’s Irish Pub
17. Sukhothai
18. Full Circle Pizza
19. Sushi Café
20. Woodfired Pizza (Bearss)
21. Lanna Thai
22. Taste of NY Pizza
23. Casa Ramos
24. Peabody’s Billiards & Games
25. Saffron Indian Cuisine
*-Zaytoun Mediterranean Grill was 24th, but has since closed

26-50 in alphabetical order
Cantina
Capri Pizza
Chick-fil-A
China City
China Wok
Cross Creek Deli
Fong’s Sushi
Fushia Asian Bistro
Ginza Edndless Hibachi & Sushi
Glory Days Grill
Hawkeye’s NYS Pizza
Ho King
Hoosier’s Grille (Heritage Isles CC)
Hunter’s Green Country Club
Minerva Indian Restaurant
Orchid Thai
Petra Mediterranean Express
Pita’s Republic
PJ Dolan’s Irish Pub
Ruby Tuesday
Season’s Fresh CafĂ©
Sushi Avenue
Tabla Indian Cuisine
Tarek’s CafĂ©
Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club
Top Thai