While not quite as well-known as Orlando or Miami, Tampa makes up one-third of Florida’s Bay Area, alongside Clearwater and St. Petersburg. This Gulf of Mexico city is currently undergoing a major gastronomic renewal. Where once there were only chain restaurants to choose from, there are now independently owned gems sourcing local produce and food trucks keeping traditional Florida cooking alive. Tampa is now even home to a culinary-focused hotel, The Epicurean, where guests can enjoy wine tastings and gourmet meals as well as chocolate spa pedicures. To help craft the ultimate newcomer's dining tour, we reached out to local food experts Jeff Houck, food writer for the Tampa Tribune; Dorangela Mazzone Bobet, creator of Two Prince Bakery Theater; and Jeff Gigante, owner of Ciccio Restaurant Group. Here are the places they suggest visiting first. 

By Delia Paunescu

913 E. Hillsborough Ave.

Before food trucks became the rage, Taco Bus was serving authentic northern Mexican fare from its school-bus kitchen parked behind a small dining room on Hillsborough Avenue. It’s now up to five different locations, all popular with vegetarians and vegans, but the original bus stays true to its humble roots. 

912 W. Kennedy Blvd.

Chef Jeannie Pierola’s imagination runs wild here, producing a menu that merges science with comfort food. 

5137 N. Florida Ave.

Chef Greg Baker and wife Michelle led the newest wave of locavore eating in Tampa, and became James Beard semifinalists in the process. Their Seminole Heights restaurant boasts an eclectic menu that changes weekly and is based on seasonal ingredients. 

2020 W. Kennedy Blvd.   

Started as an independent operation in owners Dave and Susan Ward’s garage, Buddy Brew has grown into a wholesale business that currently outfits 75 different establishments with their expertly roasted coffees. 

2616 S. MacDill Ave.

Houck describes this South Tampa favorite as “if Willy Wonka had a restaurant.” 

420 W. Kennedy Blvd.

One of Tampa’s main draws has always been the historic Plant Hotel, which lines the Hillsborough River. As of 2012, the University of Tampa’s glimmering minarets now share that spotlight with Oxford Exchange, a mash-up of a high-end restaurant, coffee shop, tea lounge, bookshop, housewares store and meeting space, which took over the hotel’s former horse barn. “It has to be seen to be understood, but it has taken Tampa by storm,” Houck assures. 

3904 N. Armenia Ave.

For a truly great Cuban sandwich, head deep into the heart of Tampa’s Hispanic community to this cozy sandwich shop. It’s a favorite with visiting politicians and locals alike, who come for garbanzo bean soup, cafe con leche and an eyeful of the neighborhood residents. 

1208 S. Howard Ave.

A Tampa institution, Bern’s opened as a steak sandwich shop back in 1953. Today, the seemingly haunted mansion stands proud as a truly impressive family-owned establishment. Reservations are necessary but entirely worth it for a filet that comes with a loaded baked potato, seasonal salad, and organic sides (Bern’s even has its own farm where seasonal goodies are grown for the restaurant). 

901 S. Howard Ave. 

Part of the Ciccio Restaurant Group’s South Tampa block, Daily Eats is among the more casual of the bunch. Owner Jeff Gigante calls it “where comfort meets nutrition trends for all-day cheap dates.” Bobet has a similar idea: “It’s great food with a mix of trendy-yet-nostalgic diner feel,” she said. The place is popular (read: crowded) for breakfast most days, and especially so at brunch on the weekends. 

15491 N. Dale Mabry Hwy.

While the brewery led the craft-beer revolution in Florida, establishing Tampa as a beer lover’s haven, Houck calls the Cigar City Brewpub in Carrollwood “a theme park for beer geeks, with hops, barley sacks and bottles used in the decor, and even beer barrels as chandeliers over the bar.”