Tampa wine and food

I am going to visit some friends in Tampa in February. Looking for recommendations for great wine and dining experience. Thanks ahead of time for the recommendations!

If you’ve never been to Bern’s, make it a wine destination.

Thanks Ed. Bern’s looks to be the spot for sure. Wine list looks exhausting. Good seeing you in Dogpatch the other night. Hopefully next time we meet it will be under lighter circumstances.

I go regularly for Berns and have not found anything good foodwise. My standards are extremely high.

their duck confit is great. And with Burgs, wow.

Just to clarify I was talking about places other than Berns. At Berns I try to get as many 1/2 portion sizes as possible as I am usually there for several hours. I love the Chicken Bern with Burgs and the Duck Confit. Chef has also been doing an off menu mushroom dish for me that works great. And after many visits I discovered one of the best things on the menu. You can order a steak sandwich in the Bar…it is only available in the Bar because Bern wanted an affordable dish for the locals.

Tampa food scene has really stepped up in the last few years. Many good options to choose from. Not on par yet with other major cities but we’re getting there. Best thing is everything is very corkage friendly other than Berns which I would never bring a bottle to.

Il Ritorno in St Pete
Oak and Ola and Steelbach at Armature Works downtown Tampa
Cena- solid Italian downtown Tampa
On Swann
Ichicoro for fantastic Ramen. Also a location in St Pete
Little Lamb Gastro Pub- one of our favorite small chef driven restaurants. Great little wine list and $15 corkage.

These are just a few of our favorites.

Cheers

Other than Berns, I haven’t found any place solid for wine. When I go to Berns I go for the wine as I find the food mediocre.

But the good thing is that most restaurants will allow you to BYO for reasonable corkage. Restaurants I like are Restaurant BT (French-Vietnamese), Rooster & the Till (innovative and ever-changing small plates and they also have a tasting menu), Cena and Oak & Ola which are mentioned by Fred above, Parts of Paris (French Bistro in Safety Harbor). I’ve brought my own to all of these although I’ve had to develop a relationship with Chef BT in order to get permission to bring my own to her restaurant so I think that one may still not be BYO for all.

Il Ritorno has become our favorite restaurant in Tampa. We did the tasting menu Friday night. They only allow 1 bottle for corkage but have a decent selection of fairly priced wines. The GM/Somm came from Eleven Madison and really knows his food and wine. The chef owner is one of the best we have in town.

Good to know Fred. I will try it. I also like that they are open on Sunday. Not many are.

Paul- I also highly recommend The Little Lamb gastro pub in Safety Harbor. $15 corkage and awesome chef owned restaurant.Looks like you know the area well. If you come to town a bunch shoot me a pm. I travel during the week but am around on weekends.

Thanks Fred. I’m there about once a month. Right now it’s weekdays but when weather gets better and wife wants to come too then it will be weekends.

Noted this as well, we are out in the SF Bay Area for a year but call Tampa Bay home and will be returning next year, have not heard of this little spot and we used to live in Clearwater Area so will definitely try it out when we return! But agree Il Ritorno is phenomenal!

New Gonzmart Restaurant group Casa Santo Stefano in Ybor City. Terrific Southern Italy comfort food. Really solid dishes and a great Sicilian wine list. Top notch spot to try if you come to Tampa.

Haven is part of the Bern’s family, and is a more casual dining. Edisons food and drink lab near downtown Tampa is really good, and they like to make craft cocktails.