Dining and Drinking

Tampa Bay is a land of natural abundance. All manner of fish thrive in the warm waters of the Gulf, and the region's more than 2,500 farms harvest everything from winter vegetables to spring strawberries. You'll find the most dining options near the Airport, in Ybor City and in the area around the University of South Florida.

Tampa Airport/Westshore

Bern's Steakhouse is equally celebrated, and is known worldwide for its excellent cuts of beef and extensive wine cellar. Owned and operated by the Laxer family for more than 40 years, Bern's continues to win praise from judges for its stained glass lamps, its U.S. prime beef (aged up to 10 weeks in special lockers), and herbs and vegetables grown just for this restaurant. You will also find a 65-page dessert menu and the comparatively new addition, Sidebern's, designed to accommodate the main restaurant's overflow of diners with a taste of what it calls "One World Cuisine." While those two retain all their justifiable fame in Tampa Bay, they have been joined by a host of competitors offering a wide range of dining opportunities, both elegant and casual.

Donatello features Northern Italian cuisine, served amid glittering crystal by tuxedoed waiters. The restaurant has won numerous awards for its excellence in food and service. Armani's aims toward the pinnacle of Tampa Bay dining, both literally and figuratively—it sits high atop the Hyatt Regency Westshore, overlooking Tampa Bay. It is a local favorite for views and equally popular for its stylish Italian cuisine and a notable wine list. With a view of the Bay that inspired its name, Oystercatchers is tucked into a 35-acre nature preserve and lures diners with seafood plucked straight from the waters and served in a stylish setting.

Busch Gardens/University of South Florida

Tampa Bay likes its beer; it is the site of the state's first brewery, the Florida Brewing Company (est. 1897). Anheuser-Busch brews and dispenses its suds at a special exhibit in its Busch Gardens theme park. The smoked seafood at Skipper's Smokehouse can't be beat, while the cooks at The Cuban Sandwich Shop know how to prepare traditional Cuban fare with a modern twist. Try the Media Noche, their take on ham and cheese. The Mongolian Beef at Fu Wah Chinese Restaurant keeps the dining area packed. Ristorante Francesco is worth a stop if you're in the mood for savory, traditional Italian, while Taj has a wide variety of Indian favorites.

Ybor City

Bistros have broken out all over, turning up by the dozens in Ybor City. Ovo Art Café caters to the chic with a flower-bedecked dining room and soft music. Le Bordeaux turned a bungalow into a bistro, and Mise En Place lives up to its name, situated across from the onion domes of the whimsically magnificent Tampa Bay Hotel.

The region's claims to culinary fame have traditionally rested on two dining mainstays. The sprawling Columbia Restaurant, Florida's oldest dining establishment, has been serving up blue margaritas and Spanish cuisine since 1905, and racking up dozens of awards in the process. Here, you can dine in one of 11 ornately decorated dining rooms that cover an entire city block! Bernini Restaurant features a changing array of delicacies, from beef laced with white truffles to an upmarket Vesuvio Pizza topped with three-chili oil, sun-dried tomatoes, chicken and smoked mozzarella.

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