Tampa Restaurants and Dining

(Tampa, Florida - FL, USA)

Tampa's restaurant scene is no shabby affair; the city's success as both a business and tourist center has ensured the growth of exceptionally high standard dining venues and cuisine alike. The international options in Tampa are plentiful and include: French, Thai, Japanese, Mexican and Pacific-Rim, as well as a wealth of authentic Hispanic eateries in Tampa's Ybor district.

Dining options are endless, offering customers the opportunity to pay a handful of dollars for an all-you-can-eat affair or considerably more for haute cuisine in five-star restaurants. Meanwhile, those looking for a quick bite will be pleased to see all the regular fast food favorites that can also be found in Tampa.

Opening Hours

With some variations between districts and types of restaurants, the general opening times of Tampa eateries start around 07:00 for breakfast, with many dinner restaurants staying open until 22:00. As in most large US cities, Tampa is home to 24-hour diners for those wanting a fill-up at less sociable hours. Dinner restaurants tend to open around 17:00 and generally close at 22:00, although some may remain open until midnight.

Wine and Beer

Tampa's Ybor and waterfront districts are the best places to go in search of bars and similar establishments. The waterfront's Channelside complex is a massive center for leisure and entertainment and offers a wealth of choices for those seeking an evening of drinking and dining. Meanwhile, Ybor is home to a number of trendy restaurants and wine bars and is the perfect place to grab a drink, sit back and appreciate the chic environment.

Breakfast

Tampa's restaurant options are plentiful with choices to suit all tastes and budgets. If you're on the move, then the downtown area's bakery and coffee pit stops are just what you'll be looking for. Bagels, doughnuts, subs and pretzels can all be grabbed along with a cup of fresh roast and appreciated at your leisure. For a more relaxed affair in Tampa you'll also find some fantastic restaurants offering full breakfast menus with everything from omelets, pancakes and waffles to fruit, eggs and seafood dishes. Tampa's 24-hour diners are also open for breakfast, offering their own unique style of cheap and cheerful breakfast fare.

Lunch

Dining at lunchtime in Tampa can be as simple or as elaborate as you wish and prices run the gamut. In the Tampa Bay area, where Busch Gardens is located, you'll find many of the eateries and restaurants cater for the tourist population, and food style and cost is adjusted appropriately. In Tampa's downtown district and particularly the waterfront area, dining options and quality lunchtime cuisine aimed at the business community is widely available. Alternatively, for those on a strict time schedule, the ever popular take away food outlets offer there own brand of lunchtime fare.

Dinner

The Ybor district is a good spot for evening dinner, with its great selection of Cuban and Spanish restaurants. However, the most popular dining area in Tampa is along South Howard Avenue. Located between West Kennedy Boulevard and the bay in Hyde Park, this area of Tampa is better known to the locals as Soho and offers some great seafood eateries and a range of restaurants from almost every ethnic background.