Tasting Tampa’s Top 10 – Seminole Heights

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The Refinery – Duh.  One of the best spots in Tampa, multiple James Beard nods, most all ingredients are local, great vibe, badass brunch (get the Walrus and the Carpenter!!!), extremely reasonable prices, and a great deck.  Oh yeah also great beer and very inexpensive wine.  What the heck is not to like?

The Independent – Aah, the Indy.  Many a memory has been made at the Indy, and while we’re being honest, many a loss of memory too.  Craft beer, live music, cool bartenders, yummy sammiches & brats, and a really laid back décor make this a neighborhood staple.

Cappys Pizzeria – You may have read our South Tampa Top Ten where I gabbed on about Cappys, and I hate to be redundantly redundant, but this place has frickin EXCELLENT Chicago pizza.  I mean excellent.  God Bless you sweet, sweet hipsters for rockin’ out these baller-ass pies on a daily basis.  Also kudos for not allowing screaming children to blow our evening.

The Mermaid Tavern – Internet high five to whoever did the design at this place, because it is cool as all hell.  Also one of the best beer selections in our fair city, knowledgeable bartenders, and it’s kind of like drinking craft brews inside Mark Twain’s brain.  Or at least that’s how I see it, and I have a keyboard, so there!  Also they have a solid menu with multiple veggie-friendly options, if you haven’t been yet then you’re missing out.

Domani Bistro – Domani is Italian for “tomorrow”.  There, you learned something, you can leave work early today.  Don’t worry, just tell them Todd said it was OK.  Also, Domani has one of the better cocktail programs in Tampa, and an excellent Modern-Italian menu (Pulpo Confit?  Yes pls.) so they are well worth a visit.  Makes me jealous of you Seminole Heights-ians, were it not for Pane Rustica and Sidebern’s, I might move up there.

Ella’s Americana Folk Art Café – BRUNCH.  BLOODY MARYS SERVED WITH A RIB AS A GARNISH.  That’s pretty much all you need to know, go have a nice 4-hour meal on a Sunday Funday when the weather is nice, as the outdoor seating beneath the grand old oak trees is pretty bomb.

Taco Bus – They don’t close.  Like at all.  That means after having too much fun at the above mentioned spots and generating a brain-crushing desire for Mexican food, you just have to drive (nay, walk, we don’t condone having too much fun and then driving) a few minutes away to have food cooked in a non-mobile school bus.  The tacos are yummy, but dude, get a torta.  Also if you don’t know what a torta is, wikipedia that mess like yesterday, and curse every day you have been alive prior to today, as each of those days was essentially meaningless.  Also you’re welcome.  Now go eat a torta.

Reservations Gourmet To Go – I think they’re closing for the summer because they’re adding a wee one to their family, so you may not be able to go there immediately after reading this (sorry), but keep it on the back burner because (nevermind, they’re open it’s just late night they are axing for now)  it’s a great spot to grab tasty (mostly Italian inspired) dishes, that are really well executed and it bums me out that this place doesn’t get more love.  They deserve it.

Yummy House China Bistro – OK so this may not technically be in Seminole Heights, but damn if it isn’t one of the absolute best restaurants in Tampa (the all-of-Tampa Top Ten will be coming one day, don’t worry), and it’s only maybe a mile east of Taco Bus, so quitcher bitchin.  Get the egg drop soup and put chili oil in it.  Get the seafood tofu hotpot.  Get something with tripe in it.  OK fine, here is the secret to doing Yummy House: go with a group of 6-8 people (preferably one of which is a foodie and/or Asian), let the foodie (and/or Asian) order, don’t ask any questions, just enjoy the next hour of mind-blowing flavor happiness in yo’ mouf.  Also it is well decorated so this works like a champ for date night / whatev.

Front Porch Grille & Bar – This place is a big-ass house.  Pretty sure that’s the technical jargon for an edifice of considerable proportions which was once a residential domicile prior to becoming a cool-ass restaurant.  I dig the ‘Porch, it’s really more of a scene than it is a foodie destination, but it’s a fun place to hang out and they have a good happy hour.  And it’s a big-ass house.  Bonus.