tampabayrealtor

I've searched the site and can't find ANYTHING about dining out in Manilla. Does anyone have suggestions, or could you point me to a good resource? Will be there for a little over a week and would like great local food ranging from local dives to the finest restaurants. Thanks in advance!

We went to Key West at Thanksgiving and were stunned that there were so many FANTASTIC restaurants. We ate exceptionally well (it was chilly out so great food became the focus of our trip), and were rarely disappointed. Here's our list of excellent Key West finds--most of which were "locals" kinds of places. Louie's Backyard: Love the outdoor setting, with multi-level decks looking over the water. Food's great, too! Pisces: Fabulous fine dining. Just thinking of the lobster bisque I enjoyed there makes me want to jump in the car and drive 8 hours. Hmmmm. (I understand that this used to be "Cafe de Artistes") Michaels: Excellent wine list and dinner spot. Sarabeth's: The best breakfast spot EVER. I suspect they do well with other meals as well, but didn't have the pleasure. Next time! Blue Heaven: Great outdoor atmosphere. A little touristy, but excellent. Actually Richard, the owner, is the one who turned us on to many of the other great places we ate. Seven Fish: Minimalist decor--not our TOP pick but it was very good. Lots of pasta and fish; a bit less pricey than most of the others. Alice's: Liked this enough to eat here twice--lunch and dinner. Both were fabulous. 915 Duval: We actually just stopped in here for some wine, but had a great time. Met some very nice people and a cute dog, as I recall. Can't wait to go back!

Robyn--THANK YOU for recommending Opus 39 in St. Augustine, FL. It was nothing short of perfect through and through--food, wine, and service. And really not all that pricey. We will definitely hit The Tasting Room next time we're in St. Augustine. We did also find "Collage", a new name in the St. Augustine restaurant scene, and found it to be excellent. It is also in the historic downtown district. They had a quiet and comfortable dining area and fabulous steaks (5 variations) along with some great seafood selections. And their homemade coconut ice cream was awesome! If anyone is looking for fun quality waterfront dining in St. Augustine, I can recommend "Cap's on the Water" a bit northeast of the historic district off of A1A. We were thrilled to find such great dining in St. Augustine. We'll be back!

Thanks for what appear to be GREAT suggestions! I made reservations at Pisces Key West for Thanksgiving day and will go to Alice's for their big dinner that Tuesday. And we'll be sure to get to 915 Duval while we're there, too. Very much appreciate the advice!

We're heading down to Key West for the week of Thanksgiving and are wondering if we'll find any fine dining on Thanksgiving Day. Any ideas?

I like having a "theme" to my wine parties. You can use: - Country/region of wine origin - Wine type (zinfandel, cabernet sauvignon, pinot grigio, etc.) - Winery My personal favorite is by wine type so you can compare across brands, but I sometimes use the other formats in recognition of the fact that some people don't like every wine type (I do) and may be disappointed to find that the "wine of the evening" is not one they'll drink. I think I'd let the purchaser of the wine provide the matching cheese. In my crowd, the cheese is not overly analyzed. Just have fun. Good luck! Laurie Kimball Madeira Beach, FL

Oh, man. This is really making me miss OBX. Despite now living on a beautiful Florida beach, I still love the Outer Banks and am hoping to get back for a visit soon. I've been gone for a couple of years now, but I used to go there every other weekend for about 6 years. These were my favorites: (MP stands for mile post and indicates where on the island it is located. Numbers run north to south with lowest numbers being north) Red Sky Cafe, Duck - Great lunch spot (and maybe dinner) with outstanding sandwiches and a really nice atmosphere. Good variety of wine and beers. Rundown Cafe, MP2 - Great basic carribbean-style foods. Excellent jerk chick and black beans and rice. Awful Arthurs, MP5 - Classic OBX place with dark wood downstairs and windows to the ocean upstairs. Relatively inexpensive, but really good fresh seafood. If you like raw oysters you absolutely must go. Goombays, MP7 - An old favorite of mine. Good variety of food and prices and all are good. Love the Jazzy Coconut chicken. Also a good place if you just feel like hanging out at the bar--try the Goombay Smash. Ocean Boulevard, MP4(?) - A nice upscale restaurant if you're in the mood for it. Good wine selection, food, and atsmosphere. Jolly Roger, MP6 - Dirt cheap breakfasts that are quite good. Homemade sunflower seed bread is excellent. Can even buy a loaf to take home with you if you ask! Also a good place if you're looking for bloody mary's/mimosas in the morning. Sam & Omie's, MP16 - I agree that their food is not all great. But it is a perfect BREAKFAST spot. Ask for cheese on your potatoes. Yumm. Red Drum Taphouse, MP11 - Excellent selection of beers on tap and fantastic food. Mid-range prices. Tortuga's, MP12(?) - PLEASE send me a fish taco if you go here. This a definitely a favorite. Inexpensive. Mulligans, MP11 - Food is good. Typically went here for drinks and to see live bands. Outer Banks Brewing Station, MP8 - This was relatively new when I moved away, but I had started to like it a lot. Excellent food and music, and just a good atmosphere. A little bit (but not much) more upscale than the typical "beach bars". Have a blast.

I was in Bologna last June and had a fabulous dinner at a somewhat upscale restaurant named Rodrigo. One of my most enjoyable meals during 2 weeks in Italy. Food was excellent and I very much enjoyed the atmosphere--I recall a very comfortable yet elegant setting and a lot of local business people out for dinners there.

I would second the recommendation for Mazzaro's on 22nd Avenue in St. Petersburg. They have an incredible selection of fresh meats, cheeses, dry foods, and the best bakery you could ask for. Their coffee is absolutely the best. And they recently added a large wine selection, too! I have two other favorite small stores in Pinellas. First is Shaner's Land & Sea in Pass-a-grille, an adorable beach town at the southern tip of the Gulf beaches. They've got the best seafood around. Second is Natural Foods on Central Avenue in southwestern St. Petersburg for a good variety of healthy/organic foods. Be aware that not all Publix are created equal. There are some fantastic Publix stores in Tampa, but most of the Publix in St. Petersburg and the beaches are just okay. Sweetbay is a welcome addition. If I get going on restaurants in the area this will go on forever. I have a list of restaurants and my own reviews on my web site--PM me if you'd like that web address. Good luck! Please let me know if I can help further. Laurie