Tampa Restaurants Question

[DeVeaux]

I'm going to Tampa for the first time from 7/21 to 8/2 for a conference. Does anyone know anywhere good to eat around the Marriott Waterside? We won't have cars, so we'll be looking to walk or ride public transport.

[DeVeaux]

Thanks all for the underwhelming response.

[Susan in FL]

Sorry you didn't get your hoped-for replies yet. Perhaps like me, others were away on vacations without internet access or without time for being online. I'll add a subtitle to your post which will maybe draw attention to the inquiry about this area of Tampa in particular and bring more response. There are a number of threads in this forum about Tampa in general.

When we stayed at the Tampa Marriott Waterside, one of the restaurants where we ate was Jackson's Bistro-Bar-Sushi. It was good, and worth eating there especially since it was walking distance, on Harbour Island Blvd. We wanted to have dinner at Il Terrazzo, which is in the hotel, but it was closed for remodeling at the time.

Another night we took a cab to Bern's, which you will find discussed in several threads here in the Florida Forum.

[DeVeaux]

Thanks.

I read that there was a trolley to Ybor City from the Waterfront area - does it run on weekday evenings? Is the Columbia Restaurant any good there? Their web site looked interesting.

The sushi sounds good, but I doubt the rest of the gang from Kansas will want to go there. They nearly had a stroke a couple of years ago when I ordered cabrito in San Antonio. Bern's might be right up their alley.

[Susan in FL]

I'm not sure how recently accurate this is, but the last I knew was that the Tampa-Ybor Trolley was $.50, was running from 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM daily, and had something like 17 stops between Ybor City and Harbour Island. I would imagine that the hotel would have this information and could tell you ahead of time if you called.

[jBo]

I was just there yesterday...and I ate at a tapas place (Tina's Tapas?). Oh, yeah baby! The (red) sangria was yummy!!!!

I feel like a dork, but I can't remember what street it was on, but it's walking distance from the Marriott. It's by Hooters, so ask the hotel staff, they'll know.

[wrek92]

I was just there yesterday...and I ate at a tapas place (Tina's Tapas?).  Oh, yeah baby!  The (red) sangria was yummy!!!!

I feel like a dork, but I can't remember what street it was on, but it's walking distance from the Marriott.  It's by Hooters, so ask the hotel staff, they'll know.

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I think you are talking about Channelside. There are a good number of restaurants and bars. It's on the east side of the St. Pete Times forum. Here is a link

Channelside

I ate at Grill 29 about a year ago. It's definitely a more upscale place but since this is Florida I have seen customers in shorts. The food was good but I certainly would not categorize it as spectacular.

Hope that helps.

[DeVeaux]

Thanks. It looks like Channelside is just a short walk from the Marriott, so I'll have to check out Tina's Tapas Sunday night.

I just found out that we're having out Board of Directors' dinner in Ybor at the Columbia Tuesday night, and they said we're taking the trolley there, so I'm looking forward to that.

[Scherb]

Thanks. It looks like Channelside is just a short walk from the Marriott, so I'll have to check out Tina's Tapas Sunday night.

I just found out that we're having out Board of Directors' dinner in Ybor at the Columbia Tuesday night, and they said we're taking the trolley there, so I'm looking forward to that.

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Probably your best bet for food is Mise en Place, which is on Grand Central, on the west side of the river. It's a bit of a hike, especially when it's as hot as it's been here lately, but it's a very short cab ride there. The trolley doesn't go there, but it is a great way to get to Ybor City, where you can check out Big City Tavern (a beautiful space, too), the Columbia (the food isn't much but at least you'll get to see the Tampa's oldest restaurant and its fabulous historic building), Bernini (upscale Italian on 7th Avenue with a great vibe). Channelside is closer and has a lot of choices, but I haven't been to any of them so I won't offer an opinion. You could walk to Shalimar, an Indian restaurant on Morgan Street with a tandoori oven. Frankly, downtown Tampa is ghostly after dark; most of the restaurant action is on Howard Avenue, which is pretty walkable but a good ride from your hotel. Hope that helps, but maybe too late!

[DeVeaux]

Thanks, Scherb - I really like Indian, so I might try Shalimar.

You're not too late - we're not leaving until Sunday, 7/31.

[rich]

If you're going to Tampa there are two places you must try: Bern's and Sidebern's

[DeVeaux]

I truly doubt that anyone with me will want to pay the difference between Bern's or Sidebern's prices and a State per diem. They do look good, though.

[Scherb]

I'm going to Tampa for the first time from 7/21 to 8/2 for a conference.  Does anyone know anywhere good to eat around the Marriott Waterside?  We won't have cars, so we'll be looking to walk or ride public transport.

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Just curious, did you find anything during your recent trip to Tampa?

[DeVeaux]

We walked over and ate at Tina Tapas one night, and took the Trolley to Ybor and had paella at the Columbia another night. It was very good, and I want to go back with my Wife for a winter vacation to Tampa or Miami.

[rmhokies]

I'm going to Tampa for the first time from 7/21 to 8/2 for a conference.  Does anyone know anywhere good to eat around the Marriott Waterside?  We won't have cars, so we'll be looking to walk or ride public transport.

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Good places for lunch are the Jerk hut downtown and Eddie and Sams Pizza.

Trolley's run to Hyde Park where you can check out Ceviche on S howard and Bayhsore. The tapas and sangria are great...

Trolley's run to Y-bor. Acropolis has inexpensive but good greek food. Go on the weekend night to catch the band and belly dancing.