O-Ku Tampa Credit: O-Ku Tampa/Facebook
Tampa Bay restaurants are up against quite a bit. Despite rising rents and food costs, pesky inflation and even GLP-1 weight loss medications, local restaurants are still making it happen. And, even though summers are often the slower months for local eateries, Tampa Bay still witnessed a slew of new spots to explore. From new smash burger joints, high-end sushi spots, and elevated Spanish cuisine, what follows are some of the most popular new restaurants to debut in Tampa Bay over the last few months.
A new modern Spanish concept from the folks that brought you Michelin-starred Rocca, Michelin-recognized Bar Terroir, and Michelin Bib Gourmand Streetlight Taco, opened this summer in the North Hyde Park area. Lumbre, the latest concept from local hospitality group Tastes Pretty Good, officially opened its doors on Wednesday, July 15. Located in the Rome Collective development, at 220 N Rome Ave., the new Spanish restaurant is led by Executive Chef and Co-Founder Nick Orr, who previously helmed the kitchen at Rocca. —Colin Wolf
In Tampa, the stretch of N Armenia Avenue between Interstate-275 and Waters Avenue is known for international cuisine, be it Filipino (Lucky Tigre), South American (La Pequena Colombia, L.P.C.X, Antojito’s) or even Italian (Cacciatore & Sons). Add Thai to the flavor profile, too. Chef Sirikullaya “Layla” Martinez opened Chalawaan Thai Delish inside the Citgo gas station on 5018 N Armenia Ave. Named after Chalawan, a folkloric crocodilian king revered in Martinez’s home provinces of Phichit, the restaurant boasts a menu broken up into four sections—appetizers, noodles & fried rice, stir-fries & curry, and desserts—with close to three dozen items to choose from. Prices range between $6 (egg rolls, pot stickers) to $18 (fried catfish in green curry sauce); Thai teas and coffees are $5. —Ray Roa
Tampa now has a torta the size of a full-grown Chihuahua. Mita’s Cocina Moderna, a new family-owned modern Mexican concept, quietly debuted in Tampa’s Hyde Park neighborhood this summer. Located at 301 W Platt St. Ste C (the old Yah Mon Caribbean Restaurant), Mita’s soft-opened back on July 11, with a focus on handcrafted tacos, fajitas, and signature tortas, including a 12-inch torta dubbed “La Titan!”, which is “built for sharing.”—CW
Chopped cheese has finally arrived in downtown Tampa. Bodega Bus, the new late night mini-mart and smoke shop with vape, hookah and legal hemp products, opened this summer at 505 N Franklin St., serving up chopped cheese, smashburgers, chicken and steak over rice, loaded hot dogs, and more. Bodega Bus may look familiar to longtime denizens of downtown Tampa, as it’s in the same parcel as the former Taco Bus, with a new graffiti/airbrush paint job. Taco Bus closed downtown in 2025, but still runs eight locations throughout the Bay area. The Bodega Bus concept is owned by the Shukris’ relative Khalil Mohammad who previously told CL that he worked in delis and corner stores in Buffalo, New York to prepare for running the Tampa spot. “It won’t taste just like New York, it’ll taste better,” Mohammad told CL. —RR
There’s a whole ass new cafe in Tampa Heights/Ybor City, and there’s free parking, too. Double Six opened inside La Sétima Club—located at 815 E 7th Ave. on the literal edge of this historic district. From 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday-Sunday, the concept serves cafe staples, a trio of specialties (go for the coquito latte), and a limited menu that includes a breakfast burrito ($12) and a hangover burger ($15). Plant based options are available. Best of the Bay-winning barista Eileen Ramos also probably makes the most balanced cortado in Tampa Bay (at Double Six, it’s served in a 4-oz. chalice, making for a little extra indulgence). —Leif Helland
Yet another fancy sushi joint landed in Tampa. O-ku, the second Tampa concept from Charleston-based Indigo Road Hospitality Group, opened in late-May. It’s on the ground floor of the Bayshore Gardens building at 2909 W Bay to Bay Blvd., which also houses Jeannie Pierola’s Counter Culture and O-ku’s sibling restaurant, Maru. O-ku has 10 other locations throughout the South and up the East Coast, including Winter Park and Jacksonville Beach. Maru, however, is only located in Tampa. —Selene San Felice
The Sapphire Lounge & Supper Club, a new 1950’s supper club concept, opened in the Westshore area a few months back. Located next door to Eddie V’s Prime Seafood, at 4410 W Boy Scout Blvd., The Sapphire debuted in a new 17,000-square-foot space within the TriPointe Plaza, formerly occupied by a plastic surgeon’s office. The dining club is helmed by general manager Stephen Hickey, formerly of Eddie V’s Prime Seafood; executive chef Taro Larrea—described by the press release as “renowned for an innovative fusion of Venezuelan and Spanish flavors”—leads the kitchen Sapphire’s menu spans small plate options like various oyster offerings, beef tenderloin carpaccio, salmon and hamachi crudo and a caviar service titled “The One.” Other heartier menu highlights include a robust steak section, grilled lamb chops, a wagyu beef hot dog, grilled spanish octopus, tuna tomahawk steak, and a separate “plant forward” menu with options like grilled cauliflower steak and a vegan cheeseburger. Signature cocktails are also up for grabs. —CW
After 13-years of serving craft brews in St. Pete, Green Bench Brewing Co. has crossed the Bay into Tampa. Located at at 200 N. Tampa St., this is the second outpost for Green Bench since its expansion into the Webb City Cellar nearly 10-years-ago. Expansions are rare for the craft brewing world these days, since the industry has been scaling down due to lack of local demand. Tampa Bay Brewing Company has closed its doors in Ybor City and Angry Chair Brewing hopes to sell for $3 million. —LH
To much anticipation, popular North Carolina-based fast food chain Cook Out opened its first Tampa Bay location in Temple Terrace earlier this summer, and the lines haven’t grown shorter. Located at 5501 E Fowler Ave., the new Cook Out celebrated its grand-opening on July 17, in the roughly 3,272 square-foot building formerly home to a Boston Market. Cook Out’s menu centers around a variety of American-style fast food offerings with over 40 milkshake flavors, fresh char grilled hamburgers, hot dogs, BBQ, chicken, corn dogs, quesadillas, hushpuppies, fries and more. This is the first of multiple Cook Out locations planned for the Tampa Bay area, with locations soon to open in Carrollwood and St. Petersburg. —CW
St. Petersburg Distillery now has a reason to stay after hours. The local distillery, located at 800 31st St. S, recently debuted 31 South, a hidden second-floor Prohibition-style lounge that’s now open Thursday-Saturday evenings from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. “During the day, St. Petersburg Distillery is a place where guests can experience the spirit of St. Pete in our Spirits Garden, Welcome Salon, and tour Florida’s top craft distillery,” said Evan Brownstein, CEO of St. Petersburg Distillery, in a statement. Now, at night, guests can discover a whole new experience, a place true to St. Petersburg’s elegant bootlegger spirit in a convivial club-like social setting.” Cocktails are the focus, and are made from the distillery’s own handcrafted spirits. A few of the drinks up for grabs include a Maple Old Fashioned with Old St. Pete Sunshine Whiskey, and a specialty Espresso Martini, Matcha Latte Martini with Banyan Reserve Vodka, and more, says the press release. On the dining side, the 45-seat venue tapped Chef Johnathan Rodriguez, who was previously at Sal Y Mar in Midtown and was on the Food Network show “Supermarket Stakeout.”—CW
Downtown St. Pete’s newest coffee shop has some extra buzz. Say Coffee House launched at 2414 Central Ave., serving a variety of Vietnamese coffee, matcha and green tea drinks. Vietnamese coffee is brewed in a slow drip process with robusta beans, yielding nearly double the caffeine as arabica beans used in common espresso and coffee drinks. Vietnamese iced coffee is served with condensed milk, and Say has several versions of the drink, including a “Marble Drip” with condensed milk, milk and espresso. The shop also offers flavors like ube, Biscoff, strawberry, egg cream and banana cream. The shop also serves pastries from the nearby Crumb Factory, including butter and chocolate croissants and cinnamon rolls. —SSF
Byte Burger, which recently opened its first location a few months ago in the Temple Terrace area, is expanding. Byte (stylized all-caps) recently debuted a new food truck at 301 Westshore Blvd., in the Citgo gas station parking lot, while a more permanent location for Westshore is currently under construction. The food truck opened Aug. 3 and serves visitors from 11 a.m.-5 p.m., with extended late night hours on Fridays and Saturdays.—Liam Oliver
It’s not quite clear if Tampa Bay currently has too many modern Mexican concepts, but nevertheless a new luchador has entered the fight. Lolita’s Coastal Cocina recently opened at Opal Sol on Clearwater Beach, located at 400 Coronado Dr. The new waterfront restaurant is open to hotel guests and non-guests and centers around a menu featuring shareable plates like customizable guacs, street tacos, meaty nachos, charred octopus and even heartier entrees such as the Grouper a la Veracruzana or the Lolita’s Carne Platter. Guests can also expect a large offering of wines and beers and of course, tequila and mescal-based cocktails. Lolita’s is open daily from 11 a.m.-midnight. If the name sounds familiar, the Opal Key Resort in Key West also has a Lolita’s that’s essentially the same except the waterfront view is usually blocked by a cruise ship.—CW
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This article appears in September 03 – 09, 2026.
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