Carnival season is underway. But you don’t have to head to Louisiana to get in on the fun through Fat Tuesday, which this year falls on Feb. 17.
Food and drink spots around the Tampa Bay areashowcase Bayou State flavors that are fit for Mardi Gras merriment, from king cake to crawfish.
Looking to celebrate? Here are 19 places where you can feast and laissez les bons temps rouler. Offerings are subject to change.
Grocers like Publix and The Fresh Market typically sell king cake as well, so keep an eye out.
On Fat Tuesday, the brewery near the Warehouse Arts District is holding its annual crawfish boil — its biggest bash of the year. All-you-can-eat mudbugs will be servedalong with king cake and specialty drinks. Live zydeco music and lots of beads are in store, too. Secure your tickets.
222 22nd St. S., St. Petersburg. 727-495-6002. 3dbrewing.com
Nestled within the Krate container park, this French bakery and cafe — which is slated to open a second location in Land O’ Lakes in February, according to its social media pages — has two flavors of mini beignets: chocolate hazelnut and mixed berries. It’s also taking online and in-store preorders for galette des rois (French king cake) made with flaky puff pastry and rich almond frangipane. There’s a large option with a fève (little charm) hidden inside and a smaller size without.
5840 Grand Oro Lane, Unit 108, Wesley Chapel. 813-360-0886. bakeryx.com
The food truck specializes in Louisiana Cajun cuisine, offering favorites such as crawfish etouffee and chicken and andouille sausage gumbo. Get some beignets for a sweet finish. Baton Roux travels to different locales each week and regularly shares its schedule on Instagram and Facebook. If you’d rather have the mobile kitchen come to you, Mardi Gras catering is available, and you can preorder live Louisiana crawfish through Feb. 14.
Various locations, Tampa Bay. 656-200-2804. batonrouxfood.square.site
Don’t miss the Warehouse Arts District brewery’s sixth annual all-you-can-eat crawfish boil on Feb. 21. Bayboro Brewing plans to offer three to four rounds of the bright red crustaceans, with a fresh batch arriving every 45-60 minutes, which means it’s important to stay hydrated while you wait. Sip select craft beers and cocktails as live tunes fill the beer garden. For tickets, go here.
2390 Fifth Ave. S., St. Petersburg. 727-767-9666. bayborobrewing.com
Owner David Bilyeu’s Louisiana-inspired menu changes weekly, with specials that includechicken and sausage jambalaya, crawfish carbonara and red beans and rice. The market fridge and freezer stay stocked with chilled entrees, and king cakes started rolling out earlier this month. Catering options, crawfish boils for private gatherings among them, are offered as well.
6630 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. 727-914-7500. bayoumarketandcafe.com
Do you like your beignets savory? Check out the upscale French bistro, which lists a blue crab variety served with spicy remoulade on its menu.
1001 Water St., Tampa. 813-768-9988. boulontampa.com
A restaurant and bar highlighting Florida-New Orleans fusion fare and live music in historic digs. Pair your libation of choice from the full bar — bourbon on the rocks, perhaps? — with beloved Crescent City eats such as chargrilled oysters and po’boys, or go for comfort food staples like burgers and fried seafood baskets.
6307 Grand Blvd., New Port Richey. 727-645-5801. bomdowntown.com
The theme park’s Mardi Gras celebration runs Saturdays and Sundays from Jan. 24-March 1 and is free with park admission. Expect live entertainment, Cajun grub, Bourbon Street delicacies like the fruity, boozy Hurricane and beads after each parade.
10165 McKinley Drive, Tampa. 813-884-4386. buschgardens.com
We still miss the waterfront location on Park Boulevard, but this longtime Pinellas Park eatery keeps the Louisiana standards coming in its relaxed66th Street space. The large menu featureseverything fromstarters and deep-fried apps to entrees, Louisiana sausages and desserts — thinkboudin balls, crawfish etouffee and, of course, beignets. Wine and craft beer are on hand to wash it all down.
8260 66th St. N., Pinellas Park. 727-546-6732. cafeonthebayou.com
The popular ice cream joint has a couple of festive flavors for your Carnivalparties through Feb. 23: Cafe Du Nola, a New Orleans-inspired coffee ice cream combining cold brew and roasted chicory, and King Cake, a vanilla cream cheese ice cream featuring pieces of house-made cinnamon king cake swirled with a cinnamon-brown sugar ripple and sprinkled with Mardi Gras sugar. A white chocolate “Golden Baby” is hidden inside select King Cake pints. If you find one, send a photo of it to Chill Bros. by email at events@chillbros.com or by Instagram DM and you’ll win a $25 gift card.
Various locations, Tampa. chillbros.com
Order online or give the casual bakeshop and eatery a call to score king cake filled with cream cheese and topped with sugar glaze.
9700 Ulmerton Road, Largo. 727-587-7077. fridascafe.com
This pirate-themed Ybor City mainstay draws a crowd for drinks, live entertainment and outdoor patio hangs. It also has tasty beignets — soft on the inside with a nice crunch from the flaky exterior. A generous dusting of powdered sugar provides just the right amount of sweetness. Snag a bag during Sunday brunch and pretend you’re in the Big Easy.
1805 E. Seventh Ave., Tampa. 813-248-5900. gasparsgrotto.com
Relax at one of the tables under the oak tree and nosh onCajun country cuisine. The outdoor restaurant does menu items likepo’boys, etouffee and baskets with your choice of protein, as well as red beans and rice, chicken and andouille sausage gumbo and other downhome bites.
431 Skinner Blvd., Dunedin. 727-240-1102. happysbayoubites.com
A charming spot with outdoor seating that showcases New Orleans cuisine — including smoked delights such as amberjack and gator chorizo sausage — across its lineup of small plates, soups and salads, entrees and desserts. Jazz brunch goes down every first Sunday of the month, according to the restaurant’s website.
310 E. Tarpon Ave., Tarpon Springs. 727-483-9092. hourscreole.com
Named after Tampa pioneer Madame Fortune Taylor, this swanky Ybor City speakeasy is hidden behind a bookcase inside the deli and bakery Roast on 7th. Grab drinks and dinner, then end your meal with an order of divine beignets topped with caramel drizzle. They’re warm, fluffy, flaky and gooey all at the same time.
1930 E. Seventh Ave., Tampa. 813-242-0572. madamefortunetpa.com
On Feb. 7, the wine bar and flower shop celebrates Mardi Gras with its second annual crawfish boil in the Grand Central District. Pistil House’s cozy, inviting space, complete with outdoor seating, seems like the perfect setting for such a party. Learn more.
2533 First Ave. S., St. Petersburg. pistilhouse.com
You’ll find food service industry vets Lynsey and John Thompson’s funky restaurant-on-wheels parked in the courtyard of Deviant Libation. The menu at This Little Pig, which began as a pop-up tent in 2018, changes regularly, spotlighting elevated comfort food “that makes you feel good,” Lynsey said. And, boy, does it. John led the kitchens of a couple different Louisiana restaurants as executive chef, and there’s always a bit of Creole or Cajun flair in their food truck’s eats. The sausage po’boy is crazy delicious — a messy delight that packs smoked sausage from Tampa-based company Uncle John’s Pride, creamy goat cheese, a tangy, spicy Creole comeback sauce, crisp mixed greens, tomato and red onion on a hoagie. Every Mardi Gras season, This Little Pig makes king cake, with the last day for pickup being Fat Tuesday. Send an email to thislittlepigfoodtruck@gmail.com to order the popular Tampa (guava), Classic (cinnamon and pecan) or Raspberry Beret (raspberry jam) coated with cream cheese frosting and Mardi Gras sugar. The savory option, Big Muff, is muffuletta king cake, a play on the famous New Orleans sandwich with the traditional meats and cheese rolled up, baked and topped with a house-made olive salad. The truck is open at Deviant in the evening Thursdays to Saturdays and in the mid-afternoon to evening Sundays. It offers catering and also cruises to local events, like the Cigar City Tattoo Fest set for Feb. 20-22 at Ybor City’s Cuban Club.
3800 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa. followtheflyingpig.com
Started in Central Florida, Tibby’s does Crescent City food and drinks in a vibrant setting. The bar mixes iconic cocktailssuch as the Sazerac and Hurricane, while the kitchen churns out Shrimp Creole, Chicken Pontchartrain and other classics.
1721 W. Brandon Blvd., Brandon. 813-315-8443. tibbys.com
The Louisiana-inspired sports restaurant and bar chain backed by former NFL quarterback Drew Brees serves traditional pub grub like burgers and tacos alongside bites with a Cajun twist, including shrimp and grits, po’boys and boudin balls.
1140 Gramercy Lane, Tampa. 813-771-7100; 25372 Sierra Center Blvd., Lutz. 813-553-6500. walk-ons.com