None of my favorite restaurants in the Tampa area will make you miss a mortgage payment. Sure the steaks are phenomenal at Bern’s. But I work in radio. I’m on a budget. My #GenoAteTampa picks for the best restaurants of 2025 are all pretty affordable. While South Tampa may get all the love from the Instagram social media influencers, my picks are from places where you can find parking and will leave full. Plus you’ll be able to afford antoher meal later this week.
I started the #GenoAteTampa hashtag on social media years ago because listeners would ask about places I mentioned on the radio show. My memory is terrible so using the hashtag helped me organize my favorites. It turned into a Facebook page and even a podcast at one point. After years of eating Tampa, here are my favorites to end out the year.
Best Pizza: Cristino’s in Clearwater
This never changes. Head to Clearwater Beach and get the margarita with extra sauce at Cristino’s Coal Oven Pizza. Listeners got me to give this place a try a few years back and it’s never been topped. In fact, the week after my first visit I was traveling to New York City. The pizza at Cristino’s was so good, I didn’t even seek out any pizza that week in NYC. And NYC is the mecca for great pizza. But the Cristino’s really just nails it. It’s not the most convenient spot to get to, but it’s worth the drive to the coast. I have a lot of honorable mentions. The Chicago style deep dish at Cappy’s is great. Grimaldi’s is a solid pick with a similiar style to Cristino’s. And Due Amici’s Sicilian syle slabs are awesome in Ybor.
Best Cuban Sandwich: The Boozy Pig in Tampa
I have to fess up. I’m not a big Cuban sandwich guy. I find most to be too dry and underwhelming for flavor. But not the one from the Boozy Pig. The El Mixto is a great mix of meats with great flavor. I would suggest adding their fresh marinated peppers and onions though. I know many roll their eyes when I say that, but it took it the next level.
Best Italian Food: Bernini in Ybor
I love their chicken parmesan. A close runner up opened this year in Clearwater on Ulmerton though. I’ve dined 3 times at Antico Fornaio. The first 2 times were excellent. The most recent visit, not so much. It seems to depend on who’s working that day. So for now, I’m sticking with Bernini. I haven’t been over to visit in a while, but it’s always been a consistently good meal when I do. On the Pinellas side, Mama Rosa’s Italian Touch in St. Pete is another must try.
Best Sandwiches: DeCosmo Italian Market in Pinellas Park
Oh sure like any Floridian, I love a Pub Sub. But DeCosmo subs are next level. It’s so close to a tie with Mazzaro’s. I love the Hot Italian #20 at Mazzaro’s but the Vincenzo at DeCosmo can’t be beat. And I’m super grateful they broke down and offered smaller sizes because the large is undoable and I’m a big dude. The fresh meats and cheeses and the perfect spicy kick make the Vincenzo far and away my favorite sandwich in the Tampa area. It’s less chaotic than a Mazzaro’s visit too.
Best Chinese: China Wok in Tampa
Yummy House is my go to for a sit-down experience in Tampa. Zom Hee for Pinellas. But for take out, I love the honey garlic chicken lunch special at China Wok across from Brandon Ford. It’s such an easy place to miss. It’s just a typical strip mall Chinese takeout spot from the outside. And there’s nothing fancy inside. But that honey garlic chicken lunch special was my go to when I lived out that way. I miss it.
Best Burgers: McArthurs Irish Pub in St. Pete
You’ve probably never had a burger there have you? It’s not even their specialty, but I love the burgers at McArthurs. I have two close runner ups: Engine Number 9 in St. Pete and the Drunken Taco in Gulfport. For fast food burgers, it’s a tie between Five Guys and Portillo’s.
Best Breakfast: Lenny’s in Clearwater
I’m rarely out and about during breakfast hours but Lenny’s is the bomb. It’s packed. There’s always a wait on weekends and for good reason. First Watch is a favorite of mine too. Get the million dollar bacon and lemon ricotta pancakes.
Best Mexican: Pancho Villa in Clearwater
About as legit as you can get. We don’t have a lot of great Mexican food in Florida. I was spoiled living in California for 6 years. But Pancho Villa is cheap and always good. It’s not the most romantic or pretty dining spot. For date night, I’d probably opt for Miguels in Tampa near the University of Tampa.
Best Fast Food: Kelly’s Roast Beef
I’m a little biased. Being a guy from New England, I was ecstatic when I heard Kelly’s was coming to Florida. I’m not a big roast beef guy, but theirs makes me feel like I’m back home. The shakes are good too. My honorable mentions go to Portillo’s for those underrated burgers, Culvers because I love ordering their kids meal because it’s enough for an adult, and Hungry Howie’s, which for a chain makes darn good pizza.
Best Healthy: Green Lane in St. Pete and Tampa
Given my love for fat guy food, this place really surprised me. I love the Chicken Ceasar wrap, but all the salads I’ve had are great too.
Hear Geno on the air weekday afternoons. Geno’s passions include fat guy food, concerts, sports, travel to Europe and South America. He loves 80s and 90s music, from MTV hairbands to old school freestyle, alternative rock to TRL era jams. Geno’s radio career began in his hometown of Portland, Maine. Since then he’s been on the air coast to coast from Boston to Las Vegas, Tampa to California.