{"id":125141,"date":"2026-01-20T17:50:50","date_gmt":"2026-01-20T17:50:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/125141\/"},"modified":"2026-01-20T17:50:50","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T17:50:50","slug":"2025-dining-survey-contest-your-1-10-favorite-restaurants-in-new-tampa-neighborhood-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/125141\/","title":{"rendered":"2025 Dining Survey & Contest \u2014 Your #1-#10 Favorite Restaurants In New Tampa!\u00a0 \u2014 Neighborhood News"},"content":{"rendered":"

1. Stonewood Grill & Tavern\u00a0<\/p>\n

17050 Palm Pointe Dr., Shoppes at The Pointe, Tampa Palms\u00a0<\/p>\n

(813) 978-0388 \u2022 StonewoodGrill.com<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

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What else can you say about the restaurant that has been our readers; favorite for ten years in a row and close to 20 times in its 20+ year history?\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Stonewood is an elegant, upscale restaurant with a happening bar crowd and some of the best steaks and fresh seafood in our area.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The top photo is of the new grouper Giovanni, which is a limited time special that is served with a tomato cream sauce and butternut squash ravioli. Yum!\u00a0<\/p>\n

To the right is the delicious new baked brie with a raspberry glaze, fresh fruit and nuts served with crispy toasted bread. And of course, Stonewood serves some of the best prime rib (above, right) among its #1-rated steaks..\u00a0<\/p>\n

And, although Stonewood is a\u00a0mini-chain, now with seven locations, we are fortunate that the chain\u2019s executive chef Danny Manzur, who creates many of Stonewood\u2019s seasonal dishes, is based at the Tampa Palms location. Congrats!\u00a0<\/p>\n

2. Via Italia\u00a0<\/p>\n

8644 Hunters Village Rd., The Village at Hunter\u2019s Lake\u00a0<\/p>\n

(813) 475-4857 \u2022 EatViaItalia.com<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Our readers have placed Via Italia in their top-3 in New Tampa every year since it opened, so clearly the restaurant being sold by original owner Roberto Maganuco to Sanjay Patel in early 2024 hasn\u2019t affected what our readers think of New Tampa\u2019s largest selection of fresh pasta dishes, like the spaghetti con zucchine e gamberetti (shrimp) shown above.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Via Italia also serves outstanding woodfired pizzas, salami and cheese platters, appetizers like four different kinds of bruschetta, two different capreses, polpetta della nonna (grandma\u2019s meatballs), chicken wings and the suppli\u2019 al telefono (Arborio rice croquettes with premium shredded mozzarella, hand-milled pomodoro sauce and cut basil) shown here.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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3. Kobe Ichiban Japanese Steakhouse\u00a0<\/p>\n

17641 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., North Palms Village\u00a0<\/p>\n

(813) 680-5800 \u2022 KobeSteakhouse.com<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

Our readers were happy to see Kobe reopen in its new New Tampa location in Sept. 2023, as it was ranked #10 in our 2024 Reader Survey and shot up seven places to #3 for 2025. Serving some of the highest quality Japanese hibachi fare in our area, Kobe finished ahead of Liang\u2019s Bistro (see below) overall with our readers for the first time, but somehow only finished 4th for \u201cFavorite Asian Restaurant.\u201d Go figure.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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4. Fat Rabbit Pub\u00a0<\/p>\n

16029 Tampa Palms Blvd. W., City Plaza at Tampa Palms\u00a0<\/p>\n

(813) 252-3004 \u2022 FatRabbitPub.com<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

After coming in at #5 Favorite Restaurant in New Tampa each of the last two years, Fat Rabbit moved up to #4 this year and also finished second for both Favorite Burger and Favorite Chicken in NT & WC and as the #1 Favorite Bar in NT & WC.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Our readers definitely seem to love Fat Rabbit\u2019s food \u2014 like the Buffalo chicken sandwich shown here \u2014 and craft cocktails. Many readers rave about its wings, sliders and loaded fries and tater tots, too.\u00a0<\/p>\n

There also is now a popular second location on Main St. in downtown Sarasota.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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5. Cali at Tampa Palms\u00a0<\/p>\n

17004 Palm Pointe Dr., Shoppes at The Pointe\u00a0<\/p>\n

(813) 975-1222 \u2022 EatCali.com<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

Moving up three spots with our readers this year, Cali continues to be a consistent performer in our annual Reader Survey, thanks to its high-quality fare, like the Hot & Crunchy bowl shown here (with seared ahi tuna). Cali also features hand-tossed pizzas, small plates like garlic & lime edamame and turmeric hummus, plus \u201cchill\u201d salads and more.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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6. Liang\u2019s Bistro Asian Cuisine\u00a0<\/p>\n

17515 Bruce B. Downs Blvd.\u00a0<\/p>\n

(813) 978-1225 \u2022 LiangsBistroTampa.com<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

Moving down a couple of spots with our readers this year, (perhaps due to a brief closure shortly before our voting began for health department violations), Liang\u2019s is still the go-to Chinese and Asian fusion restaurant in New Tampa, for its outstanding appetizers like egg rolls, NY-style BBQ spareribs and the Thai coconut shrimp shown here, as well as wok-fired classics in a variety of styles \u2014 from Korean BBQ to Mongolian to Sichuan & Thai. Although we didn\u2019t have a \u201cChinese\u201d category this year, Liang\u2019s ran away with the 2025 \u201cFavorite Asian Restaurant\u201d title.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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7. Mr. Dunderbak\u2019s Biergarten und Brauhaus\u00a0<\/p>\n

14929 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Oak Ramble Plaza\u00a0<\/p>\n

(813) 977-4104 \u2022 DunderbaksBeer.wordpress.com<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mr. Dunderbak\u2019s has only missed being in our readers\u2019 Top-10 Favorite Restaurants in New Tampa only a couple of times since moving from University Mall to the Oak Ramble Plaza more than 20 years ago. Its limited menu of deli sandwiches and a few German favorites, like the J\u00e4gerschnitzel shown here, continues to attract plenty of votes and its unquestionably huge beer selection and cool vibe keeps Mr. D\u2019s high on the \u201cFavorite Bar\u201d list, too, despite not having full liquor.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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8. The Grill at Morris Bridge\u00a0<\/p>\n

10920 Cross Creek Blvd., Cross Creek Commons\u00a0<\/p>\n

(813) 388-5353 \u2022 TheGrillatMorrisBridge.com<\/a><\/p>\n

I find it hard to believe that The Grill, which peaked at #2 Favorite Restaurant in New Tampa three years ago, has fallen as far as #8 this year. Owner Frank Gouveia and chef Mike Touranjoe continue to offer some of our area\u2019s best steaks, fresh fish and other unique American & Italian specialties \u2014 like the pork Milanese shown here \u2014 and our readers from New England also always mention their love for its authentic \u201cSouth Shore bar pizza.\u201d The Grill also has New Tampa\u2019s largest wine list, a happening bar scene and great craft cocktails.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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9. Box of Cubans\u00a0<\/p>\n

17512 Do\u00f1a Michelle Dr.\u00a0<\/p>\n

(813) 632-9021 \u2022 BoxofCubans.com<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

It came as no surprise to yours truly that Box of Cubans was this year\u2019s highest-rated newcomer in New Tampa. So many people have told me how much they love the authentic Cuban sandwiches and dishes like the tasty red bean chicken bowl shown here. It\u2019s also a great place for huge Cuban breakfast sandwiches and specialties, plus some of the best caf\u00e9 con lech\u00e9 in our area. If you\u2019re one of the few locals who haven\u2019t yet tried it, definitely go check it out & please tell them I sent you!\u00a0<\/p>\n

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10. Acropolis Greek Taverna\u00a0<\/p>\n

14947 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Oak Ramble Plaza\u00a0<\/p>\n

(813) 971-1787 \u2022 AcropolisTaverna.com<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

After barely making the Top-25 Favorites in New Tampa list in last year\u2019s Reader Survey (it was 23rd), Acropolis jumped 13 spots to return to its usual spot among the Top-10 Favorites in New Tampa with our readers for 2025. I guess it took a year or so for the new ownership \u2014 which has beautifully redesigned and opened up the restaurant\u2019s interior and improved on many of the traditional Acropolis favorites (like the always-yummy Athenian fish shown here) \u2014 to recapture some of the restaurant\u2019s former customers and attract new ones.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"1. Stonewood Grill & Tavern\u00a0 17050 Palm Pointe Dr., Shoppes at The Pointe, Tampa Palms\u00a0 (813) 978-0388 \u2022…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":125142,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[135,137,136],"class_list":["post-125141","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-tampa","tag-tampa","tag-tampa-headlines","tag-tampa-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125141","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=125141"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125141\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/125142"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=125141"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=125141"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=125141"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}