The places I want to go

So many great restaurants in Tampa Bay, so little time! Here is my "bucket list" of restaurants I want to try in the Tampa Bay area.

400 Beach Seafood Tap House
Burrito Boarder
Cafe Alma
Carmelita's Mexican
Capital Grill
Cassis American Brasserie
Chateau France
Ceviche
Gigi's
The Hangar Restaurant and Flight Lounge
J Alexander's
The Lobster Pot
Maggiano's
Munch's Sundries and Restaurant
Parkshore Grill
Red Mesa Cantina
Ruth's Chris Steak House
Square One Burgers
St. Pete Brasserie
The Wine Cellar
Wright's Gourmet House

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The Refinery

I recently went to The Refinery in Tampa. I had never heard of it before, but was pleasantly surprised! At 9pm on a Friday, the place was packed. It's a small 2 story place, with a dining room downstairs and rooftop seating available (first come, first serve). The menu changes weekly, on Thursdays and consists of "small plates" and "more than a small plate." In addition, there is "Craig's List" for the less adventurous, which features a burger and hangar steak. There are 2 desserts also. I am not a beer drinker, but they had a very large selection of beer and wine available. In regards to their new American cuisine, they say it best themselves: Our menus change every Thursday night and are composed of what is fresh and beautiful now. We buy as much as we can from local farmers and when we cannot, we buy from people who do it right, ethically and sustainable right. All items are made in house, from the sausage to the salad dressings…as it should be.




We dined on the wedgeless salad, crispy pork belly, cherry bombs, roasted chicken, and hangar steak. There were a few additional small plates passed around, but unfortunately I was slacking and did not take any pictures or write down the names. Our server was friendly and did his best to accomodate our group of 9.


Overall, I look forward to going back to The Refinery soon! The ingredients are fresh, the menu is creative, and the flavors are dynamite. And I promise, next time there will be pictures!


PS: I was thrilled to find out after further research that The Refinery was a semifinalist for a James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant. Bravo!!

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