Best Authentic Cuban Sandwiches in St. Pete   Salami or No Salami? The Cuban Sandwich was invented in Ybor City in the late 1800s by Cuban immigrants with some influence from Italian immigrants (salami), as well as German newcomers (mustard). (The original included a Spanish dried sausage that was subsequently replaced with salami.) Later, when Miami picked up on the Cuban Sandwich, they left the salami off. Oddly, ironically, and likely because of the larger population, the Miami version is the more popular one. Because of this, many people think that the Miami version without salami is ..read more

Best Pizza Joints in St. Pete In the past three years, I’ve learned more about pizza than ever, and I continue to study and make about 100 pizzas a year myself. Lori and I are also Certified Pizza Judges with the Pizza Cook-off Association, and we took a pizza making course in Naples, Italy. We’ve also eaten at the top three NY Pizza places ranked by Bon Appétit Magazine in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. For many of the pizzas here, we topped them with pepperoni, mushrooms, jalapeños and bacon, but not all. Some of the places have more than one location. We list the local St. Pete location t ..read more

Indulge in this spring/summer recipe delight of Grilled Shrimp Tostadas with Mango & Papaya Salsa. The spice-coated shrimp are kissed by the flames of the grill and are accompanied by a refreshing mango & papaya salsa, creamy avocado sauce and zesty lime-dressed watercress. All of these components are layered atop a beautifully crisped organic corn tortilla. Grilled shrimp tostadas While there are a few different elements to assemble for this tostada recipe, don’t let them intimidate you. Each one comes together in no time with very minimal effort. The only step that may be a bit deman ..read more

Steak. Who doesn’t love a steak? It’s really quite simple. First, get the highest quality beef. Then decide if you’re going to flip it once, or flip it often. (Milk Street Cooking School says that a very thick steak cooks more evenly when flipped often, and they are right.) Are you going to marinate it? BuzzFeed’s Tasty says to marinate cuts with a loose texture, like skirt, flap and hangar as the marinade will get soaked up into the crevices. Milk Street says to never marinate a steak as it doesn’t really penetrate much and add flavor. Is it going on the grill, or in the pan? Will it finish i ..read more

Austin-style Tex-Mex has landed in the Tyrone area of St. Petersburg by way of Wicked Cantina. The restaurant originated in the Sarasota area and has two locations in that vicinity – Anna Maria Island (Bradenton Beach) and downtown Sarasota. The restaurants are locally owned by some folks who are enthusiastic about sharing this cuisine from Austin with the area. The entrance of Wicked Cantina The restaurant sits off of an access road that runs parallel to Tyrone Blvd – right by Harold Seltzers, for those who are familiar. The space is quite large with an inviting bar area, vast dining room and ..read more

Get your most important meal of the day at Taylor Sam’s in downtown St. Pete. The breakfast menu is top notch and has everything from a quick breakfast sandwich to hearty omelettes, specialty caffeinated drinks and more. Hungry for lunch? No problem. Whatever you’re craving, Taylor Sam’s has it. It’s a casual spot for breakfast and lunch with dine in or to-go services. Every time I visited, I found a bustling vibe with families, business meetings, solo diners and more. Much like their first location in Brick, New Jersey, which opened up in 2013 with the goal of offering a great breakfast and l ..read more

Sea Grapes Eatery, nestled in the heart of St. Pete Beach, has undergone a culinary evolution since my last visit in 2022. Initially known for its wine-forward bar and array of small bites and Cheese & Charcuterie offerings, Sea Grapes has now transformed their menu to Latin-inspired Florida cuisine with the creative help of Chef Alex Rodriguez (owner/chef of Lolita’s here in St. Pete. He also worked under celebrated chef Jose Andres in Miami.). Running the daily kitchen is Chef Mauricio Jiminez. The menu features a selection of seasonal small plates, pastas, and full entrees. While mainta ..read more

This zero-fuss bacon and spinach quiche recipe should be your new weekend go-to brunch. The effort required to craft this crowd pleaser is minimal and the reward is quite high. Additionally, you can transform this quiche into anything you want with the mix-ins. In my opinion, the bacon and spinach combination are fantastic, but feel free to get creative. I recommend limiting the mix-ins to just two and be sure not to exceed two cups in total. Sausage, onion, asparagus, ham and bell pepper would also work well in this quiche recipe. Bacon and spinach quiche Another customizable component to thi ..read more

All food enthusiasts, whether they admit it or not, share this wish in common: to be the authority on restaurant recommendations within their social circle. Specifically, we foodies want nothing more than to be the people who have the niche, undiscovered eateries on their lists; the unassuming restaurants that pack a huge punch with their food. Pho Kien Giang is that restaurant. Eating here will not only delight your palate, but solidify your status as the go-to for food recs. While it’s not exactly undiscovered, this humble, family-owned eatery hasn’t gone mainstream just yet – but after eati ..read more

This preparation of risotto removes a whole lot of work and stirring with the use of the oven. The majority of the effort required to make this dish is required during prep. The steps all happen very quickly so it is absolutely crucial that all of your ingredients are prepped, measured, etc. before any of the cooking begins. Oven Risotto with Mushrooms, Tomatoes and a garnish of dill This risotto is delicious on its own without the mushrooms and tomatoes; however, they really elevate the dish with flavor and texture. The mushrooms specifically are a true delight as they take on a beautiful cri ..read more