TAMPA, FL – National Bubble Tea Day is April 30. Wondering where to enjoy a delicious tea in the Tampa Bay area? The holiday was apparently created by Kung Fu Tea in 2018, according to National Day Calendar. My favorite shop today is actually in Orlando at Royal Tea. Here are some places that I personally enjoy in town. View this post on Instagram A post shared by One Zo Handcrafted Boba Tampa (@onezo.tampa) One Zo Handcrafted Boba: One Zo is newer to the Tampa Bay area than some other shops. The tea shop has a number of green teas as well as some classics. Personally my favorite thing t ..read more

TAMPA, FL – Stone Soup Co. located in Ybor City at 1919 E 7th Ave. has abruptly shut down, according to a post made on Instagram. The restaurants joins a number of recent closures impacting Ybor City and Water Street. Former Stone Soup owner and CEO Ilya Benjamin Goldberg retired in December 2022 and made the company partially employee-owned working with a company called Teamshares, according to Creative Loafing. Employees retained 10% of the company while the rest was transferred to Teamshares. No reason was given for the closure. The announcement reads: “Effective immediately, @StoneSou ..read more

TAMPA, FL – Breakaway Music Festival is kicking off this weekend in Tampa at Raymond James Stadium. The festival will travel the country and make its way to San Francisco in October 2024. 22 nationally recognized artists and 3 local acts will perform across two nights of festivities along with a Silent Disco featuring local talent, activations, and onsite fan experiences.  Performers include Illenium, Kaskade, Zedd, Sofi Tukker (DJ Set), ACRAZE, CRANKDAT, Deerock, Dion Timmer b2b Calcium, Gudfella, Ian Asher, It’s Murph, Matroda, Moore Kismet, Night Tales, Ravenscoon, Rossy, Said The Sky ..read more

TAMPA, FL – Crisp & Green has shuttered its Water Street Tampa location, according to a news report from Tampa Bay Business Journal. The closure happened with little notice. The concept was hardly open for a year with a ribbon cutting ceremony held back in April 2023. There have been a huge influx of salad and healthy food concepts to Water Street and the surrounding area with at least 4-6 opening around downtown and Midtown in the past year. When the concept was announced the owners said they would have an aggressive expansion across the Tampa Bay area. No statement has been posted to the ..read more

TAMPA, FL – Ten Rooms will open its doors in Ybor City on Saturday, April 27. The concept is being led by Ro Patel, a Tampa Bay food & beverage veteran known for Ciro’s Speakeasy, Anise Global Gastro Bar and more, and Zach Pace, an experienced restaurant operator and sommelier. Reservations are now being accepted for Bar Martinez. Menu items are already up on their website including Duck Confit, Stuffed Eggplant, Pink Shrimp, Dry-Aged Ribeye, and more. The Executive Chef for Bar Martinez is Parker Brown and Chef de Cuisine is Vincent Brisotti. Cocktails range from $12 t ..read more

TAMPA, FL – Minano Ramen located at 11909 Sheldon Rd. near Citrus Park is celebrating its grand opening on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. The restaurant has been in soft opening for about a month. The ramen shop is also rolling out a happy hour and lunch menu. Guests who attend the grand opening will enjoy free sake or Minano original bubble tea when spending $50 or more. The offer will run from April 24 to April 30 while supplies last. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Minano Ramen (@minanoramen) The menu includes appetizers such as gyoza, takoyaki, mentaiko fries, haru maki, ya ..read more

ST. PETERSBURG, FL: Lingr restaurant in St. Petersburg is shutting down on Saturday, April 27 so that Chef Jeffrey Jew can care for his mother, according to an announcement posted to Instagram and to the website of the restaurant. Chef Jeffrey Jew carries plenty of recognition from television and is one of the most acclaimed chefs in St. Petersburg. The restaurant originally opened in the summer of 2020. The statement reads: “It is with heavy hearts that we announce the upcoming closure of Lingr, our beloved Norwegian/Asian fusion restaurant in St. Petersburg. Our final service will be April 2 ..read more

TAMPA, FL – Heritage Fire is bringing its food experience to Tampa on Sunday, April 21. Tickets include unlimited food and drinks as well as live entertainment. The experience will be held at Tabellas at Delaney Creek located at 5818 Causeway Blvd. Tampa is the first stop on the tour which will also visit Atlanta, Austin, Nashville, Napa (California), Los Angeles, Miami, and Charleston. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kelly | When In Tampa (@whenintampa) Tickets start at $125 for General Admission and $175 for VIP. VIP gives visitors 45 minutes of early access as well as a w ..read more

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – KAIYŌ Restaurant & Bar has opened a new location in San Francisco following successful openings in Cow Hollow (the flagship location) and a rooftop bar at Hyatt Place. The new restaurant is located on the ground floor of the Hyatt Place Hotel in the same building as the rooftop just minutes from Oracle Park at 701 3rd St. Other concepts from owner John Park and Brick Hospitality Group in San Francisco include Cavana, Whitechapel, and Novela. The new concept comes as Nikkei concepts continue to rise in popularity across the country. Nikkei celebrates the fusion between J ..read more

ST. PETERSBURG, FL – Sonata Restaurant at The Mahaffey Theater located in downtown St. Petersburg at 400 1st St S. is the newest project for Chef Ted Dorsey (previously of The Mill). The menu is focused on fine dining with dishes such as Pork Osso Bucco Bourguignon, Day Boat Gulf Fish, and Crispy House Smoked Duck. The restaurant is backed by businessman Bill Edwards, a household name well-known for taking on ambitious projects and investing in the arts and communities. Wagyu Beef Tartare & Braised Bone Marrow. Several of the dishes take simple restaurant food and then break down ..read more