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

Located at 4th Street North and 32nd Ave North, 4th Street Pizza stands out as a reliable spot for a convenient and satisfying meal. Its unassuming exterior belies the delicious offerings that await inside, where convenience and flavor seamlessly come together. 4th Street Pizza Interior Operating on a takeout and delivery model only, 4th Street Pizza offers the flexibility of ordering pizza by the slice or indulging in full pies, subs, wings, pastas, and more. Plus, with a tempting 10% off after your first order, they make it hard to resist becoming a regular. The ordering process is a breeze ..read more

King State is brewing their own beer and coffee, which has quickly earned them a loyal crowd here in downtown St. Petersburg. The menu? Delicious. The vibe? Unique at all hours. I visited three times and each experience was different. I’ll explain more on that later. King State is a great place to sip the night away with their craft beers, well curated wine list and cocktails. On the weekend, they have a wondrous brunch and really great locally roasted coffee. It’s a place that invites locals to relax, enjoy a movie at the bar, catch up with friends, have a date night, or indulge in a weekend ..read more

People that know me personally, when they associate me with food they usually think of Asian cuisine, or pizza because I make a lot of it at home and post it on the socials. What many don’t know is that Mexican fare was my first love. In my early career when I was in sales, I would travel the country and be in a different city every day, and eat at a different Mexican restaurant every day for a week straight. I still love it, and my latest affair is with Prima Cantina on St. Pete Beach. They started in Southern California, first in Santa Monica and then Pacific Palisades. The St. Pete Beach lo ..read more

My most recent restaurant review was centered around Sonata Restaurant at the Mahaffey Theater. For this month’s recipe, Kevin presented a brilliant idea of reverse engineering an item from Sonata’s menu. A few ideas were tossed around and ultimately, we landed on this one – Panko Crusted Pickled Deviled Eggs. We, of course, ordered these during our recent visit to Sonata and we absolutely loved this unique spin on a classic. Kevin informed me that the Panko Crusted Pickled Deviled Eggs from Sonata were carried over from The Mill by Chef Ted Dorsey who is now the executive chef at Sonata. Thes ..read more