Virage Recommends: The Best of South Tampa Dining

31 Jul Virage Recommends: The Best of South Tampa Dining

Locals know that hands-down our South Tampa neighborhood has some of the region’s best cuisine.
Southern comfort food, English tea and sandwiches, sushi, vegan superfoods, decadent Italian, cheese and charcuterie, wine and craft beer and Creole fare dot the list of some of our favorites just a short drive away from Virage. Take a taste tour of South Tampa with all of these delicious options!

Pane Rustica

3225 S MacDill Ave
Tampa, FL 33629
panerusticabakery.com

The Zagat-rated Pane Rustica is a restaurant and artisan bakery serving up savory lunches, handcrafted baked goods and dinners that are among South Tampa’s most popular. Lunch is casual, from hearth-baked pizza, sandwiches and salads, while dinner becomes a more upscale experience with signature wood-fired entrees, appetizers and small plates with an elegant vibe.

Redneck Wine Co

3225 S MacDill Ave
Tampa, FL 33629
redneckwinecompany.com

Ranked among the top ten wine shops in the U.S. by Vine Pair, Redneck Wine Co. offers a welcoming environment, where everyone from wine novices to connoisseurs appreciate the store’s knowledgeable staff, delicious tastings and educational experiences. With price points for every palate, this neighborhood shop is a true destination dedicated to its community.

Sweet Soul

1101 S Howard Ave
Tampa, Florida 33606
facebook.com/sweetsoulsoho

With the rise in healthy lifestyle choices in South Tampa, the health-conscious new dining concept, Sweet Soul, has become a popular spot. The restaurant specializes in vegan, paleo and plant-based menu items like smoothies and acai bowls, and unique soft-serve ice cream with flavors like charcoal and matcha. The health-food restaurant originated around superfoods, and giving customers a better understanding of a paleo-diet and veganism.

Cheese Please

3225 South MacDill Ave
Suite 103, Tampa, FL 33629
cheesepleasetampa.com

At Cheese Please, guests will find Tampa’s finest selection of gourmet cheeses, charcuterie, condiments, wine and beer. Unique cheeses like the Dutch Potato Chip Goat Gouda and triple crème French Delice d’Bourgogne are among the around sixty different cheeses on stock to sample in-house or take home to enjoy. A private tasting room hosts weekend cheese and wine tastings.

Yoko’s Japanese Restaurant

3217 S MacDill Ave
Tampa, FL 33629
yokostampa.com

Yoko’s serves up legendary sushi and Japanese fare with a hip setting that has welcomed the area since 1995. This South Tampa favorite has the perfect atmosphere for date night, group gatherings or delicious takeout.

Datz

2616 S MacDill Ave
Tampa, FL 33629
datztampa.com

Datz is an award-winning restaurant that has been featured on Good Morning America, the Travel Channel, Food Network and the Cooking Channel. South Tampa’s home of comfort food with flair, the foodie wonderland serves up house-made breads and seasonal menu choices, with an eclectic cocktail menu of artisanal liquors found nowhere else in Tampa.

Cru Cellars

2506 S MacDill Ave
Tampa, Florida 33629
crucellarstampa.com

Voted Tampa Bay’s “Best Wine Bar” four years in a row, Cru Cellars offers more than 50 wines and beers for sampling and wine flights, along with a full kitchen serving up delicious entrees, small plates, cheeses and charcuterie and desserts. Cru’s wine cellar and retail wine selection features a variety of affordable, small-production wines from around the world.

Swami Juice

2832 S MacDill Ave
Tampa, FL 33629
www.swamijuice.com

With the grass roots concept of bringing a passion for life and good health to others, Swami Juice offers all-natural, fresh raw juice with no additives or preservatives to the residents of South Tampa and their other locations around the state. The unique vibe of Swami Juice is complemented by cold-pressed juices, made fresh and handcrafted in small batches, just what the body needs.

Osteria Natalina

3215 S. MacDill Ave
Tampa, FL 33629
osterianatalina.com

Osteria Natalina is a casual, yet warmly elegant authentic Italian restaurant, serving homemade specialties, fresh seafood and homemade pasta. A more adult dining experience (children under 9 are discouraged) Osteria Natalina does not accept reservations, so arrive early for an exceptional Italian dining experience that includes coastal Italian dishes inspired by the owner’s mom’s birthplace of Rimini.

Cook’s Kitchen

2902 W Gandy Blvd
Tampa, Florida 33611
theenglishcook.com

Just two blocks from Bayshore Boulevard, Cook’s offers a menu of home-cooked British cuisine with elegance and simplicity. A diverse English menu includes mouthwatering sandwiches, fresh salads, or decadent desserts, as well as ‘Dinners To-Go’ for an easy meal at home with a little English flair.

The Lure Tampa

2402 S. MacDill Avenue
Tampa, FL 33629
theluretampa.com

The Lure Tampa is a much-anticipated follow-up to their first location in downtown St. Petersburg. Tampa now enjoys Lure’s extraordinary sushi, mouthwatering tapas, tacos and flatbreads, potent tiki cocktails, award-winning local brews on tap and other inspired offerings. Add in billiards and weekend brunch, and Lure will become a new favorite.

Roux

4205 S MacDill Ave
Tampa, FL 33611
rouxtampa.com

Roux’s signature cuisine blends comfortable, new Southern classics with the iconic Fresh Creole and Cajun dishes of Louisiana. Familiar favorites like Crab Beignets and Seafood Gumbo mingle with Andouille Crusted Wahoo, Southern Fried Chicken and Bread Pudding with Bourbon Butterscotch Sauce. The warm hospitality and intimate French Quarter ambiance embody New Orleans meets South Tampa.