Eating Tampa

Food and dining in the Tampa bay area

Best Bay-area Food Writer – Brian Ries

Written by dave on Thursday, October 18th 2007 under Uncategorized

Brian Ries is the restaurant critic for Creative Loafing (where he also pens occasional food-related columns that are not restaurant reviews), and he also keeps a blog called Eat My Florida.

Neither Creative Loafing nor the blog offer much info about the mysterious Mr. Ries, other than to say that he is “is a former restaurant general manager with an advanced diploma from the Court of Master Sommeliers,” and it seems that he’s been writing for the paper for at least three years.

Runners-up were Jeff Houck, and Laura Reiley.

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2008 Eating Tampa Reader’s Poll

Winners of the 2008 Eating Tampa Reader’s Poll –

Best Places to Eat in Tampa

Best 24-hour Restaurant – 3 Coins

Best Bagel – Bagels Plus

Best Bakery – tie Pane Rustica/Alessi

Best Bar – New World Brewery

Best Barbecue – Big John’s Alabama Barbecue

Best Bay-area Food Writer – Laura Reiley

Best Beach Bar – There are no beach bars in Tampa!

Best Locally Brewed Beer – Dunedin Brewery

Best Beer Garden – New World Brewery

Best Breakfast – tie Nicki’s Restaurant & J. Christopher’s

Best Buffet – no clear winner – Time to start the Hey, Hey Buffet search

Best Burgers (chain) - 5 Guys

Best Burgers (non-chain) – tie Green Iguana & Tampa Bay Brewing Company

Best Chinese – Yummy House

Best Crepes – La Creperia

Best Coffee (non-chain) – Cafe Hey

Best Colombian – No clear winner

Best Cuban Food – La Teresita

Best Cuban Sandwich – Cafe Hey

Best Deli – Merino’s

Best Desserts – NoHo Bistro

Best Diner – Nicko’s

Best Falafel – Pita Republic

Best Fish Market – Cox’s Seafood Market

Best Fish Sandwich – no clear winner

Best Food Blog – no clear winner

Best French Fries – tie – 5 Guys & Honey’s

Best Fried Chicken - Publix

Best Fried Potato/Stuffed Potato – Papa Joe’s

Best Gelato – No winner

Best German Food – Mr. Dunderbak’s

Best Greek - Acropolis

Best Grocery Store - Publix

Best Gyro - Acropolis

Best Hot Dogs - Mel’s

Best Ice Cream – No clear winner

Best Indian Restaurant - Angithi

Best Italian – Laughing Cat

Best Jamaican – Jerk Hut

Best Mall Food – Chick-fil-a

Best Middle Eastern - Byblos

Best Nachos – Front Porch

Best Peruvian – Machu Picchu

Best Pho – Trang Viet

Best Pizza - Cappy’s

Best Place that Allows Dogs – New World Brewery

Best Place to Take a First Date – Samurai Blue

Best Place to Take Out-of-towners for Dinner – Columbia Restaurant

Best Place to Watch the Sun Set – Somewhere other than Tampa

Best Sandwich (local) – Run-off

Best Sandwich Shop (chain) – Publix

Best Sandwich Shop (non-chain) – Cafe Hey

Best Southern Cooking – not in Tampa

Best Steak – Bern’s

Best Sushi - Ichiban

Best Sweet Tea – (best response - yeccch) tie McAllister’s & Lupton’s

Best Tex-Mex/Mexican – Taconazo the Taco Bus

Best Thai – Jasmine Thai

Best Vegan – Grass Root

Best Veggie – no clear winner

Best Vietnamese – Trang Viet

Best Wine Bar – No clear winner

NEW CATEGORIES

Best Boba Tea – Got Tea

Best Soup – Cafe Hey

Best non-fried Chicken – ?

Best Salad Bar – Sweet Tomato

Best Bistro – NoHo Bistro

Best Korean - Sa Ri One Korean Bulgogi Restaurant

Best Fish & Chip – Mad Dogs & Englishmen

Best Buffalo Wings - Honey’s

2007 Reader’s Poll Best of Tampa

Best 24-hour Restaurant – Three Coins

Best Bagel – Bagels Plus

Best Bakery – Alessi's

Best Bar – New World Brewery

Best Barbecue – Big John's Alabama

Best Bay-area Food Writer – Brian Ries

Best Beach Bar – Caddy's on the Beach

Best Beer – Tampa Bay Brewing Company

Best Beer Garden – New World Brewery

Best Breakfast – Pach's Place

Best Buffet – Sweet Tomatoes

Best Burgers (chain) – 5 Guys

Best Burgers (non-chain) – I'll start the search for the best burger in Tampa this February.

Best Chinese – Yummy House

Best Crepes – La Creperia

Best Coffee (non-chain) – Naviera Mills

Best Colombian – La Cabana Antioquena

Best Cuban Food – Too close to call even after the run-off. Next step - taste test!

Best Cuban Sandwich – This is also too close to call and demands some personal tasting and research.

Best Deli – Castellano and Pizzo

Best Desserts – La Casa Dolce

Best Diner – Run-off

Best Falafel – Grass Root

Best Fish Market - Cox's Seafood Market

Best Fish Sandwich – Run-off

Best Food Blog – Jaden's Steamy Kitchen

Best French Fries – 5 Guys

Best Fried Chicken – Gold Ring

Best Fried Potato – Papa Joe's

Best Gelato – La Casa Dolce

Best German Food - Mr. Dunderbak's

Best Greek – Acropolis Greek Taverna

Best Grocery Store – Publix

Best Gyro – Acropolis Greek Taverna

Best Hot Dogs – Mel's

Best Ice Cream – Strachans Palm Harbor

Best Indian Restaurant – Udipi

Best Italian – Laughing Cat

Best Jamaican – Jerk Hut

Best Mall Food – Chick-fil-a

Best Middle Eastern – Byblos

Best Nachos -- Lee Roy Selmon's pulled pork and pickled okra nachos

Best Pho – Pho Quyen

Best Pizza – Cappy's

Best Place that Allows Dogs – New World Brewery

Best Place to Take a First Date – Sunset Picnic on St. Pete Beach

Best Place to Take Out-of-towners for Dinner – La Teresita

Best Place to Watch the Sun Set – Swigwam Beach Bar

Best Sandwich – Run-off

Best Sandwich Shop (chain) – Panera's

Best Sandwich Shop (non-chain) – Moxie's

Best Southern Cooking – Savannah's

Best Steak – Bern's

Best Sushi – Yoko's

Best Sweet Tea - Lupton's

Best Tex-Mex/Mexican – Casa Tina's

Best Thai – Thai Ruby

Best Veggie – Grass Root

Best Vietnamese – Pho Quyen

Best Wine Bar – The Grape

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