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








