St. Petersburg • Clearwater 2008 - (Page 27) Guppy’s Seafood Grill & Bar – Seafood Indian Rocks Beach The Dish: Guppy's on the Beach serves a fun twist on an old favorite: Lobster Escargot. 727-593-2032 www.3bestchefs.com GrillSmith – American Grill Clearwater The Dish: This neighborhood joint cooks up fire-grilled foods such as Black Angus burgers and grilled tortilla pizzas. For lighter fare, try the Bourbon salmon salad. 727-726-6061 www.grillsmith.com Marlin Darlin – New American Belleair Bluffs The Dish: This hip spot features ceviche in a Chinese soup spoon and mahi mahi in rum-raisin sauce. The pear-bacon pizza and crab cake corn dogs make this a top pick for creative cooking. 727-584-1700 Tio Pepe Restaurant – Spanish Mediterranean Clearwater The Dish: This landmark house filled with rare antiques offers Spanish Mediterranean cuisine with banquet facilities, a wine cellar and cigar humidor. Try the pompano cooked in a parchment bag. Homemade desserts include key lime pie. 727-799-3082 www.tiopeperestaurant.com Wildflower Café – Natural Foods Clearwater The Dish: This is where the “ladies lunch” for all-natural goodies such as buttermilk biscuits and honey butter. Parties of eight or more may reserve a 2 p.m. “tea time. ” 727-447-4497 www.wildflowercafe.net ~Jennifer Michaels » Tarpon Springs, Dunedin & Safety Harbor area Bellini – Italian Dunedin The Dish: Faux Old World décor that nonetheless works here. Features fresh fish and pastas. Meat options spotlight veal dishes. Full wine list. 727-733-5449 www.bellinidunedin.com Green Springs Bistro – American/ New Southern Safety Harbor The Dish: Conch architecture, walls festooned with vibrant art and a to-die-for gumbo. Other choices? Salmon topped with lobster sauce and a mahi-mahi sandwich. Live music at lunch and weekends. 727-669-6762 www.greenspringsbistro.com Hella’s – Greek Tarpon Springs The Dish: Classic Greek fare in an atmosphere of an upscale pizzeria. Eat indoors or out. Try the fried calamari, moussaka and flaming cheese. Restaurant bakery next door for dessert. Full bar. 727-943-2400 www.hellas-restaurant.com Kelly’s For Just About Anything – American/Bar Dunedin The Dish: Kelly’s serves up breakfast, lunch, dinner. Sample seafood, pasta, ribs and veggie fare in small plates or large. The Chic-a-Boom Room (in the same building) is the region’s signature martini bar. 727-736-5284 www.kellyschicaboom.com Molly Goodhead’s Raw Bar – Seafood/American Ozona The Dish: A rowdy locals favorite. Eat in or out on the deck draped with Christmas lights year ’round. Try the raw oysters, crab cakes and Greek salad. 727-786-6255 www.mollygoodheads.com Mykonos – Greek Tarpon Springs The Dish: The local’s favorite. Modest whitewashed building serves authentic Greek entrees. Typical meal: spanikopita, fish or soutzoukakia (essentially a Greek kebab) and baklava. Some water views. Crowds quickly at peak times. 727-934-4306 ~ Laura Spinale Mykonos in Tarpon Springs. :CULINARY LANDMARKS They are the restaurants where locals know the menus by heart, parking lots are full and a wait is worth it. These culinary landmarks define the St. Pete/ Clearwater area as much as the sea. Out on the islands, classics such as The Hurricane on St. Pete Beach (727-360-9558) and Bob Heilman’s Beachcomber Restaurant on Clearwater Beach (727-442-4144) serve fresh seafood and American cuisine just steps from the sand. In St. Petersburg, the Columbia Restaurant, a white-table cloth Spanish restaurant on The Pier is a culinary reflection of the Bay area’s Latin heritage (727-822-8000). Pepin’s Restaurant also features Spanish dishes along with steaks and lobsters that will impress your dinner mates (727-821-3773). Flip-flop it for a taste of smoked mullet at Ted Peters Smokehouse in South Pasadena (727-381-7931) or for the signature crab cakes at Backfin Blue Cafe in Gulfport (727-343-2583). Make that Birkenstocks at Casa Tina’s Mexican Grill, which serves healthy south-of-theborder favorites and gourmet vegetarian dishes in downtown Dunedin (727-734-9226). ~ LW Columbia Restaurant. www. F loridas Beach. com 27 http://www.3bestchefs.com http://www.bellinidunedin.com http://www.grillsmith.com http://www.greenspringsbistro.com http://www.hellas-restaurant.com http://www.tiopeperestaurant.com http://www.kellyschicaboom.com http://www.wildflowercafe.net http://www.mollygoodheads.com http://www.FloridasBeach.com
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