Winner: SOHO Juice Co.
Finalists: Grain & Berry, Kaia Bowls

Spend any amount of time on Davis Islands and you’ll see clear as day that the makeup of the storied Tampa neighborhood has changed (thanks, Tom Brady). Something that’s always stayed the same is perhaps the tiniest small business in Tampa, Fit Bowl Co., tucked into a veritable closet that still pumps out some of the healthiest bowls, smoothings, coffee and soft serve in town. Founded by Trent McAree and his brother Kyle seven years ago, the company has expanded to Sparkman Wharf and Armature Works but maintains its first location that is a reminder of a time before TMZ landed in the 813. fitbowlco.com —Ray Roa

We know, we know, $100 could feed some families for a week—but if you’re gonna splurge, do it with a midday menagerie at this Michelin-approved Greek hotspot from Chef Christina Theofilos. All-day breakfast is fun, but start with a dip (the airy, fresh, favosalata or trio if you’re feisty), then fill up on the hearty horiatiki salad topped with a brick of feta and a crusty baguette (baked in-house, of course). Split a lamb pita or smashburger to round things out. All that, combined with a wine and/or cortado (the latter Elais’ way with a splash of EVOO), your take home dessert and tip will easily leave a Benjamin Franklin-sized hole in your bank account, but you’re guaranteed to walk out knowing it was one of the best meals of the year. eatpsomi.com —Ray Roa

Growing up, Seminole used to have a lone Rita’s Italian Ice and a crappy mall (shoutout Cloud 9 arcade). Now, there are options galore for stuff to do in Seminole, which is weird if you were raised near here. One of the tremendous new advents? Locally owned coffee and kava bar, Driftwood, on Seminole Boulevard and Park Street. Folks in St. Pete might know the sister location already on Central Avenue, but the Seminole spot is the perfect place to get some work done or have a coffee date. The best part? Driftwood is open early and closes late, a rarity for coffee shops today (not even Starbucks or Dunkin does that anymore). We haven’t tried the kava yet, but the in-house roasted coffee is top-tier, and the folks at Driftwood are some of the kindest in town. driftwoodkavacoffeecafe.com —Arielle Stevenson

Winner: Fortu
Finalists: Bern's Steakhouse, Noble Crust

Winner: Fortu
Finalists: Yummy House, Hawkers Asian Street Food

In an August episode of “Beat Bobby Flay” on the Food Network, the executive chef of Wild Child in St. Pete first dispensed with another chef in a battle over mahi mahi, then took on celeb chef Flay using Reinsmith’s chosen dish, corn empanadas. The show is edited to heighten tension, so of course the cook-off seemed neck-in-neck. In the end, the judges of the blind taste test chose Reinsmith’s version. If you’re not familiar with the show, Flay wins a lot of these contests, so taking him down was no small feat. Reinsmith also acquitted himself well during the brief interview segments. He did St. Pete (OK, Tampa Bay) proud. And he did himself and his restaurants (and future restaurants) a lot of good. @rreinsmith on Instagram —Eric Snider

Oldsmar’s Craft Street Kitchen once did a damn good job replicating this sandwich, and there’s a difference between this beauty and the monstrosity that Krusty the Clown begrudgingly promoted in 2007. But the last remaining location of the “flavor-crusading” eatery (which used to have three establishments open) captured national foodie attention a few years ago with The Cheesy Todd, a burger made with a three-meat patty, American cheese, and for the buns, two slabs of deep-fried, bacon-and-jalapeno mac and cheese. It’s $17, which is considerably cheaper than some local artisan burgers, and it’s definitely not a “pick it up like a sandwich” ordeal; you’ll need a fork and knife. You can head to Krusty Burger in Universal Studios and get the greasy “Clogger Burger” itself, yes, but you and Plopper the Pig both know that those buns are plain AF compared to this all-American beast. However, if you’re gonna chow down on one before heading across the street to Jannus Live, just be ready to lose your ultra-close spot when that poop starts a-bubbling. datztampa.com —Josh Bradley

Winner: St. Pete Bagel Co.
Finalists: Pete's Bagels, Clearwater Bagels