Popular barbecue chain Cook Out looking to open new St. Petersburg location
After sharing plans to open multiple outposts in Tampa, popular fast-food restaurant Cook Out also has put a flag down in St. Petersburg. The chain—which announced two locations in Hillsborough County last March—has also acquired another former Boston Market in St. Petersburg, according to the Tampa Bay Business Journal. Cook Out’s St. Pete location is at 9595 4th St. N near the end of the Gandy Bridge, and it joins Tampa locations at 5501 E Fowler Ave. in Temple Terrace and 16215 N Dale Mabry Hwy in Carrollwood. Both stores will replace former Boston Market locations. Since 1989, the North Carolina-based chain has earned cult-like followings at its more than 300 locations in the Southeast. People just can't seem to get enough of the restaurant's backyard-style menu and its famous "Cook Out Tray," which includes various chicken and burger options, barbeque, corn dogs, hotdogs, quesadillas, and more. – Ray Roa
Ybor City’s iconic Mema’s Alaskan Tacos will reopen this fall
Ybor City is changing really fast, but a slice of its golden years is coming back. Owner Sean Godin told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that Mema’s Alaskan Tacos will reopen this fall. The new location at 1903 N19th St. was last home to a vegan deli and is just a block away from Mema’s last location, which closed in 2011 after the recession. “I never stopped eating them,” Godin told CL about the concept's famous tacos, which saw fillings like gator, shrimp and beef cooked in the shell, resulting in an crispy taco topped with shreds of cold iceberg lettuce and sharp cheddar cheese all served in a sorely-missed translucent wax paper wrapping. – Ray Roa
Goody Goody will close this month in South Tampa
Just shy of the 100th anniversary of its initial opening, old school Tampa diner Goody Goody says it’ll close in South Tampa this month. In a letter, Richard Gonzmart, President and Caretaker of The 1905 Family of Restaurants, said his company was evolving and adapting to “changing circumstances” as it looks for new ways to serve its community. The last day of service at Goody Goody—located at 1601 W Swann Ave. in Tampa’s Hyde Park Village—is Sunday, Sept. 29. Starting this Tuesday, Sept. 24 the spot famously open early for breakfast will operate with a limited menu from 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m. A press release says the move allow 1905. to focus on its core restaurant brands while preserving the Goody Goody brand elsewhere, adding that the group did work closely with its landlord, WS Development, to try and find a way to say. The 60 employees at Goody Goody's Hyde Park location will be offered opportunities at other 1905 concepts including Columbia Restaurant, Columbia Café, Ulele and Casa Santo Stefano, the release added. – Ray Roa
Tampa Bay's best restaurants, food and drink of 2024, according to our readers
There's never been a better time to be hungry in Tampa Bay. Over the last year, the region has witnessed a surge of new restaurants, bars, breweries, food trucks and more. But while there's plenty to celebrate, not everything can be "the best." After weeks of polling and more than a million votes, Creative Loafing readers let us know what they love most about Tampa Bay eats, and now, the results are finally in.
What follows are the best Tampa Bay restaurants, bars, chefs, bartenders, and more of 2024, according to you and your neighbors.
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