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Chris Ponte launched his first restaurant, Café Ponte, in Clearwater in 2002. He quickly made a name for himself in Tampa Bay thanks to an extraordinary trail-blazing New American menu and impeccable service. However, after an 18-year run, Ponte decided to shutter the iconic fine dining restaurant citing a combination of COVID-19 issues and a diffi...

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A flotilla of a half-dozen tall ships, including a replica of the iconic Santa Maria, will sail into the St. Petersburg waterfront for a festival onshore and off March 30-April 2. Tall Ships America, a nonprofit dedicated to maritime heritage and youth education, is bringing its annual tour of tall ships from across the country. This is the first t...

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Forbici is one of the top spots in all of Tampa for fine Italian cuisine. The restaurant puts a modern twist on classic dishes, and offers up a sensational pizza in Tampa’s Hyde Park Village. This restaurant is part of Next Level Brands, a group headed up by prolific restaurateur Jeff Gigante. Next Level just recently opened Boulon Brasserie in Wat...

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The management team behind Italy Bottega’s market and deli is opening a full restaurant in Grand Central this spring. Cala Italian Kitchen, located at 1949 1st Avenue South, will bring Sicilian-style dining and drinking to the neighborhood. The building is next door to popular plant nursery Wild Roots. Ownership anticipates an April or May opening...

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Toby’s Little Italy is one of the top pizza spots in the entire Sunshine City. They’re slinging top notch chicken parm. sandwiches, and saucy slices from a quaint space at 3523 49th Street North. This year is the 50th year anniversary for Toby’s Little italy Pizza. This restaurant isn’t content to simply commemorate the occasion with cake and candl...

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One of our favorite new spots downtown for delicious food and drink has added a game-changer to St. Pete’s lunch scene. Beginning this week, Bonu’ Taverna is now open daily at 11:30 am, bringing a delicious new weekday lunch option to town. And on weekends, Bonu’ has rolled out Saturday and Sunday brunch, with some incredible cocktails and food spe...

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I ate, I slurped and I napped all thanks to the new Italian restaurant on Central Avenue, Bonu Taverna. From pasta swirls, fresh housemade pizza, an exquisite wine and cocktail list, and a remarkable experience every time, they know how to check all the boxes. The menu is familiar and offers a lot of choices from Italian small plates to share, pins...

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Jay Luigi is quaint in size, but bountiful in flavor. This exquisite restaurant along the sprawling 4th Street North corridor is hard to miss with its vibrant Vitale Bros mural out front. An intimate indoor dining area proceeds what appears to be a private oasis. Walls of greenery submerge Jay Luigi guests in a garden of Italian delights. The resta...

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The pandemic has been a nightmare for Tampa area restaurants. Labor shortages and costs going up… it’s led to some great places closing their doors. The one that crushed me last month was when I visited Italia Mia in St. Pete. It has been my go to spot for great Chicken Parmesan ever since I moved to Florida 10 years ago. Truth be told, the last fe...

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The Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg is premiering Bernini and the Roman Baroque Saturday. It’s the first new exhibition of 2022, arguably the most significant show at the MFA since it re-opened 17 months ago. According to museum director Kristen Shepherd, this exhibition – celebrating the work of Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680) and other artist...

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