The Tampa Bay Area offers some of the best and most diverse dining options available anywhere in the world. When traveling to Clearwater to watch the Philadelphia Phillies during Spring Training, your options for meals are vast. Here we will share some of my favorite recommendations.
Breakfast Spots
Many conversations about places to eat in Clearwater begin with Lenny’s. Ours will too. About a mile from Spectrum Field, this New York deli will make you feel like you are back in the Delaware Valley. The decor is mostly Phillies and many times you can see players and others from the organization enjoy breakfast before they head to the ballpark.
Everything on the menu is excellent. Some recommendations are their omelettes, pancakes, and French toast. Their omelettes come with these incredible bread baskets that have some of the best pastries you will find anywhere. Lenny’s also serves excellent Bloody Mary’s and has the Philadelphia favorite Yuengling as well as a myriad of other beverage options. Put Lenny’s on your list!
TIP: Get their early. It gets very busy on game days.
Clear Sky Beachside Cafe on Clearwater Beach has good food too for all three meals. It is convenient if you are staying on the island and want something close. They have a full menu and bar including their “Famous Bloody Mary Bar” and specialize in bennies, omelettes, skillets, classics, crepes, burritos, french toast pancakes, waffles and beignets.
Another good choice is Clearwater Family Restaurant. This family owned business offers a low cost option but great food for all three meals. If you want a taste of home, they feature a pork roll egg and cheese sandwich and a Philly cheesesteak omelette.
If Sunday Brunch is your thing, Island Way Grill is a great choice. You can enjoy a full breakfast buffet that has and oyster bar, carving station, omelettes and waffles made to order, seafood, desserts, and 2 free beverages of your choice. This is a can’t miss if brunch is your thing. the buffet runs from 10am – 2:30pm.
Lunch Spots
Most days you will probably enjoy lunch at Spectrum Field. The food there is not bad although after breakfast at Lenny’s, you may want to skip lunch anyway! On non game days, Clearwater Beach has a host of good lunch spots including the Palm Pavilion, a couple Frenchy’s locations, Cooters, and Carettta’s at the Sandpearl, just to name a few.
If you are traveling around, lunch at Scully’s – The Hut at John’s Pass in Madeira Beach has great food and amazing views. The Riverwalk in Tampa has good spots to Stop including Armature Works, The Sail, and Columbia Cafe. The Sponge Docks in Tarpon Springs and downtown Dunedin have restaurants throughout. Be sure to try one of the Greek eateries if you go to the Sponge Docks.
A trip to Tampa would not be complete without trying a Cuban sandwich. Here is a list of best places to get one courtesy of the Tampa Bay Times. They have a unique taste and are about as authentic to Tampa as pirates are!
Casual Dinner Options
I already mentioned 3 great casual options in Frenchy’s, Cooters, and the Palm Pavilion. Frenchy’s and the Palm both have amazing sunset views. I prefer the food at Frenchy’s but prefer the atmosphere and views from the Palm. Try them both and let me know your favorite in the comments.
The Brown Boxer is a fun local spot where you can bring your dog. They have good food, a lively bar with good specials, live music, and great televisions to watch sports.
Crabby’s Bar and Grill has good options although I prefer the Original Crabby Bill’s in Indian Rocks Beach. Sheppard’s Resort in Clearwater Beach is popular but very touristy. Think Ocean City boardwalk on the 4th of July.
Rumba Island Bar and Grill in Clearwater has nice menu options and good food with a fun environment. Rumba was a favorite of Darren Daulton and several other players from the 1993 team. I saw them there several times. Again, there are so many great options but these are a few to get you started.
Nicer Dinner Options
Maybe you want to enjoy something a little nicer that the normal by the gulf dining options. Tampa has plenty of them. In Clearwater Beach there is Island Way Grill featuring great seafood options, everything is fresh and their crab bisque is outstanding. Cesare at the Beach does their best to bring a nicer Italian restaurant to the beach as does Forlini’s. Florida is not known for their Italian food so consider that before deciding where to go. Bob Heilman’s Beachcomber offers an amazing experience for those that enjoy fine dining. This is a Phillies favorite and if you are lucky, you will run into the manager that tells a great story about John Middleton dancing on a table the day they signed Bryce Harper (notice I’m sitting across from Jayson Werth and Charlie Manual).
Off the island in Hyde Park in Tampa is Timpano Chophouse to round out the Italian recommendations. The Hyde Park Village is a nice place to spend an afternoon or evening shopping and dinner at Timpano is always a great experience. Look for ballplayer and celebrity sitings. I sat across from Derek Jeter, C.C. Sabathia, and Jorge Posado once there and was there another time when A-Rod and Cameron Diaz were dining there.
Bern’s Steakhouse is world renowned. The steaks and service are legendary. They have one of the best wine cellars in the world that goes under the street. Another unique part of the experience is that they reseat you in a separate room for dessert. Bring dressier clothes and make your reservation now to ensure you can get it.
The Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City is another world famous restaurant. They are the largest Spanish Restaurant in the world and their 1905 Salad is continually ranked as one of the best in the country. Their food is simply the best. Make sure you schedule to see the Flamenco Dancers during your dinner and be sure you go to the one in Ybor City.
Ulele at The Riverwalk is another good option for a nice dinner out. This great restaurant mixes the local fresh seafood and locally grown vegetables and mixes it with the intricate flavors brought to the regions by the original Native American’s. Every meal I have had there has been amazing.
Final Thoughts
If you are less adventurous, the Tampa Bay Area has every chain restaurant you could imagine and some you may not even know about yet. Outback and Hooters were started in Tampa and Clearwater respectively as were a host of other chains.
We hope you decide to visit the Phillies and the Tampa Bay Area. As a transplant from the Jersey Shore, I can tell you the area is absolutely gorgeous with 12 months of great weather. If you are considering real estate in the area, see the current homes listed at BrokerBillZ.com or call or text 727-488-7423.
Bill Zeltman is originally from the Jersey Shore but came to Tampa in 1990 to attend college. He is a licensed real estate broker and manages Realty One Group Beyond in Clearwater and has a license in Atlantic County, NJ. Call him with your real estate needs 727-488-7423 or visit BrokerBillZ.com.
Bill has been a Phillies fans his entire life. As an 8 year old he fell in love with baseball and the Phillies when they won the 1980 World Series. He has had season tickets most of his life and continues to be an avid fan. He has sat in the stands for many milestone games and events including Pete Rose passing Stan Musial as the National League all time hits leader, Steve Carlton becoming the all time strikeout leader, Joe Morgan’s 40th birthday where he hit 2 homeruns, the 1983 playoffs and World Series, the game where Al Holland became the Phillies single season leader in saves, the 26-7 drubbing of the Mets in 1985, Terry Mulholland and Kevin Millwood’s no hitters at Veteran’s Stadium, the game in May of 1989 when Steve Jeltz hit a homerun from both sides of the plate, the game where Steve Bedrosian became the Phillies single season saves leader, many of the great games of 1993 including the latest game in history where Mitch Williams won the second game of a double header at 4:43am, the last game at Veteran’s Stadium, many great games in 2008 including a 20 run game, the NL East clinching game, Jamie Moyer’s shutout making him the oldest pitcher in history to record a shutout, Roy Halladay’s no hitter in the 2010 NLDS, and a plethora of great games from 2007-2011.
Bill is from South Jersey and grew up right outside of Atlantic City. He now lives minutes from BayCare Ballpark in New Port Richey, FL. He played baseball avidly and collected autographs when he was younger. He has over 500 autographs in his collection. He enjoys golfing, the beach, boating, cooking, and of course baseball and the Phillies.
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