By Nanette Wiser
Whether you’re entertaining visitors or want to say aloha to your stove, Pinellas County’s neighborhoods serve up a smorgasbord of delights. Check Facebook for happy hours, early birds and entertainment listings or sign up for the restaurant’s newsletter or loyalty program.
There’s always a good time at the multiple Caddy’s and Crabby’s family restaurants around the beaches. In Pinellas Park, daSesto Italiano will soon open their patio and it’s one of the best Italian restaurants in town; keep an eye out for their wine dinners. Safety Harbor boasts Southern Fresh, Ciro’s and Parts of Paris among its dozens of delectable restos and in Dunedin, dine at Living Room on Main, The Black Pearl and Restorative. We’re nibbling St. Pete Beach for another issue but look forward to the Sea Turtle opening near The Drunken Clam and new owners refreshing Sea Critters as Red White & Booze, adding more docks, live entertainment, and more seafood (scallops, crab cakes, shrimp, grouper, and a catch and cook option for fishermen).
LARGO/SEMINOLE Explore Taco Tuesday at Angry Pepper, Stefano’s grouper with pasta, Brooklyn Pizza’s pies and authentic Italian meatballs, Pizza Shack’s seafood tortellini or clam linguine, Goose’s house wings, Savanh of Laos or Lanna Thai’straditional Asian fare, Big Jim’s Philly cheesesteaks or meatloaf and Jimmy’s Sushi Bar.
INDIAN ROCKS/INDIAN SHORES Enjoy Slyce’s gourmet pizzas (Here’s Johnny, Greek), Guppy’s sensational seafood and steaks, Villa Gallace’s filet Diane or veal, VIP’s Mexican pizza, enchiladas and wet burritos, Salt Rock Grill’s oysters and early bird, Groupers on The Gulf and in Sand Key, The Columbia.
MADEIRA-REDINGTON You’ll be captivated by Sweet Sage’s or Frog Pond’s voluptuous breakfasts, Happy Days’ chicken salad, Broke n Bored’s grilled spicy shrimp, Coco Wood Grill’s seafood enchiladas or smoked ribeye French dip, Stan’s Tapas’ charcuterie platters, Parisian sandwich and fondue with friends; Stan’s Epicurean prix-fixe gourmet dinners and wine pairings, Coastal Pizza’s shrimp pie, Coastal Tacos street Mex delights, Dockside Dave’s grouper sandwich, Mario’s Ristorante’s savory pastas, Wahoo’s seared ahi, The Daiquri Shak for burgers with a side of rock and roll, Angry Pepper’s craft beers and sandwiches, Conch Republic’s mussels or mahi, the rooftop lounge at The Cambria for sunset cocktails and Gulf Bistro’s sensational French dishes. Check out the early bird and other specials, especially Wine Down Wednesday at Coastal Pizza, Thirsty Thursday at Stan’s Tapas and always affordable cocktails at The Friendly Tavern and Fort Knox.
TREASURE ISLAND Sea Dog Brew Pub’s breakfast shrimp and grits, lobster and crab rolls, seasonal beers rock; come by car or tie up at their docks. You’ll discover unexpected pleasures at BRGR Kitchen & Bar (burgers, Bloody Mary’s), Foxy Café (Sloppy Joes, stacked poblano burger), Club at Treasure Island (Chef Paul Daubert’s seafood, steak dinner, charcuterie boards), The R Bar’s all-you-can-eat fried chicken Sun.-Mon. and Sloppy Joe’s smoked salmon Benedict, burgers and sammies. Middle Grounds Grill’s lemon infused crabcakes, Moscato scallops, bone-in cowboy ribeye and sensational wine list plus happy hour 4:30-6:30pm at the bar and live entertainment is my fave.
ISLA DEL SOL/TIERRA VERDE Enjoy the pool, cocktails, and food at Vista at the Top and Island Grille (raw bar, lobster roll), stone crab or Maine lobster at Billy’s, Italian dishes at Tony + Nello’s and Cirque, Alsace French Bistro’s brunch and oo-la-la traditional dishes, especially the French Onion soup.
