Happy Thursday. Read on for the latest Tampa Bay restaurant news, a fall latte that gave me a serotonin boost and the week’s best local events, food-related and otherwise.
|
|
|
|
[Courtesy of State Flour Bakery] |
“A chef-driven Panera Bread.” That’s how State Flour Bakery co-owner Alex Flannery describes what he and co-owner Alex Marsilio are rolling out in January.
The hospitality veterans will move their South Tampa bakery to a larger location in Lutz to expand production and the concept as a whole. The new spot will have a full bar and serve more food items, including sandwiches and plated eats for weekend brunch, in addition to the sourdough croissants and breads State Flour is known for.
Marsilio and Flannery say they still want to keep their South Tampa fans fed through a small storefront in the area. It just won’t be in the tiny strip mall where the bakery launched four years ago. More satellite retail shops could follow.
The duo are still in R&D mode with the Lutz location. Check out what they have planned so far. |
|
|
|
I don’t whimsify my coffee order enough at Tampa Bay’s many great coffee shops. But when October rolls around, I’m all about it. Nothing beats a caffeine boost full of cuddly spices, weather be damned. Instead of soaking up “fall” in Florida with pumpkin-laced lattes, though, I’ve been opting for other festive flavors.
Enter the Peach Cobbler Latte from Tampa brewery Late Start. I tried this after a cloudy-but-still-sweaty morning stroll on the Riverwalk the other Saturday. Water? No, thanks. I’ll have an iced coffee. The creamy latte arrived in a tall glass, no fancy garnish or anything, and pleasantly surprised me. It really did taste like peach cobbler in a cup. The espresso balanced out the sweetness, and the warm flavors from the housemade peach cobbler syrup (peach, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla) brought the cozy feels.
|
|
|
|
| For the latest Tampa Bay restaurant openings, reviews and more, stay connected with the Times Food Hub on Instagram. |
|
|
| [LUIS SANTANA | Times (2025)] |
Boos and barbecue among this week’s top events |
Halloween season is in full swing, and we have ideas for how to get into the holiday spirit with food and drinks and popular thrills. Performer Purgatory — a spooky, immersive collaboration between The Studio@620 and Wordier Than Thou that blends live performance and storytelling — also takes over FloridaRAMA in St. Pete on Saturday.
Want to spend your Saturday outdoors? The Gulfport Night Market sets up along Beach Boulevard with an array of local artisans, and the Tampa Pig Jig features live music and barbecue goodness at Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park.
Next week brings two swanky dining experiences: a Champagne pairing dinner with Pol Roger at Tampa Edition restaurant Lilac on Tuesday and a four-course dinner hosted as part of the Savor St. Pete food and wine festival at Luma inside St. Pete’s SkyBeach Resort on Thursday.
And if you’re still planning to join us as we celebrate our food critic’s annual ranking of the top 50 places to eat in Tampa Bay, now’s the time to commit. All the fun goes down Nov. 10 in St. Pete, and VIP tickets are truly almost sold out. You can score them right here.
Find more things to do for this weekend and beyond. |
Did someone forward this to you? Get Do & Dine in your own inbox next time. It's free to subscribe. Sign up here.
|
|
|
|
Download the Tampa Bay Times app for access to daily local news. |
|
|
|
To ensure this email is delivered to your inbox, add news@elist.tampabay.com to your address book.
You're receiving this email because you signed up for the Do & Dine newsletter or because it's included in your subscription. To update your preferences, manage your email settings. To stop receiving all emails from us, unsubscribe here.
Tampa Bay Times • P.O. Box 1121
St. Petersburg, FL 33731 • 727-893-8111
© 2026 • All Rights Reserved |
|
|
|
|
