Geno’s Favorite Cheap Tampa Area Restaurants For 2024
Listen Bern’s is great. But I’m a frugal guy. My list of the best of the best Tampa area restaurants is filled with places where you’ll get in and out…
Listen Bern's is great. But I'm a frugal guy. My list of the best of the best Tampa area restaurants is filled with places where you'll get in and out for $20 or less per person. Here are my picks for 2024. Most have not changed over my 10 or 15 years in Tampa.
Pizza
Cristino's in Clearwater
It hasn't changed. For I don't know how many years now, I've yet to find better pizza in Florida. Yes, I've tried all the pizzas most Tampa folks rave about… Eddie & Sam's, Due Amici, Fabrica, Grimaldi's, Sally O'Neals. Those are all good too. But we're talking the best on this list and Cristino's remains the best of the best in Tampa for 2024. I remember the first time I went to Cristino's. I had a trip to New York City planned a week later. The pizza was so good at Cristino's I didn't even seek better pizza out in NYC. It was that good. And still is. One national ranking had Cristino's at #18 in the country. It's that good. [More of my favorite Tampa pizza spots.]
Sandwiches
DeCosmo Italian Market in Pinellas Park
This one was probably the toughest to pick the best. Mazzaro's is so close behind, but they are the runner up. The DeCosmo sub #5 (The Vincenzo) is my favorite sub anywhere in Florida. I'm a big guy and the small fills me up. Spicy Italian with ham, salami, capicola, pepperoni, provolone, tomato, onion, and lettuce finished with hot giardiniera and house dressing. A classic Italian sub with a hot spicy kick. If it's just you, the small is more than enough. If you're not a fan of hot and spicy, go with the #1 instead. Wimp. ;-) Delco's in Dunedin gets an honorable mention here too. Those cheesesteaks are worthy of the legendary status they have. [My favorite $11 lunch]
Italian
Antico Fornaio in Clearwater
Antico Fornaio is a new Italian restaurant in Feather Sound sat for months in dark silence this year. It replaced a Greek place called Taziki’s I was kind of bummed to see go. They had a Balsamic Chicken Pasta dish I loved. The plaza is chain central. Antico Fornaio’s neighbors are Starbucks, Dominoes, and until recently Teriyaki Madness. So my hopes weren’t all that high. You can get chicken parm as a panini with fries for $12 or a main dish with pasta for $18. I’ve now had it both ways… go with the main dish. The texture of Antico Fornaio’s chicken parmesan is perfection. It’s got a crunch but not too much. The chicken is prepared just as I like it. The sauce is fantastic and plentiful (on the main dish, not so much on the panini). A very close runner up is Mama Rosa's Italian Kitchen in St. Pete. [More on my first visits to Antico Fornaio.]
Mexican
Miguel's in Tampa
The crazy thing about this one is I didn't even get a chance to get to Miguel's in 2024. Or 2023. In fact it's been years since my last visit. I'm just not over on the Hillsborough side that often these days except for a Lightning game or concert. But Miguel's was one of my first favorite restaurants when I moved to Tampa. I can't imagine they've fallen off.
Fast Food
Culver's all over Tampa Bay
I probably go to McD's the most often since it's right across the street from the radio station. But Culver's really is the best of the best in the Tampa area. Five Guys is a runner up, but I have a hard time calling them fast food with those prices. Culver's has those cheese curds and great frozen custard shakes. My tip: get the kids meal. Plenty enough for me and keeps your price way under $10 for a burger, fries, drink and frozen custard sundae. And the staff is always absurdly friendly... that definitely sets them apart from the other Florida fast food spots.
Chinese Food
China Wok at 301 & Adamo in Tampa
It's a challenge to find good Chinese food in Florida. And I'm not talking about legitimate healthy Chinese food. I'm talking the "New York style" stuff that clogs your arteries. I like Shang Hai Takeout on Westshore and Yummy House in Tampa. On the Pinellas side, Zom Hee reigns supreme. But my favorite spot is a little dive takeout spot across from Brandon Ford. Get the honey garlic chicken lunch special.
Breakfast
Lenny's in Clearwater
Another spot I didn't make it to in 2024, but if I'm up early enough for breakfast, this is the best of the best. It's nothing fancy. But on a Sunday morning, plan to wait. But there's a line to get in at Lenny's for a reason.
It's been almost a year since the DeCosmo family opened up its Italian market in Pinellas Park. Their sandwiches have been famous for years in Pinellas County but this was a big move opening up a big market.
Instantly comparisons were made with Mazzaro's. Both sell pasta, wine, cheese, spices, oils and cannoli. But Paul, Vincent and Steven have definitely done some things with DeCosmo Italian Market that make the experience more enjoyable.
Check out my interview with the DeCosmo brothers on the newest episode of Geno Ate Tampa podcast. But enough talk. Let's eat.
Been to DeCosmo Italian Market yet? What did you think? Is there something I should try on my next visit? Drop me a line at @GenoAteTampa on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. And check out my interview with the DeCosmo brothers on the July 2023 episode of the Geno Ate Tampa podcast.
DeCosmo's is easy to miss if you aren't looking for it. It's on 49th Street in Pinellas Park about a block or two south of Park.
They've got all the obvious stuff you'd find at an Italian market... all the various pasta cuts. But it's FAR less crowded and chaotic than Mazzaro's. You don't feel like you're in a zoo at DeCosmo's.
Lots of cheeses... from the basics like grated cheese for pasta to harder to find imported cheeses like this.
Vincenzo suggests trying this cheese imported from Italy... Robiola Bosina.
Olives and lots of other sides can be found in the coolers.
They have plenty of prepared meals ready to take home and bake too. Check out the pizzone!
This is where DeCosmo's shines. Go right to #5 - the Vincenzo. Spicy Italian with ham, salami, capicola, pepperoni, provolone, tomato, onion, and lettuce finished with hot giardiniera and house dressing. A classic Italian sub with a hot spicy kick. If it's just you, the small is more than enough. If you're not a fan of hot and spicy, go with the #1 instead. Wimp. ;-)
I've had the Chicken Parm sub too. It's good. But take my word for it. The Number 5 is the way to go. This is a large... which even for 6'4" nearly 300 pound me cannot be finished in one sitting.
Yes. It was as good as it looks. And unlike Mazzaro's, they're open Sunday... the day I'm doing this photo album. I might have to head over and have one as soon as I finish this.
Way better than Pepsi or Coke... a great cola flavor without the weird chemical aftertastes we're so used to with the corporate colas.
Geno / Q105The cafe is more than just a spot for Espresso and Cappucino. There's Italian soda, gelato and wine by the glass too.
Definitely more legit than Starbucks.
The bakery has lots of good stuff. The DeCosmo bakery section is definitely smaller than Mazzaro's. But there's not really anything missing.
Tiramisu? Don't mind if I do.
My family has their own Italian market back in Portland, Maine. As a kid, I'd stock the shelves. The Pizzelles always went fast.
I'm not a big anise fan so I love they have vanilla flavored now.
The wine selection isn't as enormous as the one at Mazzaros, but you won't have trouble finding something... they have solid budget wines and some fancy ones too if you want to go all out.
Wines for every budget - this is one of those ones to get if you want to impress.
The #5 sub (Hot Italian) at DeCosmo's Italian Market in Pinellas Park. I tried the Chicken Parm sub too. And it was good... but I'm all about that #5.
