While New Tampa may bring to mind a tangle of disconnected yet beautiful new master-planned communities and big box stores and malls, South Tampa brings to mind a unique mix of upscale, established neighborhoods rich in character and urban sophistication. South Tampa is not a proper community; instead, it encompasses the upper and lower Tampa Peninsula and is home to McDill Air Force Base, the University of Tampa, as well as many thriving business districts and well-established residential communities south of West Kennedy Boulevard, such as the notable Hyde Park, Bayshore Boulevard and Ballast Point.

 

Shopping and restaurants

As one resident put it, “If I can’t find it in South Tampa, I guess I don’t really need it.” The area is home to a plethora of upscale restaurants, trendy boutiques, and trendy bars, particularly along the palm-lined streets of SoHo, Hyde Park, and Palma Ceia.

Dining out tops most locals’ to-do lists, and there’s no shortage of great restaurants to choose from. Bern’s Steak House on South Howard Avenue is Tampa’s most prestigious and well-known dining event, beloved for its Rococo décor, mammoth steaks and a wine cellar with more than 6,500 labels from around the world. Tour the kitchen and cellar, if you wish. And then, after dinner, retire upstairs to a low-key, intimate “dessert room” where specialty coffees, fresh fruit, desserts, and excellent cheeses flow alongside aged cognacs, liqueurs, whiskeys, and dessert wines from around the world. the world.

South Tampa is also known for its selection of ethnic restaurants, including The Byblos Café on MacDill Avenue. Byblos is well known locally for its authentic Lebanese atmosphere, complete with Middle Eastern music and belly dancing, as well as its Middle Eastern waiters and incredible food: lamb chops, kabobs and Lebanese wine to name a few. Or maybe French-Vietnamese is more your style; in which case, head to Restaurant BT on Snow Avenue in Old Hyde Park Village, their motto is Eat, Drink, Love. Try the authentic bo tai chanh, lamb stew, duck in orange sauce, tuna sashimi or ‘BT prawns’, jumbo crustaceans marinated on a grill over sugar cane.

Other favorites include 717, Ceviche, and Cellini’s, which is located in the Ballast Point neighborhood, just off Bayshore Boulevard, south of Gandy. Cellini’s serves fresh breads, Italian specialties, and its namesake: Cellini Pizza, topped with calamati olives, mushrooms, tomatoes, and cheeses.

Would you like to do some shopping? Shopping opportunities abound, as do restaurants. Not only the main shopping centers are within your reach; so are many boutiques and specialty stores. Deborah Kent’s on Dale Mabry Highway is one such stop; Owner Deborah Skyrms regularly travels to New York, Paris, Milan and Los Angeles in search of international couture, which she handpicks with her elegant clients in mind. The Pink Palm in South Dale Mabry is another must-see, offering colorful sun and beach prints, embroidered jeans, and lots of suede.

Other great local shopping experiences include Whaley’s Market in South Howard, Village Health Market in McDill, and The Fresh Market in Henderson. Whaley’s has been in business since 1932; is the area’s wholesale farmers market, offering high-quality meats, seafood delicacies, and the area’s freshest ready-to-go fruits, sandwiches, and entrées.

leisure and game

South Tampa also abounds with gambling opportunities. Beyond the boating, parks, and nightlife galore, the area is also home to some of Florida’s most exciting urban festivals and celebrations, including the annual Gasparilla Pirate Festival and Parade, a Tampa tradition and celebration week-long event that has been held every January since 1904. South Tampa is also home to the annual MacDill AirFest, one of the Department of Defense’s largest air shows. The event draws more than 750,000 people in April each year for the two-day extravaganza, which includes civilian and military aerobatics demonstrations.