Best healthy food:
Any Vietnamese restaurant, such as Trang Viet Cuisine, has great meals that are easy on the body.
Best exercise spot:
The Upper Tampa Bay Trail. This trail is good for biking, skating and running. I prefer to work out outdoors, and this trail is perfect for that.
Best place to get a craft beer:
Cigar City Brewery is a great local brewery for Tampa. It has a wide variety of craft beers to choose from and a quality that is worth remembering.
Best place to catch a live band:
The Ritz Ybor. I have seen some amazing bands play there as well as played there myself. It is a fun and unique place to see a live band in Tampa.
Best place to dine on the water:
Ulele is one restaurant I highly recommend if you want to have a memorable dinner on Tampa’s Riverwalk.
Best Mexican food:
My favorite Mexican food is from Vallarta’s. You can find several throughout Tampa, but their food is delicious and at a great price, too.
Best Chinese food:
The Yummy House on Hillsborough Avenue is, by far, the best Chinese food in Tampa and worth every penny.
Best Sunday brunch:
I am grateful to have found such a wonderful place in Tampa to have brunch on Sundays. The Wat Temple is a beautiful sight to see and also has a great cultural and social gathering. They serve food from rice and noodles to tasty soups and desserts. It’s definitely a great place for brunch.
Best dive bar:
The New World Brewery has never failed in satisfying me – always good service and great beers.
Favorite beach:
I think Honeymoon Island is a hidden treasure of Tampa. It’s an amazing beach in a very nice town. They have a building there at the beach that serves drinks and food as well.
Best place to watch a sporting event:
The Press Box. This is one of Tampa’s original sports bars. I have been watching games and eating their wings since I first moved to Tampa.
Place you take friends from out of town:
Busch Gardens. Everyone knows how fun a theme park can be and, luckily, Tampa has one.
Place that is worth the drive over the bridge:
The Dalí Museum. This incredible museum should not be missed by anyone who lives in or visits the Bay area.
Best burger:
Burger 21. It is a burger chain, but it has a great taste for the price. I would go there over any other burger chain in a heartbeat.
Favorite place for date night:
I would choose Ballast Point Park. After a few drinks or a movie, I would take my date to this romantic spot. There is a dock that goes over the water, and from there you can see the lights of downtown – a good way to end a special date.
