Daily Loaf

This is the time when all the spectacular new restaurants that have opened in the past year can shine and all of Tampa Bay can snub our collective noses at the poor economy. But only one worthy spot can win, and the race is close.

Two St. Pete spots — Diner 437 and Queenshead Eurobar — are in the lead, but there’s still plenty of time to shift victory in this close race to another restaurant. Time to mobilize and vote!

Is your favorite spot in the running? Here’s are the leaders in the race so far, with their current tallies: Read the rest of this entry »

We released our list of Tampa Bay’s Top 50 Restaurants (link goes to the expanded story) last week here on the site, and asked our loyal readers to pick their favorites in five different regions. The results held a few surprises.

Reader’s Poll winners (back when we asked you guys to pick the final five entries on our Top 50 list) Backfin Blue, Bamboozle Cafe and Bin 27 Bistro all mounted strong get-out-the-vote campaigns that put them on top, but so did traditional picks Council Oak and Guppy’s on the Beach.

Now’s your chance to pick the best out of those Top Five Readers’ Poll winners. You have until Monday, June 22, at 3 p.m. to get your votes in.

Vote in the poll after the break —

Read the rest of this entry »

We put it to you, the readers, to help us fill out our list of Tampa Bay’s Top 50 Restaurants, and you spoke. Repeatedly.

Through the six days of voting, many people left heartfelt recommendations in support of their favorite spots, with restaurants ranging from Sarasota to Tarpon Springs. Some were neighborhood haunts, while the big names like Bern’s or Pelagia Trattoria received a few nods from the faithful. But in the end, only five restaurants could ascend to the list.

In first place — thanks to an obvious, perfectly legal, incredibly effective ballot-stuffing campaign — is Paci’s Pizza of Tampa. There were some negative comments about the profusion of Paci’s votes, but there’s no denying the volume.

Second is new (and old) cuban sandwich shop The Floridian, which recently expanded to Tampa from Treasure Island. Bin 27 in South Tampa mounted a final push to easily take the third spot, but the final two spots were much tighter. In a tie, with runner-up Green Springs Bistro a mere single vote behind, was Backfin Blue in Gulfport and Bamboozle Cafe in downtown Tampa.

The full list of Tampa Bay’s Top 50 Restaurants will appear this Wednesday at our Top 50 landing page, a full week before it hits the newstands. Why so early? We want your help, again.

We’ve split the Top 50 into five categories, and need your votes to determine the best in each. Check back this Wednesday to support your favorite restaurants and propel them to victory. Voting will end Monday, June 15, at 3 p.m.

You eat, so you make the call.