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Writer's pictureTi'Anna Davis

5 restaurants you're overlooking because they’re not “Instaworthy”

Updated: Aug 1, 2020

Often times when you go out to eat you think of the most popular places to go. You may visit the best-looking restaurants in the area that may not always have the best reviews. But did you ever consider going to your local family-owned restaurant?


Here is a list of 5 Tampa restaurants with savory recipes that would make you reconsider.


1. Marina’s Pizza & Pasta


Once you walk through the door, you smell the aroma of comfort foods like spaghetti, lasagna, and of course, pizza. Marina’s Pizza & Pasta is a family-owned restaurant known for its New York-style handmade pizzas. Their warm and welcoming staff makes you feel like family. This pizzeria continues to stand out among the rest not only for their connection to the community but for the fresh ingredients used daily to make customers savor the experience and come back for more.

Location: 12121 W. Linebaugh Ave

Phone: (813) 854-1616


2. Island Crew Restaurant & Catering Service, Inc.



If you’re craving an authentic Caribbean experience, Island Crew offers this through its flavorful dishes. Their combination dinners provide multiple choices of meats and sides like curry chicken, oxtail, and baked chicken served with yellow rice and peas. This is a small and friendly place to enjoy a good conversation that is filled with Bahamian culture. This Caribbean restaurant gives families wholesome and filling dishes for affordable prices.

Location: 2210 E. Hillsborough Ave

Phone: (813) 237-1968


3. Alez Haitian Cuisine



Alez Haitian Cuisine is recognized as one of the finest Haitian restaurants in Tampa. Popular for their fried pork chunk dish that is marinated in creole seasoning then deep-fried. People fall in love with the multi-cultural ingredients put into each meal. Once you walk into this restaurant there are beautiful and colorful murals painted on the walls that make you feel like you are on an island. Alez Haitian Cuisine serves not only food, but entertainment with their live music and positive energy that make families feel welcomed.

Location: 1428 East Fletcher Ave

Phone: (813) 971-5902


4. Ebisu Sushi Shack



Have you ever been to a home that was turned into a restaurant? Well, book a meal at Ebisu Sushi Shack. This small business is known for its delicious sushi especially the Orange Sunrise. The dish contains a spicy yellowtail and cucumber roll that is topped with salmon, lemon, roe, and ponzu sauce. Ebisu strayed away from the traditional black and red Japanese color scheme and went for an 80s theme with a sushi bar and Japanese anime artwork across the olive-green walls. This is not the typical sushi restaurant people expect it to be, but the business continues to offer an intimate and unique experience for new customers.

Location: 5116 N Nebraska Ave

Phone: (813) 252-6393


5. Martin's BBQ


A restaurant that was originally created in Puerto Rico, has made its way to Tampa. Martin’s BBQ gives the community a taste of Puerto Rican cuisine with its popular pork and yellow rice dish. This restaurant has a buffet where customers come and choose what they would like in their meal. A large menu is posted on the wall written in Spanish and English. A business that represents Puerto Rican culture with reasonable prices, is ideal for friends and family to dine in or take it to go.

Location: 7036 W Waters Ave

Phone: (813) 981-0341

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1 Comment


Jessica Santander
Jessica Santander
Jul 13, 2020

Absolutely appreciate the extra light shared on such wonderful family-owned restaurants that bring to the table their own, beautiful cultural significance! I'm a personal fan of Marina's Pizza ever since moving to Tampa, FL, and shall put these additional restaurants on my list.

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