Three Tampa Bay cities rank among the best for outdoor dining in Florida
By Grace Mamon
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Aug 10, 2021

The Tampa Bay metro area boasts three of the top 10 best cities for outdoor dining in Florida, with Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater all making the list.

Holidu, a German search engine for vacation rentals, conducted this study using Google ratings and the number of reviews left. It also considered the number of outdoor dining options available.

“Florida has always been a favorite destination for outdoor dining in summer,” Holidu said in the release. “And through the pandemic, it has solidified its importance even more.”

Tampa ranked No. 3 with a score of 9.62 out of 10, behind Orlando and Miami. The city has 618 outdoor dining spots and an average Google rating of 4.34 out of 5. The study listed Armature Works, Bartaco and Jackson’s Bistro, Bar & Sushi as outdoor dining venues you can’t miss.

Tampa’s “unique mix of waterfront and high-rises” are credited for the “incredible outdoor dining experiences.”

St. Petersburg comes in at No. 7 with a score of 7.06 out of 10. The city has 270 outdoor restaurants and a high average Google rating of 4.42 out of 5 from over 228,500 reviewers.

“Whether dining under the stars, waterfront or beachside, this city is sure to meet every expectation you have and more,” according to the study.

Holidu names Cali-St. Pete, Noble Crust and Casita Taqueria as the must-visit restaurants in St. Petersburg.

Finishing out the list is Clearwater at No. 10 with a score of 6.4 out of 10. The study highlights the “marvelous beaches,” “bustling beach town” atmosphere and “vibrant outdoor dining scene.” The city has just under 200 outdoor dining spots and an average Google rating of 4.34 out of 5.

Here, Ryan’s Island Café, Cristino’s Coal oven Pizza and Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill are listed as the top outdoor dining spots.

All Florida cities with a population over 85,000 were considered for this study, according to the release.