Tag: shoplocal

Dinner at Jackson’s Bistro

Jackson’s Bistro is a locally owned restaurant located on Harbour Island (Tampa). It was the location of our first date in Tampa, and has been one of our favorite places to return to whenever we want to dress up a little and grab some sushi. Whether you are dressed for a night out or just casually strolling, you will not feel out of place at Jackson’s. The restaurant offers an upscale feel without the stuffiness of many upscale venues. The views of the city are inspiring, whether you are stopping by during the day or after the sun goes down. Any time the weather permits, we ask to sit on the balcony so we can take in the view as we’re eating. We were celebrating a birthday, so there seemed like no better place to take a break from social distancing and head down to the balcony at Jackson’s.

We were seated out on the balcony, but before long it started to storm. The staff asked if we wanted to move inside, but we thought we’d be okay under the shelter of the balcony. We were wrong – the rain started to blow in all over us and we quickly changed our minds. The staff were amazing. They immediately replaced our drinks, bread, and the appetizer we had already started eating. It is this kind of service that keeps us coming back. 

As usual, our servers were friendly and conversational, making the evening even more enjoyable. Over the course of our COVID-19 quarantine we had been ordering sushi from a few places and, thanks to a couple of painfully slow Door Dash experiences, we lost our desire for it. The sushi at Jackson’s is amazing, but we took a break from our usual order of sushi and decided to try some of their other offerings. For our appetizer we ordered the Deviled Eggs, which turned out to be amazing. Our main course was the Seafood Linguini Alfredo and the Jackson’s Salad with shrimp. We were not disappointed. You may download their menus HERE.

After dinner, the storm had cleared, so we took advantage of the abnormally empty streets (thank you coronavirus) and walked along the water for a while before returning home. We found this little guy swimming around by the dock.

Jackson’s is the perfect place for a celebration or just to have a nice evening out. We love this place and recommend that anyone give it a try! Their inside seating can be a nice break from the heat, but be sure to make your way out to the balcony for a romantic picture!

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Lunch at TBD@301

Today, we stopped into TBD@301 for a quick lunch. TBD@301 is a café specializing in Teas, Bowls, and Desserts. We ordered the Beef Kaldereta and Pork Humba bowls. Both were amazing! The meat was tender and flavorful without being overly seasoned. We chose to eat in the dining room, but it would also be the perfect place to pick up a meal to-go if you’re in a rush. We received our order within a few minutes of ordering.

TBD@301 has a cool vibe. It reminded us a bit of some of our favorite lunch places in New York City, but more friendly. They offer free WiFi, and it would be a great place for those seeking a quite, comfortable place to work or study. They are located in right off the Riverview exit on I-75, just a few minutes south of Brandon.

Their menu consists of some well-known favorites, such as Tacos, but also offers Filipino and Korean inspired flavors. Vegan and gluten-free options are available as well, which should put the health conscious among you at ease. They also serve Edamame, which is one of our favorite snacks. We didn’t try the desserts on this visit, but they looked delicious. Their menu may be accessed HERE.

The café is celebrating its second year anniversary this weekend! July 17-20 they are promoting a “20% OFF Everything” sale for all orders placed, if you use the code: LOYAL2TEA

Preventative measures are being observed due to COVID-19, and they offer free masks to customers. Additionally, they provide hand-sanitizer and they also have the floor marked clearly to comply with social-distancing recommendations.

Overall, we would recommend TBD@301 to anyone who is tired of grabbing lunch or dinner at the same fast food chain restaurants, and would rather support locally owned establishments. The food is amazing, they have a health-conscious menu, and it will not cost you any more than eating from a drive-thru value menu. They’ve created a relaxing environment, and even have Jenga games available for a fun meal with children. Take advantage of their sale this weekend and try TBD@301!

TBD@301 | 3840 US Hwy 301 S, Riverview, FL 33578 | 813-420-0013

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Cool Down at The Blind Tiger

The summer heat of Florida can be brutal. We were out photographing some of our favorite locations in Ybor City for an upcoming series we’re writing on the history behind some of the landmarks in Tampa. Since we like to avoid the national chains and shop local, we decided to stop into The Blind Tiger Cafe in Ybor City to escape the nearly 100-degree heat and enjoy a cold coffee. 

The Blind Tiger is a laid-back coffee house environment that is normally full of folks meeting, studying, working, reading, or those just wanting to take a break from the bustle of their day. The theme of the coffee house is inspired by the speakeasy establishments from the United States’ prohibition days. Blind Tiger is another name given to a “speakeasy,” whose name refers to the demand that patrons participating in the illegal activity of drinking alcohol were not to make too much noise and alert others to the illegal existence of the location. The coffee shop was started in Ybor City (Tampa) by local entrepreneur, Roberto Torres, and has grown to six locations around the Tampa Bay area. The Blind Tiger serves food as well as coffee. A menu for each of its locations can be accessed HERE.

Every time I have visited the Blind Tiger, I’ve found the employees to be very friendly. After speaking with the crew for a while, we continued our walk around Ybor City enjoying a Vanilla Latte and a Nitro Cold Brew. It was a nice cooldown from the humid sauna-like weather of Florida in July. They are taking precautionary measures, due to COVID-19, in order to ensure the safety of their guests. A mask must be worn to enter the establishment and social-distancing guidelines must be observed.

Next time you’re in the Tampa Bay area and looking for a place to meet, relax, or just grab a cup of coffee and go, we recommend you drive right past the green circle labeled chain store and support a local business: The Blind Tiger Café.

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