Tampa Bay's Best New Restaurant Openings in 2026

Tampa Bay's food scene doesn't slow down. While the rest of the country argues about where to eat, this region keeps answering the question with something new.

2026 has already been a big year for it. A five-story food hall opened in downtown St. Pete. A Michelin-recommended chef's seafood bar on N. Franklin hit its stride. Three new concepts are filling the old Hall on Franklin building in Tampa Heights. And there's more coming before the year is out.

Here's what's open, what's opening soon, and which ones are worth the trip.

Central Park St. Pete: The Biggest Opening of the Year

There's nothing quite like Central Park in the Tampa Bay market right now. The five-story, 27,700-square-foot food hall at 551 Central Ave in downtown St. Pete started a phased opening in February and it's still rolling out concepts.

What's already live: Palm Avenue Deli with pastrami sandwiches, reubens, latkes, and house-made bagels; Constellation Burger doing creative burgers including a Local Rock Shrimp Katsu Burger; and Kojo, an award-winning modern Asian restaurant with steak, seafood, sushi, noodles, and craft cocktails.

Still to come: a taqueria, ice cream, pizza, pasta, smoothies, and Night Owl — a members-only social club on the fifth floor.

It's the kind of destination that changes how people use downtown St. Pete on a weeknight. Give it a few more months to fully fill in and it's going to be a landmark.

Tampa Heights Is Waking Up

The old Hall on Franklin building at 1701 N. Franklin St sat empty long enough that people stopped asking about it. That's changing. Three concepts are taking it over, all expected to open by summer 2026.

Uno Mas: Taqueria + Lounge — Mexico City-style tacos with two speakeasy-style mezcal lounges tucked inside. Food is by the Reyes team. If you've been waiting for a serious mezcal program in a neighborhood setting in Tampa, this is probably it.

Hail Mary Social Club — Elevated sports bar with a massive wraparound bar and TVs covering every angle. The elevated part actually matters here — better food than your average game-day spot, cleaner space, worth going to even when nothing is on.

Boogie Heights — A retro dance hall concept with a full dance floor and all-inclusive happy hour. 70s through 90s music, neon lighting, and an actual place to dance in Tampa Heights. That stretch of N. Franklin is going to look completely different by fall.

Lara: Already a Year In, Still the One to Beat

Lara opened in February 2025, but its first anniversary in March 2026 puts it in that category of go-now if you still haven't. Chef Suzanne Lara spent twenty years cooking in Tampa kitchens before opening this 52-seat spot on Seventh Avenue in Ybor City, and it shows in every detail.

The menu runs Spanish, Italian, and Cuban small plates — Korean drunk eggs, Filipino-style longanisa hot dogs, chicken wings over Japanese charcoal, a palomilla steak sandwich. The apothecary bar does both zero-proof and spirit-forward cocktails. The room is 52 seats and they fill them.

Tampa Bay Times called it the most exciting restaurant to open last year. About 60 percent of guests are locals. That ratio means something — tourists don't make a place like this, regulars do.

Fisk: Michelin's Pick on N. Franklin

Right next door to Michelin-starred Ebbe at 1202 N. Franklin St, Fisk is what happens when a chef with that pedigree opens an 18-seat bar concept focused entirely on fish. Chef Ebbe Vollmer opened it in December 2024, and the Michelin Guide has already flagged it as Recommended.

The $85 set menu starts with a smoked salmon eclair, moves through crab-grapefruit salad and fish soup, lands on red snapper, and finishes with baba au rhum. The menu rotates based on what's good. It's intimate and unhurried — the kind of dinner that takes two hours and doesn't feel like it.

Make a reservation. Walk-ins at 18 seats don't go well.

Olivia Opens in St. Pete

South Tampa's Olivia has been a neighborhood staple for years. In January 2026 it opened a second location on the ground floor of the 36-story Ascent building at 225 1st Ave N in downtown St. Pete.

Same chef (Chris Ponte), same house-made pastas and Italian specialties, new downtown setting. The 5,600-square-foot space is bigger and more polished in feel. If you already love Olivia in South Tampa, the St. Pete location is worth a visit the next time you're on that side of the bay.

Forbici Is Heading to Sundial

Forbici Modern Italian — another Hyde Park institution — is expanding into the former Sea Salt space at Sundial in downtown St. Pete at 183 2nd Ave N. No official opening date yet, but the 12,000-square-foot second-floor spot is the kind of build-out that signals serious long-term investment. Floor-to-ceiling windows, fine wines lining the walls, dimly lit room above downtown St. Pete.

If Forbici translates to St. Pete the way Olivia has, it'll be packed within a month of opening.

A Few More Worth Watching

The Landon — Opened in late March in the former 717 South space on Bayshore in South Tampa. That's one of the most recognizable restaurant locations in the city. New name, new concept, same iconic address.

Cognac — A French bistro already open in downtown St. Pete from the team behind Bacchus. Mussels, caviar, daily happy hour. Straightforward and well-executed.

White Wolf — Opening in May off Westshore Blvd from the Tastes Pretty Good restaurant group, with Bar Spuntino on the rooftop above it.

Carnivore Club (July) and Kingfish, a sushi bar (August) — also from Tastes Pretty Good. That group is having a year.

Tampa Bay's dining scene has earned its reputation, and 2026 is adding to it fast. If you own one of these spots or any local restaurant and you're not listed in the directory yet, add your listing — it's free and it connects you with locals actively looking for new places to eat.

And if you're just hungry and trying to figure out where to go tonight, browse the full Tampa Local Listings directory for restaurants across the bay.

Tampa Local Listings was built by Brandon Boswell, a veteran and founder of RunRate Digital, because Tampa Bay businesses deserve to be found. Browse the full directory or add your business.