The Best Fine-Dining Restaurants in Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay has no shortage of upscale fine-dining restaurants for residents to choose from when planning an exclusive and elegant dining experience for a special event or celebration. Marina Pointe’s waterfront walkable district offering shopping and dining experiences is perfectly situated between Saint Petersburg and Tampa. Residents can experience Florida to its fullest from their exclusive luxury penthouses and condominiums that boast top of line fixtures and five-star amenities, or venture into one of the two award-winning twin cities that are less than a half hour away.
In Tampa, entertainment opportunities abound for theater and music enthusiasts alike, while Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tampa Bay Lightnings call the city home for sports fans. Saint Petersburg sits perched on the picturesque waterfront of Tampa Bay, offering a downtown scene that is walkable, with an art district and outdoor seating at most restaurants. Both Tampa and St. Petersburg are cities for those who love to live the seaside life, perched on Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico for a private entrance into a boater’s or fisherman’s paradise.
Whether interested in a lively nightlife, serene waterfront sunsets, quaint walkable neighborhoods with dining and entertainment options, or even the famous Florida amusement parks, Tampa and Saint Petersburg offer everything a resident could desire. The twin Tampa Bay cities are both proud homes of lively dining scenes, boasting internationally renowned fine dining restaurants as well as endless nightlife opportunities. If the snow-free climate, simple yet upscale and sophisticated condominium with views of Tampa Bay and top of the line amenities aren’t enough, Marina Pointe residents enjoy the unique luxury of a short drive to either downtown Tampa or downtown Saint Petersburg, where they are offered their choice of restaurants. As Tower One owners begin to move in, reservations are being accepted for Tower Two. Special pre-construction pricing is available and 5% commission offered to licensed real estate agents for a limited time.
Tampa Bay’s Best Fine-Dining Restaurants
Bern’s is not only a steakhouse, but a fully lavish dining experience fit for royalty. Bern’s can challenge any fine-dining restaurant in the state, if not the country. Winner of the 2022 Wine Spectator Grand Award and TAMPA Magazine’s 2023 Best Restaurant Awards, fine-dining category, Bern’s boasts a wine cellar of over half a million bottles and 6500 labels from across the world. Visitors can choose to partake in a tour of the kitchen and wine cellar before heading up to the decadent and indulgent Harry Waugh Dessert room, which features private dining booths crafted from antique wine casks. Don’t forget to bring a light jacket on your tour, as the cellar is kept at 50 degrees!
2. Ocean Prime
Winner of the 2022 Top 100 Most Beloved Restaurants in America, Ocean Prime is a dynamic seafood and steakhouse fine-dining restaurant that was conceptualized by Cameron Mitchell, owner of over 100 award-winning restaurants across the country since he started his own small business in Columbus Ohio in 1993. Ocean Prime is known for delivering guests a sophisticated and elevated dining experience, with signature cocktails that are as delicious as they are beautiful. Ocean Prime’s wine list, while not as vast as Bern’s, has also been recognized by Wine Spectator for the labels they offer. Ocean Prime combines the traditional steakhouse contemporary sophistication with the lively ambiance of a cocktail lounge to provide an upscale and exciting dining experience.
3. Il Ritornno
The only Saint Petersburg city to be featured in TAMPA Magazine’s 2023 Best Restaurant Awards, Il Ritornno is a rustic yet modern italian eatery located in downtown Saint Petersburg. Translating to “The Return”, Il Ritornio’s Owner and Executive Chef, David Benstock is focused on “creating modern Italian dishes for the discerning palate, introducing new and interesting flavor combinations that add elegance to a traditionally rustic cuisine.” The restaurant aims to elevate traditional pasta, and with an enforced dress code of business casual is a perfect choice for an important business meeting or a date night with your special someone. In the heart of downtown Saint Petersburg, Il Ritornio is only a 20 minute drive from Marina Pointe.
