Recommended Date Night Restaurants in Tampa
Choosing the perfect spot for a date night can be tricky. You want a place that sets the right mood, offers excellent food, and makes your evening feel special.
But where do you start when every other restaurant in Tampa claims to be the best? The pressure to pick the perfect venue is stressful. It can turn even a fun decision into a dilemma.
This blog post reveals the top-rated date night restaurants in Tampa that will make your date an affair to remember. So, take out that date night outfit because, by the end of the conclusion, you’ll know exactly where you and your date should go.
But What’s Better than a Restaurant for a Dinner Date Night?
The recommendations for date night restaurants in Tampa can wait until we disclose the best dining option.
Romance doesn’t spark in exotic locations; it comes alive and bright in the corners of our homes. CookinGenie brings the spark of dining at a restaurant inside your home but with everything better- food, service, customizations, and whatnot.
This online platform allows you to hire private chefs in your location in simple steps. Head to the CookinGenie website or open their app and enter your zip code. You will get a list of available chefs near your area with a description of their cuisine. Select the date and time you need them to be in action, and that’s all the work you must do.
These chefs (or Genies, as customers like to call them since they literally cook like a food magician would) are skilled at creating delicious meals. As part of the service, they will arrive at your doorstep with fresh ingredients they buy.
The meals that personal chefs cook cater to your dietary requirements and taste preferences (something which you’ll not get in a restaurant experience). Once the food is plated, your personal chef in Tampa will also clean the kitchen like he was never there.
Why is it our #1 recommendation?
Date nights are meant to be exclusive, and a personal chef ensures that. Hiring a personal chef will cost you less than the bill of an executive-class restaurant. You can also skip the long waiting lines, save that time, and spend it with your date.
Bern’s Steak House
Location– 1208 S Howard Ave, Tampa, FL 33606
Bern’s Steak House is a classy steakhouse that has been serving people in Tampa since 1965. This award-winning restaurant is on the top of the list of romantic restaurants in Tampa for its authentic steakhouse experience and exceptional dessert spread.
Bern’s Steak House is a crowd-pleaser because it lets diners select their preferred cut of steak. As a part of their service, Bern’s Steakhouse also gives their customers weight to expert wine-pairing advice.
Bern’s also wore the crown of Best Steakhouse in Tampa Magazine’s 2022 Best Restaurants List. Visiting this place with your partner will allow you to choose from the most extensive wine list in Tampa, which is also one of the largest wine collections in the world.
We suggest you go easy on the steak and wine and save some room. The Bern’s Steakhouse menu boasts a selection of 50+ specialty desserts and 1,000+ dessert wines and spirits, which you can choose from for your after-dinner treat.
Why do we recommend it?
Once you’ve had your dinner, the staff will escort you upstairs to the ‘Harry Waugh Dessert Room’ section. This dessert room will make your ending as sweet as possible with live entertainment and a cozy ambiance.
The Dewey at Berkley Beach Club
Location- 09 8th Ave, St Pete Beach, FL 33706
The Dewey is the next stop for discovering romantic restaurants in Tampa. This eatery is located at Pass-a-Grille Beach. Its rooftop bar, dining room, and courtyard offer plenty of seating options for a date night.
The Dewery’s menu showcases seafood treats like fish and chips, pan-seared Scottish salmon, and other temptations. With its menu of craft cocktails and your love’s presence, you will admire the views Dewery offers as if you were living in a romantic movie.
Why do we recommend it?
This restaurant is part of the Berkley Beach Club, a boutique hotel. This setting makes Dewery an excellent spot for a staycation and makes it stand out amongst all the date night restaurants in Tampa.
Anchor and Brine
If you’re a Tampa local, you probably understand the appeal of a date night with the views of Garrison Channel. If you’re a visitor, let us tell you that such a dining date night will be one for the diary entries (and the Facebook wall, too).
Anchor and Brine, with its expansive terrace dining and views of the Garrison Channel, is one of the best date night restaurants in Tampa. This restaurant is located in the Tampa Marriott Water Street on the downtown Riverwalk.
There is no shortage of seating options at the Anchor and Brine. You can hang out at their outdoor or indoor bars, take up one of the traditional tables, or settle on their lounge seating.
The name of this restaurant might already give you a hint of what’s on its menu. This place focuses on serving seafood. Its menu also features a raw bar stocked with fresh oysters, and customers review the signature oysters as a ‘Must-try.’ While you’re at Anchor and Brine, you might also dig into their other recommended dishes like grilled octopus, grouper, and pan-seared scallops
You’ll be happy to know that this restaurant has hours for lunch, dinner, and brunch so that you can plan more than just a date night. The location of Anchor and Brine makes it an ideal place to grab a bite when you’re on an expedition of Tampa’s downtown exploration.
Why do we recommend it?
The sunset views of Garrison Channel and Latin-inspired seafood make Anchor and Brine one of the best date night restaurants in Tampa.
Rocca
Location- 323 W. Palm Ave, Tampa, FL 33602
This Michelin-star restaurant has a reputation for all the right reasons. Rocca focuses on pasta to give its menu an Italian flavor. Their dishes are prepared with seasonal ingredients, so you and your partner get what’s hot all year round.
It would be false to assume that Rocca is all about pasta; apart from their rotating pasta dishes and meat and fish entrees, they also serve two must-try staples—Caviar Service and the Mozzarella Cart—as permanent fixtures on the menu.
Italian fans take their tomatoes and basil seriously, and to cater to this, Rocca serves fresh mozzarella paired with heirloom tomatoes and basil on the tableside. Rocca also gives its diners a 10-year-old balsamic vinegar to make the best food in Tampa taste even better.
Why do we recommend it?
Rocca offers a spot, ‘Officina,’ a semi-private chef’s table in the kitchen. This service is ideal for celebrating an anniversary or special event.
Yacht Starship
Location: Channelside Bay Plaza
We can’t be talking about the best date night restaurants in Tampa without talking about America’s first three-diamond-rated dining yacht by AAA. The Yacht Starship sails from Tampa’s Channelside neighborhood to give customers a sophisticated night out.
You and your partner can savor a three-course meal on a cruise on Tampa Bay waters. For your date night, this dining experience offers spectacular views, private seating, table service, and dance under the stars. The Yacht Starship’s menu changes seasonally. You’ll find meals cooked with regional flavors and options for gluten-free and vegetarian lifestyles.
Why do we recommend it?
You can tour Tampa Bay, make a toast with your love at sunset, and dance under the stars while cruising on the water.
Date and Dine
Tampa offers many options for places to eat, ideal for both a romantic dinner and a Tampa food tour. It could be your first date or your fiftieth, but the romance of a well-chosen restaurant in this city can make any night feel like a special occasion. Happy dining, and may each meal be as delightful as the company you share it with.