By Nanette Wiser
Start your summer vacay early by sampling seasonal dishes and drinks at your local faves or new restos and bars. We’re looking forward to the summer opening of Doc Ford in Bay Pines and Clear Sky in Seminole near our favorite grouper and Italian bistro, Stefano’s.
Say aloha to MacDinton’s downtown and happy hello to Caddy’s Indian Shores in the former Pub location, bigger and better than ever. With live entertainment weekdays 3 and 6pm, noon and 6pm weekends, you can arrive by boat or car and enjoy the expanded patio and tiki. Notable on the menu are the sesame-crusted ahi or crab cakes topped with key lime remoulade, grouper Reuben, haddock and chips, pork belly tacos (also at VIP in IRB) and the cucumber Mojito.
The Redingtons serve up Stan’s Wine Bar, Stan’s prix-fixe fine dining, Coastal Tacos and Coastal Pizza, my shrimp pizza go-to spot. The wine bar offers a small boutique wine list, sleek new interior, and delish small plates, all from the same owner. In Tyrone, Portillo’s Chicago hot dogs and onion rings are first-class. Pee-Pa’s Garage Craft Brewery opens in Pinellas Park.
Broke N’ Bored Grill has expanded their indoor dining room, and their drunken shrimp with garlic toast points, pulled pork nachos, smoked carnitas tacos with pineapple slaw, cast iron ribeye and blackened hog fish sandwich rock.
We can’t wait for the May opening of Mad Beach Cantina, the menu, tiki, music, and authentic Mexican cuisine with a “Florida flow.” Make sure you stock up on your marinades and rubs from The Spice & Tea Exchange in Treasure Island for barbecue season.
St. Pete Beach’s Sunday market will continue all summer, YAY! At Toasted Monkey, the divine view of Blind Pass, awesome rock bands and Asian friend shrimp, fish tacos and Reuben paired with the excellent Bloody Marys and service make for a great escape. Dine in or take out from The Helm St. Beach Provisions & Coastal Fare (pictured below) where she crab soup, lobster roll, Boursin tenderloin steak sandwich with caramelized onions, raw bar and picnics-to-go are lovely. Fiona Wednesday wine down at Elizabeth’s Wine Shop on Corey Ave. is our humpday favorite, especially for the dancing, charcuterie, and authentic pierogi as well as the $25/person five-wine tasting and personal platter. New is the Sat./Sun. brunch charcuterie. Be sure to browse her boutique next door for the perfect Mother’s Day gift and outfit. Enophiles will fall in love with the Sunset Wine Club at Sea Grapes, Sip and Pasadena’s Vino Simpatico’s happy hours. RumFish Grill’s dinner (steaks, seafood, raw bar) and bar menu (Florida snapper ceviche, oysters, shrimp tacos) and a festive happy hour till 5pm is a perfect outing.
Take Out options at The Helm 
Cocktails at The Helm
On Tierra Verde, The Island Grille & Raw Bar’s seafood dishes, raw bar (sample the oyster flight), craft cocktails and live music captivate, especially the island tacos, shrimp salad wrap and spicy tuna poke bowl. Gulfport Pia’s Trattoria & Verandah has a new menu (creamy goat cheese polenta, rare, seared yellowfin tuna, beef tenderloin) and the expanded restaurant next door features live music. 3 Daughters opened a tasting room in Clearwater Beach above Ron John’s, just a kiss away from Cooter’s best Bloody Mary’s and Frenchy’s grilled octopus.
Grouper Dinner at Island Grille & Raw bar 
Dunedin never disappoints, from brunch at Bon Appetit with live music to the new American cuisine star, The Restorative, where husband and wife chef/owners Jason and Erin “Cricket” Boraikiewicz change the stellar menu seasonally during the week. I enjoyed the naan bread and 20-ingredient butter, chilled asparagus with truffled aioli, blistered snap peas and halibut, then polished off the decadent chocolate bread pudding. Treasure Island’s Coffee Grounds gets a second home downtown with Caps St. Pete seafood resto.
Dinner at The Restorative 
Duck Breast at The Restorative
