The Best Cocktails in Tampa

Chef Bryce Bonsack's culinary background includes training in regional Italian cooking (the name is an homage to the Piedmontese family that took him under their wing). Naturally, there's an assortment of pastas, skillfully made in house, which showcase classic flavors and scrupulous technique, like supple tagliolini with beef ragù and 30-month-aged Parmigiano. Cocktail to try: the Negroni a la Floridian, with strawberry, Probitas Rum, amaro, vermouth, and a lemon twist.

Set in a space that once housed the Tampa Electrical Company's main offices, the stripped-down, industrial-chic aesthetic mirrors an air of studied nonchalance. Essentially a steakhouse with a Southern drawl, the menu here focuses on meats cooked over a blazing grill fueled by mesquite and oak. Pair them with the From Husk till Dawn— cotija-washed mellow corn whiskey, sage, lemon, Foro, genepi, and rhubarb—an interesting, delicious spin on a whisky sour.

Although the cuisine draws heavily on classic flavors, don't expect by-the-books Italian-inspired renditions—even the simplest dishes flaunt a bit of personality. Take, for example, mini rigatoni sauced with ragù Bolognese and a dollop of herbed ricotta; it's a departure from tradition that is unlikely to draw any objections. The pizza offerings are similarly appealing, like one with truffle honey, smoky speck and scallion. To drink, a yellow tomato bloody Mary with fennel.