July is off to a strong start, I’ll tell you what! I have been fortunate enough to have had some fantastic nights out already this month at some great Tampa restaurants. If you’re looking for a date night spot in the area, look no further – all of these places have a great selection of dishes with terrific service. Bonus: each night was $160 (or less) for two, including drinks and tip.
Michael’s Grill
11720 N Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, FL 33618
Sara and I saw Michael’s Grill highlighted on Instagram as a hidden gem, so we put it on our list of places to visit. It took us a few weeks to nail down a date we were both available (as you know, June was wild), but once we locked down for early July, it worked out perfectly as a chance to celebrate her upcoming birthday. I started the evening with a blueberry mule, then we both enjoyed the bread and garlic butter before our entrees arrived. We both ordered the special, a filet with goat cheese and bacon jelly, which was so tasty, I finished it quickly. Of course, that meant I could only fit a few bites of our fantastic dessert: their famous bread pudding with ice cream. I left very full and very happy!
Total price for two: $155.07
Élevage SoHo Kitchen & Bar
1207 S Howard Ave, Tampa, FL 33606
Due to some tricky scheduling around our anniversary later this month – my trip to New York actually overlaps – we managed to lock down childcare and get some time to celebrate early! Tyler has been to
Élevage, located inside the Epicurean Hotel, a few times, but this was my first visit. We ordered a bottle of the St. Clair to share, based on our server’s recommendation. It was super light, a perfect summer wine. We then split the pork belly appetizer before getting our mains. I ordered the stuffed acorn squash, while he got the “homage to Bern’s” – another one of my favorite local eats, and the owners of this restaurant as well. The food was excellent, with solid portion sizes. Neither of us was able to finish!
Total price for two: $160.00
Note: we did also pay $5 for valet parking as well, which is required at the Epicurean Hotel – but it’s free before 7pm!
The Sacred Pepper
15405 N Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, FL 33618
Sara and I actually visited last summer for the first time, and I knew then that I’d be bringing Tyler for a night out one of these days. I had highlighted it briefly as a restaurant highlight last year after our meal because we had such a great time; this year, I’ve probably reviewed the menu half a dozen times planning our date. When I last ate at Sacred Pepper, I had a delicious mocktail (I always defer to the bartender for their recommendation) as well as a hearty grilled pork chop. The pasta was such a nice complement to the dish without feeling overwhelming. For dessert, I had the crème brûlée bread pudding, which came with vanilla ice cream, which was the perfect size for sharing. Definitely recommend – especially for the price!
Total price for two: $104.55
