A Working Man’s Lunch: Our Top 4 Tampa Bay Lunch Places

18 Jun 2015

There are a ton of great places to eat across Tampa Bay. Believe us, we know.

We eat out often and we eat out everywhere because our commercial moving projects take us to places all across Tampa Bay (places most people who live and work here never see).

One day we might be in New Port Richey, the next in Lakeland, the next in downtown St. Pete and then next at an office complex off Dale Mabry.

We’d been to dozens of different restaurants, eaten way too many cuban sandwhiches (well, not really) and had way too many full bellies after a lunch.

So we thought we’d compile a list of our favorite lunch spots. We call it The Working Man’s Lunch. We’re always looking for places that can offer up big taste, big calories and a relaxed atmosphere (for some sweaty, exhausted dudes).

Here are our top 3 places (plus one more relatively new place that we’ve been hitting up lately). Meanwhile – we’re creating our top 10 list – that will be coming out soon!

Wright’s (Wright’s Gourmet House)

Good luck to you if you can get out of the line without grabbing a HUGE piece of cake.

We recommend the Grilled Reuben. It’s worth the couple of extra minutes it takes to prepare. A close # 2 is the Golden Gate and a # 3 would be the New Yorker.

It just feels old school in there and we like the mix of people cycling through the checkout line. We think Wright’s is part of Tampa’s genetic code.

Plus, the air conditioning in here is an added value for us!

Visit their website here – Wright’s Gourmet House

Taco Bus

We know Taco Bus is a pretty popular pick – heck, it’s an institution at this point, but the truth is, the food is great and it’s consistent – they’re like a food security blanket. Remember, we’re working guys here…

Go for the El Jefe with carnitas…you won’t be disappointed. We’re not. It’s good for eating there and then taking some with you to eat on the next project a few hours later!

Our guys can get in, get a big bold lunch, enjoy a little down time and power up for the rest of the day. Plus some of them can mix it up in Spanish with the folks working the truck!

It’s also convenient for us because of the 5 Tampa Bay locations. The Falkenburg spot is 10 minutes away from our warehouse space off the Causeway. And we’re always in downtown Tampa and in St. Pete for commercial moving projects. It’s great to have a reliable location.

Note: Grab a ‘real Coke’ in the ice cold bottle… yeah, the one with real sugar.

Drive on by the Taco Bus website here.

Bodega

Bodega Latin Market – newer place, but an instant favorite for our guys.

We’re pushing the Lechon (sandwich or plate combo). Garlic + onion + pork = love.

And yes, try the Hibiscus or Chili Lime soda frescas. Worth getting one to go (we’re office furniture movers, not heathen…the Hibiscus is refreshing)!

Check out their website here – Bodega in St. Pete.

Strawberry Hut

Dang – we think this secret is getting out with The Strawberry Hut. Apparently we’re not the only ones who like this place. They’re supposedly opening a 2nd location in Lakeland.

We hit the Plant City location (just off I-4) on our way from Tampa to Lakeland for moving projects, sometimes for lunch and sometimes for breakfast.

No doubt – gotta go with the Cuban here. Voted Best Cuban Sandwich in Plant City for 7 years running. Get a strawberry shake to go (and if it’s not a Plant City strawberry, don’t tell us…we want to believe its from a nearby field).

Visit their website here – The Strawberry Hut.

Looking for other places to eat in Tampa Bay?

Like we said, stay tuned. We’re creating our bigger list of lunch spots for the Tampa Bay Working Man.

Are you a hungry working man? We’d like to hear about where you eat!