Best Restaurants near Amalie Arena

Fresh seafood is on the menu at Harpoon Harry's Crab House in downtown Tampa. Conveniently located in the Tampa Convention Center, Harry's is close to most downtown attractions, businesses, and hotels. The large restaurant features seating for over 500 with both intimate and group seating, a large bar area and an upstairs outdoor patio. The extensive menu features a wide variety of seafood specialties and crab pots, in addition to a good selection of USDA steaks, chops, and chicken dishes to choose from. Make sure to save some room for dessert as they also feature a delicious selection including several that are served in homestyle jars.

Conveniently located at Sparkman Wharf, Splitsville is a chic restaurant and gaming center with modern decor and comfortable seating. Dining at Splitsville goes far beyond the ordinary with a full menu focused on classic Southern dishes developed by two-time James Beard Award winner Chef Art Smith. Check out their delicious fried chicken or pulled pork sliders. There are also selections of flatbreads and salads to choose from. The full bar serves up a good variety of craft cocktails as well as a comprehensive selection of beer. Games include 10 pin bowling, lawn and Belgian feather bowling, ping pong, billiards, foosball, darts, and shuffleboard.

Another riff on the food hall concept, Sparkman Wharf offers the culinary stylings of ten of Tampa's top chefs as they experiment with new concepts. Dubbed a dining garden, visitors sample from specially developed street food menus. The twist is that the restaurants are all working out of renovated shipping containers. Dining options run the gamut from raw oysters to French Vietnamese, to gourmet popsicles. The cornerstone of Tampa's billion-dollar Water Street development, this open-air meeting space features dining options, live music, comfortable seating, lawn games, and of course, a beautiful view of the waterfront.

Set slightly away from the downtown bustle on Harbor Island, Jackson's Bistro features a large and sophisticated menu with dishes ranging from hand-rolled sushi to an oak-grilled NY strip steak. They are also known for their extensive wine list. The setting is romantic and upscale, featuring dark mahogany walls and candle-lit tables, but it's the views of Garrison Channel and the Tampa skyline that steal the show. If the weather is good, take advantage of their large outdoor terrace. Sunday brunch at Jackson's takes the buffet route, offering a turkey, ham and roast beef carving station, pasta station, sushi station and waffle bar.

Nestled in the heart of downtown, The Sail Plaza is a 360 degree, outdoor bar and restaurant located right on the waterfront. Recently renovated, the Plaza now features more outdoor seating and the culinary delights of Ray's Fish Camp. Convenient to downtown amenities such as the Tampa Bay History Center, the Tampa Convention Center, and Amalie Arena, the Sail Pavilion often hosts locals and tourists on their way to or from downtown activities. Also located along the Tampa Riverwalk, many walkers, bikers and joggers will stop for a cold drink and a bite to eat as they pass by. You can even visit by boat as there is public docking space right in front.

Quiet, casual, romantic; Café Dufrain represents all the qualities that make Harbour Island seem worlds away from Tampa's bustling downtown area. Set among high-rise condo and apartment developments, this award-winning restaurant quietly serves up some of the best dishes in town. Local, organic and sustainable ingredients are combined in recipes that are changed seasonally. They call their approach "new American comfort food cuisine." Combined with great service and a carefully selected boutique wine and craft beer list, lunch or dinner at Café Dufrain is sure to please even the most discerning. For an added bonus, the views of downtown from the waterside patio leave quite an impression, especially at night.

The Bamboozle Cafe is located in the heart of downtown Tampa and features Asian Fusion and traditional Vietnamese cuisine. From their fresh Bamboozle rolls to their hearty Pho Boats, the ingredients are fresh and healthy, and the presentation shows great attention to detail. If you're not hungry for a full meal, you can visit the Bamboozle Tea Lounge that features smaller portions of the menu favorites as well as a selection of tea, Vietnamese coffee, fresh juices and smoothies. As part of the restaurant's commitment to health, they have teamed up with Sweatshop Urban Gym to provide free workouts at nearby Curtis Hixon Park. In addition to a free workout, participants get 20% off their tab at the end of the night.

Hattricks Tavern is one of Tampa's most popular sports bars and restaurants. Located just steps from the Tampa Bay Times Forum, this is the perfect place for hockey fans to stop for a drink and a meal before or after a game. The ambiance is casual and fun. Fans will enjoy the handmade oak bar, a multitude of TVs, and walls adorned with tons of hockey memorabilia. The food is pretty good too. The menu features most of the standard bar fare but also offers a good selection of specialty sandwiches and comfort food entrees. The prices are reasonable, especially for a downtown location.

The Columbia Cafe is a picturesque dining spot located at the Tampa Bay History Center on the downtown waterfront overlooking Garrison Channel and the Riverwalk. The Cafe is part of the Columbia Restaurant Group with the original Columbia Restaurant, which opened in 1905, located in Ybor City. The decor is Spanish-inspired and both indoor and outdoor seating is offered. Menu options include some of the most popular dishes from the Ybor City restaurant including the original "1905 Salad" and a good selection of tapas. The cafe is open for lunch and dinner with live music every weekend. Public boat docks are available if you're arriving by boat.

Amalie Arena boasts one of the finest buffets in town. Their on-site restaurant, called the Firestick Grill, opens with a full-service buffet two hours before any event and features a revolving menu that changes depending on the event and includes special "themed" dishes. Jam-packed with a variety of different dishes, the buffet also features three "action stations" including a carving station, a taco bar, and a pasta station. Finish off with a dessert or a drink in the Bacardi OakHeart Lounge and you should be well-fueled to cheer on the Lightning or your favorite performer in concert.