Mad's Favorite Spots in Tampa

Traveling to Tampa is one of my favorite things to do. One of my best friends is a Tampa local, so I always know when I visit, I am going to get the best of the best. Whether it's the best local coffee shops, bookstores, restaurants, or leisurely activities, I have a list of all of my favorite spots I have gone to in my past visits.

Lady and the Mug

510 W Grand Central Ave, Tampa, FL 33606

Located in Altis Grand Central, Lady and the Mug had the BEST coffee I have ever had in Tampa. The vibes are amazing, the staff is extremely friendly, and there is a plethora of different seating options. They had the coolest swing set chairs, as well as couches and regular tables. They also have a quiet room if you need somewhere to study or do some work while you visit.

The menu was on the smaller side with no curated drinks unique to the store but they had 7-8 different flavor shots and 4 options for milk. They also have matcha, hot chocolate, and nitro brews. Oh, and did I mention they serve your iced coffee in wine goblets?! The shop had a wide variety of food options such as breakfast pastries, breakfast sandwiches, and donuts.

I had a hot latte with dark chocolate flavoring and oat milk and a spinach and cheese quiche. The coffee had the perfect balance of flavors (I am a big-time mocha drinker, so I get very picky when I try something outside of my normal Dunkin Donuts and 7brew order). I typically go for an iced coffee, but I was feeling a little tired after my flight and thought a hot coffee might wake me up, and it did not disappoint. The quiche came out on an adorable vintage plate, and it was delicious.

Steamy Lit

2832 S MacDill Ave C, Tampa, FL 33629

This was a TikTok find, and I am so glad we went by. A romance-only bookstore, Steamy Lit had a wide variety of paperbacks, special editions, stickers, bookmarks, and book(ish) merch. I am not always the biggest fan of blind dates with a book, but I did take a chance on one and ended up with a special edition copy of The American Roommate Experiment by Elena Armas. One of the staff members even went through my Goodreads account to make sure I was not picking out a book I already read, which I was extremely appreciative of. It also came with cute stickers and a bookmark. Pricing was extremely reasonable and selection was amazing.

The Book and Bottle

17 6th St N, St. Petersburg, FL 33701

This spot is located right off the beach in St. Petes, making it an easy stop. Book and Bottle provides a plethora of books, both new releases and old. You can also grab a glass of wine or coffee and enjoy their indoor or outdoor seating. They also had bookish merch, including tote bags, bookmarks, t-shirts, and stickers!

Keel Farms

5202 Thonotosassa Rd, Plant City, FL 33565

Keel Farms is the home of Keel + Curley Winery and Keel Farms Agrarian Ales and Ciders. They offer tours, tastings, dining, events, and activities year-round. During our visit, we did a wine tasting that lasted around 30 minutes. We got to sample 3 different wines and 1 cider while also touring the farm and their facilities. It was the beginning of strawberry season while we were there, so for just $6, we picked fresh strawberries. We ate at the restaurant for lunch, which had an amazing array of food options ranging from salads to tacos to flatbreads. I had the shrimp tacos and a glass of Strawberry Blush. I do wish we had gotten to be there for the next weekend because they were going to be releasing a Strawberry Moscato. It is definitely a fun place to go with the girlies for a boozy brunch!

Avalon Exchange

2823 MacDill Ave, Tampa FL, 33629

This is for all of my thrifting gals! Avalon Exchange, located a block from Steamy Lit, is a vintage and thrift store with high-end pieces at a reasonable cost. I was skeptical when I first walked in because they had EVERYTHING, whether that be jerseys, dresses, tops, skirts, pullovers. I don't know about you, but I have been traumatized by one too many thrift stores whose prices were insane. Everything was so well priced and organized. I ended up leaving with a vintage Cowboys jersey (my boyfriend is a major Dallas fan) and a gold pendant starfish necklace. We were on a bit of a time crunch, but I could have shopped in there for hours.

Again, these are just a few of my favorite local places I have gotten to visit while in Tampa. Some honorable mentions I would love to suggest if you are looking for fun activities to do are

• going to a minor league baseball game! Tampa has 5 minor league teams, so it is not too hard to find one close to you. We went to a Dunedin Blue Jays game and had an amazing time. The tickets are extremely cheap (we got ours for only a few dollars), and the weather was amazing when we went.

• finding a local farmers market!!! I especially loved the one in Hype Park

• getting a pub sub and rotting on the beach!!! Florida has a Publix on every corner, so it is easy to hop in and grab a sandwich from their deli and a bag of chips and go lie on the beach for a couple of hours.

• get an Acai Bowl!! Grain and Berry in St. Petersburg was by far my favorite. I still think about it!!

Article by: Maddie Van Dyke

April 18, 2025