By: Sure, packing a lunch for work will save you a bit of money, but you can only eat the same cold sandwich and bagged chips at the same desk every day before you and your tastebuds go slowly insane. If you work in a district as uniquely restaurant-heavy as Ybor City, there’s no excuse to not escape the dungeon office for lunch and dine on some of the great, independent cuisine the neighborhood has to offer. Here’s five of our favorite lunch break restaurants for business professionals in Ybor City.
The uber-affordable prices might fool you, but don’t be mistaken, Acropolis is the real deal. A Greek restaurant in the heart of Ybor City, Acropolis serves up authentic, Mediterranean-inspired cuisine with speed, freshnesses, and ample portioning in mind. Stop in and enjoy anything from a classic gyro to filet mignon, red snapper, Athenian chicken salad, and much, much more.
No restaurant encapsulates Ybor’s rich and diverse history quite like the Columbia. Since 1905, this iconic eatery’s been dishing out classic, regional Latin cuisine to hungry bay area diners. Winner of numerous accolades including the Distinguished Restaurants of North America (DiRoNA) Award of Excellence and named one of the top 25 restaurants in Florida, the Columbia serves up hearty lunches perfect for the break including roast pork loin, ropa vieja, and their original cuban sandwich.
Or, hop from Latin America to Italy and sample some of the classic and innovative Italian cuisine at Bernini. Lunch menu items include appetizers like bruschetta and fried calamari, wood fired pizza, sandwiches, salads, pasta, and more. The relaxed ambiance, lined with sculptures and classic art are probably a nice reprieve from the boring fluorescence of the office too.
Enjoy unique and fresh soups, salads, and sandwiches at the Stone Soup Company. Soups are made fresh daily and change with the chef’s mood for the day. Some examples include Lobster Seafood Risqué Bisque, Thai “me-up” Chicken Laksa, and Three Cheese Broccoli Pleas. Their Cubemanti sandwich – styled after the famous Primanti Brothers sandwich in Pittsburgh – is the stuff of legend, loaded with your choice of meat and cheese, a dose of coleslaw, and pile of fries on top.
TBBC doubles as both a brewery and restaurant. You’ll likely be tempted to drink (responsibly) on the job with their assortment of 12 different tap beers, all brewed right there in the restaurant. Or, enjoy some pub fare like a corned beef reuben, blackened chicken, or the Chile Roja Bison Burger.
