South Howard just got a little more buttoned up. Howard & Platt quietly swung open its doors Friday on South Howard Avenue, taking over the long-familiar TC Choy's corner and trading late-night spillover vibes for something more refined. Think covered patio seating, a full bar, and a dinner program designed to lure people out earlier in the day instead of only after last call.
The new spot leans into a neighborhood-first feel, pairing a sit-down dining room with a bar and an outdoor patio that runs right along the block. It is the latest move in a growing wave of rebrands and openings on the SoHo strip, as operators look to turn the corridor into a place where you might linger for brunch or dinner, not just squeeze in another round.
New Place, Familiar Corner
As reported by the Tampa Bay Times, Howard & Platt officially opened July 24, with early photos showing a covered patio wrapped in greenery framing the busy corner. The outlet describes the restaurant as the latest project from a local hospitality group that sees the evolving South Howard strip as ripe for a more deliberate mix of nightlife and sit-down dining.
Hours, Address And Reservations
According to Howard & Platt, the restaurant is located at 301 S. Howard Avenue and lists a contact number on its official site, which also includes menu details and information on private events. Reservations, along with the current dinner schedule and weekend brunch hours, are available through OpenTable.
Who Is Behind It
The concept is led by Michael Disser of Disser Hospitality Investments, who already operates other venues along South Howard. Certified Florida reports that Disser is taking over the former TC Choy's space with a buildout of roughly 6,325 square feet. Recent neighborhood coverage has cast this and similar projects as part of a broader push to move South Howard away from an ad hoc late night cluster toward steadier dining and music-forward concepts.
What To Watch
If the daytime and brunch program catches on, Howard & Platt could emerge as a daytime anchor that shifts how and when people move along South Howard. Local reporting has pointed to that kind of earlier traffic as a key test for the corridor's future, as noted by the Tampa Bay Times. Whether the restaurant can reliably draw those earlier crowds, not just the late-night faithful, may help determine whether similar concepts follow.
Opening Practicalities
For now, Howard & Platt is open and taking reservations. Diners can check the restaurant's website or OpenTable listings for the latest menus and seating times. For South Tampa locals, the launch is another clear sign that South Howard is working on a new identity as a true day-to-evening neighborhood corridor, not just a late-night strip.
