After 16 months and insurance delays, Blue Flame Southern reopened Wednesday to long lines, restoring a neighborhood staple. The return brought staff back and steady crowds for classic soul-food plates.

Bradenton's Lazy Goat food truck is taking its smoked meats into a storefront at 2001 Ninth St W, promising barbecue, Southern plates and daily service.

Greenlane will open its fifth Tampa Bay drive-thru in Wesley Chapel next month and aims to add 2–3 new stores a year as it tests the region. The chain leans on compact, drive-thru-only sites and local partnerships as it grows.

Luma opened at SkyBeach Resort in January, bringing Mediterranean mezze, fire‑grilled fare and dock‑and‑dine access to south St. Pete.

A new Jersey‑style bagel shop from the team behind Santoro’s opened in North Hyde Park, serving kettle‑boiled bagels and stacked breakfast sandwiches.

Better Blend will open three Tampa Bay shops and launch two Blendmobile trucks, starting with a Brandon storefront this year.

AES Group has filed plans for an Arby’s at 1725 S McCall Rd in Englewood, a drive‑thru retrofit on an outparcel next to Publix and Bealls. The franchisee’s expansion would add another quick‑serve option to the busy McCall Road corridor.

Ziggi’s Coffee filed plan‑review paperwork for a drive‑thru at 3114 Hueland Pond Blvd in Wesley Chapel, joining other new retail and housing projects in the area.

Plan-review filings suggest Clark’s Coffee House is headed to 3875 Central Ave in St. Petersburg; the owner was not immediately reachable and no opening date is listed.

Yumsem Eats is moving from Fletcher Avenue to a Bruce B Downs storefront near USF, according to plan-review filings and the chain’s website. The company lists the new unit as "coming soon."

CAVA plans two Tampa Bay locations — one in Lutz and one at Bradenton's Marketplace at Heritage Harbour, expanding the chain's local footprint.

Café Seventy One at The Florida Aquarium launched in Tampa with ocean-friendly sourcing, tech to cut single-use waste, and community meal donations.

The Hob Nob Drive-In, a Sarasota landmark since 1957, is set to reopen this spring under new owners who promise classic burgers, shakes and community nights.