Maryland's Greene Turtle has opened in South Tampa, serving crab cakes, crab dip and pub favorites at 5224 Bridge Street.

Jim Reeves and his family have retaken Big Jim’s Famous Steaks and are quietly testing menu tweaks and a possible rebrand at the Seminole Boulevard spot. Locals say the return leans into the restaurant’s old strengths while trying new ideas.

Zephyr Chills has filed plan‑review paperwork for a Stadium Drive storefront in Zephyrhills. The applicant is Zephyr Chills Ventures LLC and details remain limited.

Chen’s Duck & Dumplings, currently in Brandon, is set to open a Lakeland outpost at 5125 S Florida Ave, public records show.

Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii plans a Little Road cafe at 5243 Little Rd #1 in New Port Richey, joining other Tampa Bay locations.

Alex Chamberlain is leaving Michelin‑starred Kōsen to run Mei, a French‑Nordic‑Japanese restaurant set to open this spring at 320 Third St. S in downtown St. Pete. The project comes from Omei Restaurant Group.

Gin Khao, a Polk County Thai food truck, has filed plans to open its first brick-and-mortar at 750 W Main Street in Bartow. The owner confirmed the move.

A Tampa franchisor is scaling Gigglewaters after a record year, rolling out franchised restaurants and GiggleTruck units across Pinellas.

Surf Shack in Westchase closed last Sunday to be converted into an Eddie’s Bar & Grill; owners say renovations will take about two months and staff will shift to other Eddie’s sites.

A new fast-casual in Brandon is serving Puerto Rican‑style loaded baked potatoes and stuffed plantains. The counter lets diners build hearty island-influenced spuds.

Local franchisees Frank and Valarie Brown have opened Rita's at 2141 66th St. N., bringing Italian ice, frozen custard and gelati to St. Petersburg's Tyrone corridor.

Whataburger plans to open at 1426 W Brandon Blvd in Brandon this spring, replacing the former Aussie Grill as part of an eight‑site Tampa Bay rollout. The site is a freestanding drive‑thru on a high‑traffic corridor.

Delicious, a tasting-focused wine bar from Joy and Aleka Oswald, has opened inside the Morean Center for Clay with sip-sized pours, rotating flights and live weekly events.