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BELLA BRAVA: VEGETALI If you like to dine alfresco, this is your place. Located in downtown St. Pete, Bella Brava’s patio offers a clear view of Tampa Bay and the always bustling Beach Drive. Being that they are family-friendly, dog-friendly (outside) and all around people-friendly, there is no excuse to miss out on the Vegetali Flatbread! Served as a flatbread for lunch or a pizza for dinner, the dish begins with their famous dough that is made in-house every single day. It is then topped with fresh mozzarella, asparagus, roasted mushrooms, oven dried tomatoes, arugula and pecorino cheese. All the vegetables used at Bella are hand picked by their produce manager and they always try to use local ingredients whenever possible. You don’t need to be a vegetarian to enjoy this dish – though if you are there’s even more reason to venture out! THE LURE: THE FIG & THE PIG There’s only one place to go when you have a craving for sushi, your date wants tapas and your best friend wants tacos: The Lure in downtown St. Pete. Oh, and by the way, they not only serve an impressive range of cuisines, they also have a couple pool tables available to help burn off the extra calories from dinner. I suggest ordering a little bit of everything to share, but be sure not to miss The Fig & The Pig flatbread. The ingredients speak for themselves (no fancy words necessary): aged prosciutto, fresh black Mission figs, fig jam, and a white truffle four cheese blend. Chef Tom Golden discovered this particular flatbread while on a ski trip in Crested Butte, CO. He was so impressed with the dish he bribed the chef from The Secret Stash with drinks until he finally revealed the recipe. As an added feel-good bonus (as if one was needed), for every Fig & Pig ordered $1 will be donated to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. The Lure opens daily at 11am and reservations are encouraged, but not required. FRUITWOOD STAND UP MARKET: AJ’S PINK FLAMINGO If you like variety, this little gem in SOHO should be on your list. With over 15 different flatbreads on the menu and the option to easily add additional proteins to any of them, the sky is the limit. It was a tough challenge to narrow it down to just one, but when you go I highly recommend trying AJ’s Pink Flamingo. The AJ starts out with their well-loved honey wheat dough and is topped with Nana’s red sauce, pecorino cheese and prosciutto. After cooking to perfection in their allwood oven (oak wood to be exact), the AJ is then topped with fresh, local arugula, crushed pistachios and a drizzle of honey mustard. This flatbread combination is truly unique and absolutely delicious. As it turns out, the dish was named after the owner’s uncle who passed away when the restaurant was opening. It was one of the first 5 flatbreads on the menu and still retains its popularity now. Fruitwood is open Mon-Sat from 8am – 9pm and Sunday from 11am-7pm. Go check them out! PANE RUSTICA: SAUSAGE, MUSHROOM & ONION Located in an unassuming strip mall off MacDill Avenue in South Tampa you’ll find one of the most raved about eateries in the area. There is virtually no one south of Kennedy that doesn’t know about, or love, Pane Rustica. That said, not everyone has tried the flatbreads on their dinner menu and this is what I am here to address! Check your calendar now and pick a date to visit for dinner Wednesday through Saturday and be sure to order their version of a BBQ Chicken Flatbread. This heavenly combination includes Cajun-spiced chicken, Applewood bacon, caramelized onions, grilled corn, a triple cheese blend and is finished off with an incredible molasses barbeque drizzle. For the vegetarians out there I also highly recommend their Classic Margherita Flatbread. Utilizing fresh, local mozzarella, house-made tomato sauce, basil and EVOO, this dish is the epitome of fresh, simple food done extremely well. I’ll see you there! JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 localsDISH 23


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