Too many options around town for you to decide where to eat? Let these local food Insta-bloggers — intrepid explorers of Tampa Bay’s expansive culinary jungle — guide you to savory satisfaction, or trust the expertise of the dozens of other unique “#Foodie” perspectives available on Instagram and the web. Each Instagrammer does things their own way, but all are committed to finding the newest, freshest and most out- there dishes available today.
TAMPA HAS SERIOUS FOOD INSTA-GAME. THERE ARE MORE THAN 35,000 POSTS ON INSTAGRAM WITH THE HASHTAG #TAMPAFOODIE.
@ThisBabeEats — Kiera Andrews
You used to run one of the original Tampa foodie Instagram accounts, Tampa Bay Eats Out. Why did you make the switch over to This Babe Eats?
I really wanted to be able to share food from everywhere that I go. Whenever I go to a new city I always make sure I try out the best foodie spots, and I wanted to be able to share that with my followers, not just the meals I have in Tampa Bay.
How did you get into food blogging?
After I graduated college, I was in a full-time job that I didn’t really enjoy, and
I wanted to be able to do something that made me happy on my time off. Food, photography and writing all make me happy so I started the Tampa Bay Eats Out account.
What is your process for discovering food or restaurants and blogging?
Instagram is my biggest resource for finding foodie spots. Whenever I’m traveling to a new city I will search the foodie hashtags in that city to see what everyone is eating and start my list.
What is the most difficult or challenging part of food blogging?
When I first started Tampa Bay Eats Out, I wouldn’t really say there was anything difficult about it. I started the account because I loved food, and I wanted to share that with everyone. It’s still really enjoyable for me to this day. The only thing that is difficult now is juggling invitations to events atrestaurants. I do work full time, so I’m unable to attend events during the typical workweek, which seems to be when most restaurants like to hold previews. Another slight difficulty is going to restaurants with poor lighting. They could have the most amazing looking food, but if there isn’t a well-lit place to photograph, then it won’t turn out to be a great photo. I’m always so disappointed when the photos don’t do the food justice.
What’s your favorite thing to eat in Tampa?
The first thing that comes to mind is the sweet potato gnocchi at Boca, but you can’t go wrong with whatever seafood special they have for the night.
In honor of the Tampa Sandwich Hunt 2018, what is your favorite sandwich in Tampa, and where can you find it?
The Cheez It Grilled Cheese from the Empamamas food truck. I’m obsessed with anything cheesy, and this is the holy grail.
@CarlosEats — Carlos Hernandez
How did you get into food blogging?
I started off just writing reviews years ago on Yelp. I was one of their first users in the southeast back in 2006. In 2010 I saw a food blog in Orlando called Tasty Chomps and realized blogging would be a better use of my writing time.
What is your process for discovering food or restaurants and blogging?
I use word-of-mouth like everybody else. I listen to what people are saying. Over time you learn how to decipher which places are good and which are just paying for coverage or are [overly] hyped-up. I like to keep it simple and shoot with my iPhone.
What’s your favorite thing to eat in Tampa?
Tampa’s history is based in Cuban and Italian cuisine. I do enjoy grabbing Cuban food from time to time, but being of a Hispanic background I tend to be a major snob with it. West Tampa Sandwich Shop has always been a favorite of mine, and it was one of the first places that I reviewed for my blog. Definitely try the BLT with a fried egg inside. They do it just right.
In honor of the Tampa Sandwich Hunt 2018, what is your favorite sandwich in Tampa?
My favorite sandwich in Tampa is, of course, a Cuban sandwich, and the Floridian is my favorite place to have one.
@ThisJennGirl — Jenn Thai
How did you get into food blogging?
I was a nail-art blogger when I was in college, but after starting my career I quickly realized that adulting would not allow me to spend one to two hours painting my nails every day, so I re-branded my blog. I love to eat, and it just made sense for me to write about a topic that I engage in at least three times a day.
How do you balance your food blogging with your day job?
When you’re passionate about something, like I am with my personal blog, you always find time for it. While I’m on my lunch break, I may check out a new restaurant in St. Pete, where I work, or make dinner plans on the Tampa side. I always make sure I have my camera with me for those just-in-case moments.
You sometimes partner with local restaurants for sponsored posts, which is a big step for bloggers. Tell us a little but about how that works.
I started securing sponsored food-related opportunities about a year-and-a-half into cultivating This Jenn Girl after doing my fair share of organic blog posts and building up my portfolio of food-related content. It’s very important to me that the partnerships I choose are relevant not only to my personal brand but also to my audience. I keep an editorial calendar of sorts for my blog and social media platforms, which helps me balance organic content with sponsored content.
In honor of the Tampa Sandwich Hunt 2018, what is your favorite sandwich in Tampa?
I love the Beef Martini sandwich at Wright’s Gourmet House. It’s rare roast beef topped with juicy, marinated mushrooms, crispy slices of bacon and a yummy garlic herb spread.
