TAMPA Front Desk: August/September 2020

Revolution Ice Cream

has opened its third location in South Tampa after months of pandemic-related delays. The shop has created over 100 flavors of ice cream, ranging from simple concoctions like “Plain Jane,” a basic vanilla, to “The One That Started it All,” a goat cheese and habañero ice cream that features a raspberry ribbon. The South Tampa location, at 4302 W. Kennedy Blvd, also features an arcade machine with 60 classic games.

Fly Bar

On June 22, Fly Bar and Restaurant opened in a new location, the historic Lafayette Arcade (next to Oxford Exchange) after closing its rooftop location about two years ago. The new location features a pet-friendly outdoor seating area and is offering dinner daily and brunch on the weekends. Fly Bar’s cocktails are jazz-inspired, including the Saint Satchmo, a nod to Louis Armstrong, and the bold-flavored Mood Indigo, an homage to Duke Ellington’s song of the same name.

Brioche Cafe & Bakery

Limited seating, carryout and grab-and-go is the name of the game at Brioche, a newly opened café and bakery on Dale Mabry Highway in South Tampa. The café offers breakfast, lunch and dinner on the weekdays and brunch on the weekend. Owner and chef Badia Verona moved to the United States from Switzerland in 1999 and earned a degree from Le Cordon Bleu Academy. Verona has focused Brioche’s menu on simple European and Mediterranean flavors meant for healthy, everyday meals. But, if you’re looking for a treat, the café also offers a sweeter side that features desserts, pastries, cookies, tarts and more.

Bake’n Babes

Previously housed inside The Hall on Franklin, Bake’n Babes has moved permanently to GenX Tavern. Both the Hall and GenX Tavern closed because of the coronavirus, but GenX Tavern offered its kitchen to Bake’n Babes for UberEats and pickup orders. On June 18, the combined tavern and bakery reopened to the public for takeout and delivery, offering Instagrammable bakery creations like its signature Freak Shakes. These milkshakes are often topped with cake slices, candy, cookies, sparklers and anything else over-the-top.

University of South Florida 

On June 12, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges approved the consolidation of the University of South Florida system into one university. On July 1, USF’s Tampa, St. Petersburg and Sarasota campuses began operating as a single university. Previously, each USF campus operated as separate accredited universities. Each campus will now share in extra funding and other benefits that come with USF’s status as a preeminent Florida university. Under this new consolidation, some faculty members and programs will be available on multiple campuses.