Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News, Volume 29, Issue 26, December 21, 2021

Volume 29 Issue 26 December 21, 2021

Jacob Palmer & Paige Cocozza enjoy lunch at the #1 Favorite Restaurant in Wesley Chapel, according to our readers.

Find out where they are & more on pages 23-33!

MMMMMM! Our 2021 Reader Survey Results! See pages 23-33!

EDITORIAL The good & bad sides of the explosive growth in Wesley Chapel.

See page 3

TOURI$M BOOM

After a rough 2020, Pasco County has set visitor records in a busy 2021.

See page 4

REFILLABLES, ANYONE?

Lüfka can lead the way to a healthy & chemical-free lifestyle.

See page 16

JABZ OPENS AT WIREGRASS! Jabz Boxing’s goal is to empower women as they get in shape.

See page 22

Meet Some Of The People Doing Good Things In Wesley Chapel! See pages 6, 8, 10 &12!

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The Good & Bad Sides Of Wesley Chapel’s Explosive Growth

By GARY NAGER news medium that has been reporting about Editorial all of our growth — nearly all of which has on

We recently changed printers again, and since it had been a while since we updated our distribution numbers, I decided to log onto the U.S. Postal Service’s website to see just how many residences and businesses we were now mailed to and how many people that included.

I’ve been saying for years that it was only a matter of time before Wesley Chapel and its planned (and ongoing) explosive growth would one day cause our direct-mail distribution to Wesley Chapel’s three zip codes — 33543, 33544 & 33545 — to surpass the number of homes, apartments and businesses (and the number of people those households include) in New Tampa’s 33647 zip code.

Well, it’s finally happened. As of the mailing of this issue, we are now mailed to 28,900+ residences and businesses in Wesley Chapel and, according to the Post Office’s Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) website, which give estimates of the number of people per household in every postal carrier route, those households represent nearly 82,500 people. By contrast, our Dec 7 New Tampa issue was directly mailed to 28,600 residences and businesses and a Post Office-estimated 74,000+ people.

That means that when you combine those numbers, businesses that choose to place ads in both of our markets are now reaching more than 57,500 residences and businesses and more than a whopping 156,500 total people every four weeks!

If New Tampa, which is located in Hillsborough County, and Wesley Chapel, which is in Pasco, could be considered together as one market (as I sort of always have considered them), that would make the Wesley ChapelNew Tampa “metro area” as large as Decatur, AL, which is the 268th largest Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) in the U.S. For me, as the owner of the Neighborhood News, that is both good and bad news, but mostly good. That reach is larger by far than any local online community and significantly larger than any other publication distributed to our areas. And, it has helped us increase the total number of advertisers both expressing interest in advertising and actually buying ads with us by more than 40% from our Covidrelated drop from March-December 2020.

But of course, it also means that in order to reach that unique audience, I have to be willing to pay to continue to grow with our two communities — as I have for nearly 28 years (my 28th anniversary of owning the Neighborhood News is Feb. 25, 2022; with my first issue as publisher and editor Apr. 1994).

Not Everyone Is Happy...

It’s been an amazing journey for me personally to see this growth, even though, throughout the years, people living and working in both of our communities have complained about all of the new homes, apartments and businesses being built here.

The ironic thing about it is that if the folks who have been unhappy with all of the growth in our two markets, especially here in Wesley Chapel, had been reading our publications from the beginning, they had a pretty good idea that it was all coming. We certainly have been the primary, if not the only, local Neighborhood News

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been on the books and records for as long (or nearly as long) as I’ve owned this publication.

I didn’t go back to our old issues to figure out exactly when we knew about the plans for Wiregrass Ranch, Epperson, Watergrass, Avalon Park Wesley Chapel, the Connected City and not-yet-developed areas like Wyndfields (located east of Wiregrass Ranch), but rest assured, whenever we did know about those plans, we’ve been reporting about them.

And yes, I’ve known for at least 10-15 years that Wesley Chapel’s expansion of master-planned communities would one day see its population surpass New Tampa’s.

But, while I agree with the sentiment that the plans for expanding our roads have not progressed as quickly, or kept up with, the growth of Wesley Chapel, the simple fact is that most of us who live and/or work here (me included) moved here from someplace else, too, and Florida in general and Wesley Chapel in particular are extremely desirable places to live — so that growth is likely to continue.

But, while many applauded the picture shown here and the Wesley Chapel Community Facebook page post about it, I say that not only is it a crime to deface a sign that Lennar Homes paid good money to put up on its own private property, anyone who believes that actions like these are a good way to slow down our growth is sadly mistaken.

Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News 28949 State Road 54 Wesley Chapel, FL 33543 Phone: (813) 910-2575

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Publisher & Editor /Ad Sales Gary Nager Managing Editor / Photographer John C. Cotey Correspondents Celeste McLaughlin Isabella Douglas Lead Video Producer/Multimedia Specialist Charmaine George Graphic Designers Morgan Conlin Valerie Wegener Billing Assistant Jannah Nager Nothing that appears in Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News may be reproduced, whether wholly or in part, without permission. Opinions expressed by Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News writers are their own and do not necessarily reflect the publisher’s opinion.

The deadline for outside editorial submissions and advertisement reservations for Volume 30, Issue 2, of Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News is Friday, January 14, 2022.

Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News will consider previously non-published outside editorial submissions if they are double spaced, typed and less than 500 words. Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News reserves the right to edit and/or reject all outside editorial submissions and makes no guarantees regarding publication dates. Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News will not return unsolicited editorial materials.

Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News reserves the right to edit &/or reject any advertising. Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News is not responsible for errors in advertising beyond the actual cost of the advertising space itself, nor for the validity of any claims made by its advertisers. © 2021 JM2 Communications, Inc. For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 29, Issue 26 • December 21, 2021 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

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Wesley Chapel Leads The Way To A Tourism Slam Dunk

By JOHN C. COTEY

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In 2019, Pasco County hit new records for tourism, but Covid delivered a hit in 2020 that Florida’s Sports Coast director Adam Thomas figured might be tough to overcome.

Turns out that it wasn’t. Not only did the county bounce back from its Covid-plagued 2020 by exceeding last year’s tourism numbers, but it even passed its pre-Covid 2019 numbers as well.

“It was definitely a revival year for tourism for Pasco County,” says Thomas.

“We beat our record-breaking historic year of 2019 by 10.6%. It was amazing,” In Fiscal Year 2021 (which ran from Sept. 2020 to Oct. 2021), visitor spending in Pasco County generated $721.7 million in economic impact to the county, according to Downs & St. Germain Research. That is an increase of 30.7% above FY 2020, and 10.6% above the 2019 numbers. Direct spending in the county was $511.8 million of that total.

Thomas said an increase in marketing, as well as the state’s openness, allowed tourism to flourish here this year.

“Many other states were still not fully operational,” Thomas says of FY 2021. “That allowed our destinations to attract events throughout the year.”

With the doors to Pasco County wide open this year, people didn’t hesitate to rush through. The numbers don’t lie: • Florida’s Sports Coast attracted 1,358,200 visitors (41.5% higher than last year, and 30.8% higher than FY 2019) • Visitors generated 1,419,000 room nights in paid accommodations (32.6% higher than last year, and 16.6% higher than FY 2019) • Spending by visitors supported 9,254 local jobs (36.3% higher than last year, and 17.6% higher than FY 2019) • Tourism generated $231.6 million in wages and salaries for local jobs (55% higher than FY 2020, and 37.8% higher than FY 2019).

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Wesley Chapel has facilities, like the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus (above), that can host more than 1,000 people over the course of a weekend, providing a boost to the tourism dollars generated in Pasco County. (Photos courtesy of Florida’s Sports Coast)

• Every 147 visitors to the county created an additional job.

• Visitors staying locally generated $3.6 million in Tourist Development Tax collections (36.3% higher than last year, and 18.4% higher than FY 2019).

• Visitors in FY 2021 saved every household in Pasco County $385 in state and federal taxes.

And, Thomas says that amateur sports drove those record-setting numbers; primarily, amateur sports played in Wesley Chapel at its trifecta of sports tourism — AdventHealth Center Ice, the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County and Saddlebrook Resort. As far as the county goes, the nearby Sarah Vande Berg (SVB) Tennis Center in Zephyrhills also contributed to Pasco’s big numbers.

“All these record-breaking numbers that we had are basically from our sporting events,” Thomas says.

Following the heightened 2020 Covid concerns, 2021 may have started with a whimper, but is ending with a bang — for example, the Wiregrass Ranch

Sports Campus will host 128 of the best high school girls basketball teams in the state and beyond, as well as 32 boys high school teams, at the Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational Dec. 29-Jan. 1.

The tournament expects to bring 1,500 coaches and players and 3,000 total spectators for the event, meaning the Sports Campus will be capping its first full year of operation with the equivalent of a slam dunk. “It’s been an awesome year,” says Richard Blalock, the CEO of RADDSports, which operates the Sports Campus in a public-private partnership with the county. “Considering all of the (Covid-related) social issues we encountered, I think it was very successful.”

Blalock says 2021 has been a challenging year, but one that came with great exposure. In fact, the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus was named Small Market Venue of the Year by the Florida Sports Foundation in November (see photo on next page).

“We were fortunate that we’re in a quasi-conservative area where we got

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support from the local government to be able to operate,” he says. “We just had to figure out what the rules were, come up with protocols and then follow those protocols to be able to operate.”

The Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus hosted a number of large events in 2021.

Whether it was current Philadelphia Eagle and Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith preparing for the NFL Draft by working out at the campus, or USA volleyball and USA Gymnastics events, or a myriad of AAU and youth basketball, cheerleading and volleyball tournaments taking place monthly, the new facility was always bustling.

The same goes for Center Ice, which saw more than a million people pass through its doors in FY 2021.

General manager Gordie Zimmermann said his business was up more than 30 percent from 2019. Center Ice hosted an NHL Prospects tournament, burgeoning local adult and youth recreational leagues and a series of hotel-filling tournaments in ice, sled and roller hockey, as well as figure skating.

“It was pretty amazing,” Zimmermann says. “I think Florida handled (Covid) better than anybody, and we have had a lot of people coming here.

Plus, hockey is on a growth spurt, and the (back-to-back Stanley Cup champion) Tampa Bay Lightning have certainly helped with that.”

The five-rink facility is one of a kind in the Southeast, and you won’t find many like it in the U.S., Zimmermann says, making it a popular destination for big tournaments.

The biggest sporting event held in Pasco County this year was at Center Ice, according to Thomas — the TORHS (Tournament of Roller Hockey Series) Nationals in June. The tournament runs 8-10 days, had more than 150 teams and generated 2,300 room nights. Thomas says the economic impact to the county of the event was roughly $3 million.

As we head into 2022, could another

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as great as it has been, Thomas and others see only growth.

A recent study commissioned by Florida’s Sports Coast, which was intended to find the gaps in the amateur sports arena, showed that adaptive sports, or sports that are accessible to those who are disabled, is a possible growth area. An aquatics facility is on the radar as well, and private developers have inquired about things like BMX and surf parks, as well as a track & field facility.

Adaptive basketball could be headed to the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus, says Blalock. Thomas says the county also is working on the bringing the U.S. Fencing championships to the Sports Campus, in addition to a large Can-Am competition between first responders Events like am NHL prospects camp and top-level amateur from Canada and the U.S. tournaments consistently fill up the seats at AdventHealth Saddlebrook Resort may Center Ice — and hotel rooms and restaurants in the WC. host the 2022 American FootGolf League national championships in 2022. The relatively new sport is like golf but is played with feet and a soccer ball instead of clubs and a golf ball.

“We are thinking outside the norm,” Thomas says.

Center Ice will launch the Sunshine Cup this summer, a week-long tournament that will feature teams from the U.S., Canada, Denmark and Europe.

The mid-July event is expecting more than 3,000 visitors and would eclipse the TORHS event as the largest tournament hosted by the facility.

“We’ve always considered ourselves to be a player in the Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore (left) and Tour- sports tourism industry,” says ism Director Adam Thomas pose with the Florida Sports Thomas. “People are starting to Foundation trophy won by the Wiregrass Ranch Sports notice our success, and they want Campus for Florida’s Best Small Market Venue. to be a part of it. We’re excited. record-breaking year be in store? Thomas We’re an amateur sports hot doesn’t see why not. spot, and we have some great opportuniWith the impact created by sports ties for growth.”

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JoLynn Warner, the faculty advisor for the Wiregrass Ranch High Key Club, delivers gifts for families to the Lacoochee Elementary student services team this holiday season. (Far left is Mrs. David, school social worker, then Nancy Montoya, guidance counselor, and far right is Dr. Mazzone, school psychologist.)

Local Kiwanis & High School Key

Clubs Spread Some Holiday Joy

By CELESTE McLAUGHLIN Correspondent As a long-time member of Kiwanis International, Martha Vaguener knows the value the organization can bring to a community.

That’s why she has helped start the Kiwanis Club of Wesley Chapel and serves as its treasurer, after serving as the president at the Zephyrhills Kiwanis Club for nine years, before it closed several years ago.

She says the Wesley Chapel club officially chartered in April 2020 and has the support of a sponsoring club in Carrollwood, but says that making a go of a service organization during a pandemic — where opportunities for service have looked very different — has been challenging.

However, it is happening.

“The whole point of Kiwanis is to change the world one child and one community at a time,” says Martha.

Kiwanis International is a service organization with more than 550,000 members in 80 countries and geographic areas, including members of all ages, from K-Kids Clubs to high school Key Clubs to Kiwanis Clubs. It was founded in 1915 in Detroit, Michigan, as the Supreme Lodge Benevolent Order of Brothers, and changed its name to Kiwanis a year later. The name “Kiwanis” comes from an American Indian expression, “Nunc Keewanis,” which means, “We trade.” While it originally focused on business networking, it became focused on service in 1919.

Kiwanis clubs globally host nearly 150,000 service projects each year.

Kiwanis has clubs for kids of all ages, including Key Clubs for high school students.

Wiregrass Ranch High (WRH) has a Key Club with more than 100 members.

For the holidays, both the Wesley Chapel Kiwanis Club and WRH Key Club adopted families from the underprivileged Lacoochee Elementary in Dade City.

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Key Club sponsor JoLynn Warner says her students were inspired by Martha’s stories of how the Zephyrhills Kiwanis Club’s past charitable efforts have helped the school, such as how attendance increased drastically in winter months one year because the club provided shoes for the children, allowing them to get to school in colder weather.

“My students can’t even imagine not being able to go to school because they don’t have shoes to wear,” JoLynn explains, “so they’re excited to help.”

While JoLynn oversaw the collection of toys, clothes and other items from students to benefit the families the WRH Key Club adopted, Martha, who serves as a Key Club advisor, took a group of Key Club members shopping to help her choose the items that would go to the families the Kiwanis Club adopted.

“It helps to develop community awareness, develop citizenship and do good in the community,” Martha explains.

The partnership benefits both groups, as adults in Kiwanis Club support the students’ efforts — such as in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, which will be coming up in early 2022 — and the students support the causes of the adult club as they grow into people who value giving back to their community.

“When we improve the lives of kids,” Martha explains, “we improve the lives of families, as well.” Martha says the Wesley Chapel Kiwanis Club currently has about 10 members and wants to grow. The Kiwanis Club of Wesley Chapel meets the second and fourth Tuesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. at the Seven Oaks clubhouse, although the club will not meet on Dec. 28.

To learn more about getting involved in Wesley Chapel Kiwanis Club, email Martha Vaguener at mvaguener@ aol.com or call her at (813) 362-5799.

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Joann Ortiz Ramos Named Pasco’s SRP Of The Year!

By CELESTE McLAUGHLIN Correspondent When Pasco County Superintendent of Schools Kurt Browning walked into a mostly empty Cypress Creek Middle School cafeteria in November, Joann Ortiz Ramos stopped cleaning tables to jump up and down and exclaim, “Oh, you gotta be kidding!”

Ramos knew immediately that Browning was there to surprise her with the news that she was chosen as Pasco County’s School Related Personnel of the Year award winner.

The award recognizes one noninstructional employee in Pasco County Public Schools for his or her outstanding and significant contributions they make to their school and to the district.

The fact that Ramos was cleaning tables is fitting. She was chosen for the honor because she is constantly going above and beyond her job responsibilities and doing things that are completely outside of her role as a discipline instructional assistant at the school.

Cypress Creek Middle School principal Tim Light says Ramos’ job is to handle student discipline that does not require the intervention of an administrator.

“She does the minor stuff, and there’s a lot more of that than the major stuff,” Light said. Ramos reviews referrals, ensures that every student receives due process, and then assigns consequences if warranted. She also brings certain offenses to the administrative team and supervises both detentions and Saturday school.

Her job most definitely is not cleaning tables in the cafeteria, yet that’s where she was found when the superintendent came looking for her.

“We are so proud of you,” Browning said. “Thanks for what you do.”

Light said the superintendent couldn’t have chosen a better candidate to represent Pasco County Schools as a nominee for the state’s award.

SRP winners from every county in Florida — including Ramos — are nominated by their superintendents for the Florida Department of Education award program, which chooses one

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Joann Ortiz Ramos (center) is congratulated by Pasco Superintendent of Schools Kurt Browning (left) and Cypress Creek Middle School principal Tim Light after being chosen as Pasco’s SRP of the Year.

statewide winner and four finalists.

“It speaks volumes to the job she does that she was chosen,” Light said.

“Joann is the epitome of who warrants this prestigious award. She lives and breathes her job, and she’s also at every after-school event, at every school dance and sporting event, always helping out.

I’ve never seen anyone work as hard as she does. She’s very deserving.”

As a volunteer, Ramos serves as the unofficial leader of the school’s ABC program, which provides meals, clothing, school supplies and hygiene products to students in need. Light said Ramos never hesitates to assist a family at a moment’s notice, whether it’s providing them with these items or acting as a translator.

She has been in her current role for three years and started her career with Pasco County Schools five years ago.

“There is no mistaking Joann’s love for her students, peers, school and community,” Browning added in his nomination letter.

The State education award winners will be announced in March.

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RADDSports Charity’s First Golf Tournament Raises $7,000!

Congratulations go out to my wife Jannah and her daughter Lauren Cione, who together put on a successful first charity golf fund raiser that raised about $7,000 for the new RADDSports Charity, Inc., a 501(c)(3) registered nonprofit charitable organization. The new charity will provide scholarships to young athletes who couldn’t otherwise afford to participate in the sports programs at the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County.

The golf tournament was held at the recently revamped Lexington Oaks Golf Club on Dec. 6 and was blessed with more than 70 golfers, wonderful auction prizes, a bag lunch and a delicious Italian buffet

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dinner created and served by Lexington Oaks owner Anass El-Omari, his wife Susana Herrera and the golf club staff.

RADDSports president and CEO Richard Blalock told the golfers about the reason why he and the management of RADDSports wanted to start the nonprofit and Anass gave some pre-tournament instructions.

Several of the tournament’s sponsors, including the Champion Sponsor, the Residence Inn Tampa-Wesley Chapel, Heineken and JJ Taylor provided oncourse adult beverages.

What a great day! — Gary Nager; photos

by Charmaine George & Morgan Conlin

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Wesley Chapel’s Theater Group Set To Make Its Debut Jan. 9!

By GARY NAGER Considering that New Tampa has had an acting troupe for 20 years and is awaiting the opening of the New Tampa Performing Arts Center early next year to call home, it seems only fitting that Wesley Chapel should have a theater troupe of its own.

So, it’s exciting to announce that the Wesley Chapel Theater Group (WCTG) Inc. is set to make its own debut, on Sunday, January 9, at 2 p.m., at the clubhouse at The Ridge at Wiregrass Ranch.

Wesley Chapel’s theater troupe will be performing three short plays written and directed by Marc Sanders and between each play, the Wesley Chapel Theater Singers will perform a variety of musical numbers, led by WCTG’s artistic director Rodney Bueno.

“All of us have backgrounds in theatre and performing,” Sanders told me when I both went to cover (and decided on the spot to audition for) the group in late October.

“We all just felt the time was right for Wesley Chapel to have its own theater group.”

And, although I wasn’t selected to be a performer, I told the group members that I will support their efforts in much the same way I threw the support of the Neighborhood News behind the New Tampa Players theatre troupe two decades ago — and have promoted that group’s efforts ever since.

The three plays to be performed on

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Jan. 9 include “Stick ‘Em Up!,” a send-up of a silent movie, the drama “Legos For Tim” and a comedy and all are short plays.

I unfortunately couldn’t attend a recent rehearsal (top photo) and performance at Avalon Park Wesley Chapel to find out what songs will be performed but according to the group’s post on Facebook, they will perform some “beautiful musical numbers.”

The singers include Jim Kendall, James Hernandez, Mike Dixon, Liz Loftus, Cheryl Sanchez, WCTG President Diana Dechichio, and artistic director Rodney Bueno, who also serves on the WCTG Board.

The other Board members include Vice President Colleen DeFelice, treasurer Dan Dechichio, secretary Kendall Bueno, fundraising chair Meshalynn Olsen, publicity chair Rachael Naylor and Sanders.

WCTG is still seeking performers, volunteers, sponsors, stage hands and more.

For tickets to WCTG’s Jan. 9 showcase event, which will be followed by light refreshments and a meet & greet with the group, visit eventbrite. com/e/wctg-showcase-introducing-newtheater-group-in-wesley-chapel-tickets217583115957?aff=eand&fbclid=IwAR 21Uscb-Bp1Emdqwt-LhGylvyTpTfbrxHIvtG2OYJrXJh6z95GWowq7FC8. For more information, follow the Wesley Chapel Theater Group Inc. on Facebook.

Top: Performers with the Wesley Chapel Theater Group rehearse for their upcoming debut showcase on January 9 at The Ridge at Wiregrass Clubhouse. (Above) Members of the Board of Directors of the Wesley Chapel Theater Group.

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Ring The Bell! Jabz Boxing Is Now Open In Wiregrass!

By JOHN C. COTEY

john@NTNeighborhoodNews.com

You can walk, row, cycle and stretch your way to getting in shape at various locations at the Shops at Wiregrass mall, and now, you can punch your way to better health as well.

Jabz Boxing, a 2,400-sq.-ft. studio located next to the Barnes & Noble bookstore at the mall, is currently offering free classes ahead of its Grand Opening on Saturday, January 8, with boxing- (and Mixed Martial Arts, or MMA)-inspired training to get you toned and ready for the new year.

Amanda Greenleaf and co-owner Troy Miller are excited to finally get the new place open. Plans were launched in 2019, but they faced a number of obstacles along the way.

“To be honest, it’s been a long time coming,” says Amanda, who grew up in Clearwater. “First there was Covid, then I was pregnant, then we couldn’t find a space. I think we looked at like 80 places.”

They did, however, finally get the location they really wanted.

While there are 11 Jabz Boxing locations in four states, including six in Arizona, this will be the first one in Florida.

Troy and Amanda have plans for opening

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Jabz Boxing co-owners Amanda Greenleaf (pictured above) and Troy Miller hope to blend fitness and female empowerment at their new boxing studio, which is offering free classes until its Grand Opening in the Shops at Wiregrass on Jan. 8. (Photo: Charmaine George)

two more in the Tampa Bay area.

“Troy came across Jabz Boxing and showed me the idea, and I thought it would be perfect,” Amanda says. “Florida is a fitness state, and we’ll be the first ones here.”

Amanda describes Jabz Boxing as circuit training with kick boxing elements. The focus is on making members fit, not fighters. Each workout begins with six minutes of stretching, followed

by transitioning through roughly 20 stations lined up around a boxing ring, with things like torrent bags (for both kicking and punching), speed bags, battle ropes, weighted balls, kettle balls, free weights and rowing machines.

In between each 45-second station, there will be a 20-second “cardio blast.”

After completing the 20 stations under the watchful eyes of certified trainers,

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you do it again, for a workout that clocks in at just under an hour.

While actual sparring isn’t allowed at Jabz, “We do teach them to get in proper stance, how to throw the punch, how to deliver the punch, how to recover from the punch,” Troy says. “So, there is a lot of that training.”

There are 5-6 coaches on staff who are all certified personal trainers. Some have nutrition backgrounds as well, and lead trainer Caitlyn has 10 years of boxing experience, according to Amanda.

Jabz Boxing is geared towards women, although men are allowed. Amanda says it is a “no judgment zone”, and no matter your level of fitness or gender, there is a place for you at Jabz.

The Jabz Boxing mantra, the first thing you see painted on the wall inside the studio, says, “Come As You Are, Leave Stronger.”

“This workout is no joke, but you don’t have to be a cross-fitter to come try it out and that’s why it stood out to me,” Amanda says.

At Jabz Boxing, you will never get the same workout on back-to-back days.

Classes are programmed a year in advance by the main office to keep the workouts fresh, although the trainers are allowed some autonomy to change things up.

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Community Partners, Too

Troy and Amanda say they don’t want to just be business owners in Wesley Chapel, they want to be a part of the community. Both say they come from abusive relationships, and have already forged a relationship with Sunrise of Pasco County, a domestic and sexual violence shelter for women in Dade City.

One of the Sunrise employees came across the Jabz Boxing information table one day and suggested they do a class there, and Amanda ran with the idea.

The class, which showed the participants how to defend themselves if they are ever in a bad situation again, was a success.

“We definitely want to go back,” says Amanda, who adds that she was moved to tears by some of the stories she heard. She hoped that some of the women who either watched or participated felt a sense of empowerment afterwards.

Troy says that is what Jabz Boxing hopes brings to the Wesley Chapel market that isn’t already here — a place where women can rally around each other and have the best 55 minutes of their day, or week.

The Jabz Boxing team already has provided free workout classes at the Shops at Wiregrass center court area, at Florida Avenue Brewing Co. on S.R. 56 and in the Epperson community to

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attract members. “So far, everyone seems to love it,” Troy says.

Jabz Boxing is still working on a weekly schedule, but it is likely to offer a variety of morning, afternoon and evening classes. A lot of that will depend on what its members want. “If we have enough ladies that want to do a 4 a.m. class, we’ll do it,” Amanda says.

The gym currently is offering “Founder Memberships” to the first 100 people who sign up for $109 a month, which includes unlimited classes each month and a swag bag that includes MMA gloves (which are required), a water bottle and other goodies.

And, Troy says, you’ll get a good experience. While the workouts are important, so is the environment.

“I always say the best thing about Amanda is that, when she walks into a room, she brings oxygen into it,” Troy says, “and she has hired people who do the same thing.”

Jabz Boxing opened its doors Dec. 18, and will offer free classes until Jan. 7 (but you need to register online). It is located at 28152 Paseo Dr., #140 at the Shops at Wiregrass. For more info about class times and memberships, visit JabzBoxing.com/locations/ Tampa-FL, call (813) 495-6677 or see the ad on page 25 of this issue.

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Clean Up Your Life With Toxin-Free Products At Lüfka

By JOHN C. COTEY

john@NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Lüfka Refillables Zero Waste Store, a new store specializing in natural, chemical-free, refillable, zero-waste products, is more than just a business for owner Danielle Howard.

It’s a way of life.

After growing up with a number of maladies, Danielle says she set out on a journey to find a way to live cleanly.

That led to her owning two Salt Room businesses — one in Wesley Chapel and the other at the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center in Zephyrhills — and now Lüfka Refillables Zero Waste Store, which is located on S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel, a few doors down from Capital Tacos.

While Danielle says The Salt Room Wesley Chapel and the Salt Room at SVB specialize in halotherapy, which involves breathing salty air in order to help respiratory conditions like asthma, bronchitis and allergies, Lüfka Refillables Zero Waste Store takes a more expansive approach to the benefits and solutions of keeping one’s body and home environment clean.

“I can help them from the inside out,” Danielle says. “Lüfka helps their cleaning, and their laundry, and all the stuff they put on their bodies. This is for people who want to make a difference and are also conscious of what those chemicals are doing.”

Whether it’s better choices for toothpaste, hand-crafted soaps, deodorant or laundry detergent, skin and aftershave lotions and even cleaning sprays, she says, Lüfka offers the healthiest options made with the best ingredients.

And, while they can help make you healthier, they help the environment as well. Most Lüfka products come in glass containers, and you are encouraged to bring them back to have them refilled.

Customers also are encouraged to bring containers of their own.

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While they had thought of franchising before deciding against it, Kelly and Parosh liked Danielle enough — practically vetting her via all the clients she sent to their store — to suggest she open her own Lüfka store.

“Parosh told me he had When you visit Lüfka Refillables Zero Waste Store on S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel, you’ll meet co-owner Gail Sickler, been watching me, and saw that herbalist Megan Davis and co-owner Danielle Howard. (All photos on these pages by Charmaine George) I was changing It’s no accident that when you first good, organic, clean, multi-functional lives, and said walk in the store, a table of both air and spray, you’re looking at anywhere from he wanted me to open a place in Wesley body sprays is one of the first things $20-$40, and people will pay that,” she Chapel,” says Danielle, who just happened you see. Room deodorants are one of says. But, if you’re looking primarily for to be thinking about opening another rethe biggest offenders when it comes to the cheapest stuff — say Glade Spray tail business at the time. “I started looking containing hazardous toxins, so Danielle Air Fresheners that might be BOGO at for places the second I left there.” and her co-owner and mom Gail Sickler Publix — Danielle says, “Well, we can’t Danielle asked her mother if she are quick to point out safer alternatives help you. We can just let you know that wanted to be her partner and, in Septemthat aren’t afraid to show exactly what this is something completely different.” ber, Lüfka Wesley Chapel held its North they are made of to customers.

Tampa Bay Chamber ribbon cutting.

The five glass jugs of spray deoHow It All Got Started “We love it and it goes with everydorants — Autumn Wood, Vanilla Lüfka Wesley Chapel is only the thing we do,” Danielle says. “I really felt Bean Spice, Cranberry Orange Spice, third Lüfka Refillables Zero Waste store like Wesley Chapel needed this.”

Pumpkin Apple Butter, and Lavender in the Tampa Bay area. & Tonka — all have labels listing all of The concept was origitheir ingredients. nally hatched by Kelly and “This is the perfect example of Parosh Hawaii, who opened our products,” Gail says. “You can use the original Lüfka in Semithem to spray the room you are in, nole Heights in 2019, and a spray bedding if you are having guests second store in South Tampa over or, if you like it, you can use it as in November 2020. your body spray for the day. Just spray Danielle was turned on to and walk through and it can land on the store by a friend, and imyour skin and doesn’t hurt anything mediately fell in love with it. because there’s nothing in there to She recommended it to all of hurt you.” her clients at her Salt Rooms.

While perhaps more expensive than The clients raved about the what you would get at a major store, products, and in turn raved Danielle says the products are worth about Danielle, who was helpevery penny. ing them at the Salt Rooms, All-natural deodorant is one of the best -selling products you’ll find at Lüfka Wesley Chapel.

“If you do some research on a to Kelly and Parosh.

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a handful of chemical-free ingredients, compared to the 200 or so ingredients, mostly chemicals, in regular detergents.

The same goes for Lüfka’s regular soaps and shampoos, toothpaste, body and facial lotions and deodorant.

“There are so many chemicals that you put on your body for the whole day, and your skin absorbs all of it,” Danielle says. “Everything in here is better for you than what you are probably using, and it’s better for the environment, too.”

For people with autoimmune diseases and sensitive skin and/or sense of smell, the distinction between Lüfka products and those that aren’t chemicaland toxin-free is significant.

While deodorant is the store’s best seller, pet products also are very popuDanielle explains how Lüfka’s products are different. (Inset) A lüfka you can buy at the store. lar. Pet soap is a big one, due to skin only does it clean, but it also exfoliates issues, as well as other products, such as What’s In A Name? the skin. Danielle says her skin is “as soft food-grade diatomaceous earth, which So, what is a Lüfka? A wash cloth, as a baby’s butt” when she’s done with is a safe alternative to anti-flea products, which is handmade in the Kurdistan hers, and Gail says the same. which are some of the most toxin-filled region of Iraq and has been around for Danielle takes the education part of products on the market. thousands of years. Parosh is passionate her job seriously. While the average perGail says local hikers come in to purabout sharing ancient handmade Kurdson is likely to think all natural products chase the toxin-free bug spray (which lacks ish products with the world, hence the are more expensive and less effective, the chemicals that give regular bug spray name of the store.

Lüfka has hundreds of products that its stickiness) and there is all-natural sunThe women who weave the Lüfkas work just as well as their chemical-filled screen as well as the ingredients needed from Babylonian willow bark fibers recounterparts and are priced competiceive all the proceeds from their sales at (like apple cider vinegar, olive oil and tively, according to Danielle.

Lüfka Refillables Zero Waste Store. vegetable glycerin) for those who want to You aren’t just choosing with your A Lüfka looks like a kitchen mitten, make their own cleaners and soaps. wallet, however. The laundry deterbut serves as a wash cloth and can be Megan Davis is Lüfka’s herbalopened so you can wash your back. Not gents at Lüfka, for example, have just ist, and can help explain the uses and

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combinations of the herbs and other ingredients that line one wall of the store — like combining the bladderwrack and sea moss into an apple sauce-like paste that can be consumed and contains 102 trace minerals that your body needs.

However, no one at Lüfka is able to provide medical advice, and they do not sell food, although they might recommend some spirulina or turmeric for your morning smoothie.

Danielle hopes to send customers out on the same journey she is on — to eliminate the chemicals her body is ingesting in regular daily products.

There is some trial and error, she says, and everyone is different. But, for many of the things that ail you, like sores or rashes or just malaise, there might be a healthy option to solve it.

“It can change your life,” Danielle says. “It has definitely changed mine.”

For more information, look up @LüfkaWesleyChapel on Facebook, where you can find specials, candlemaking classes and even private shopping events if you’re interested in transitioning to healthier products. Lüfka Refillables Zero Waste Store is located at 27221 S.R. 56. and is open TuesdayFriday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday and it is closed on Sunday and Monday. To find out more, call (813) 596-9376, visit Lüfka.com or see the ad on page 29.

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Get Walk-In Covid Vaccines & Personal Service At Prime Rx Pharmacy

By CELESTE McLAUGHLIN Correspondent

Prime Rx Pharmacy in the Cross Creek Center plaza on Cross Creek Blvd. (at Kinnan St.) in New Tampa is making it easy for adults, teens, and kids ages 12 and up to get a Covid-19 vaccine or booster.

Vikas Ghiya, R.Ph. (Registered Pharmacist), says that’s the key to life getting back to normal in the future.

“If people are vaccinated, the chances are less to get sick or spread Covid,” says Vikas, who emphasizes that it is both convenient and free to get a vaccine.

“There’s no cost for the vaccines and no charge to the patients, whether they have insurance or not.”

The pharmacy offers all three currently available Covid-19 vaccines — the two-dose vaccines manufactured by Moderna and Pfizer and the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine — and those who want them can just stop in at a convenient time. Flu shots also are available.

Vikas also recommends getting your Covid booster shot, which also can be done at Prime Rx Pharmacy. “It’s extra protection against the fourth wave (Omicron), of Covid,” he says.

For international travelers in need of a quick result, Prime Rx also is offering the RT-PCR test for next-day results.

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The staff at Prime Rx Pharmacy on Cross Creek Blvd. includes (l.-r, front row): co-owner Harsha Ghiya, pharmacist & co-owner Vikas Ghiya, pharmacy tech Angelica Guinand & pharmacy intern Doaa Abd Alghafar. (Back row) Pharmacy techs Ayush Gandhi & Victoria Hart. (Photos by Charmaine George)

If you prefer to make an appointment, you can do so by calling the pharmacy at (813) 955-7777 or by visiting mycovidshots.com/#!/form/ PrimeRxPharmacy to make your appointment online.

For the past nearly two years, the pharmacy has been taking precautions to ensure that its customers and staff stay safe during the pandemic.

Now, the precautions are routine.

For example, masks are worn at all times, chairs up front are separated for social distancing, shields have been installed to separate the Prime Rx staff from its customers at the register, and additional cleaning measures are in place.

In addition to home delivery for anyone who is not comfortable coming into the store, Prime Rx Pharmacy

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now also offers curbside service for your convenience.

The ease of getting a vaccine and having prescriptions delivered to your car or home are examples of the many ways Prime Rx Pharmacy puts its patients first and serves them in a personalized way.

Vikas, who is a long-time New Tampa resident, opened the Cross Creek location nearly two years ago, bringing his business to his home neighborhood after owning a previous Prime Rx Pharmacy location in Pinellas County.

He has worked as a pharmacist since 1992, first for Eckerd, then Publix. In 2009, he established Prime Rx Pharmacy in Seminole with partners who opened other Prime Rx pharmacies in St. Petersburg and Riverview.

When the partnership dissolved in 2012, Vikas kept his Seminole location open while he commuted from New Tampa. He says that when he had the opportunity to relocate, he decided to come all the way to New Tampa, cutting three hours out of his daily commute.

Vikas has been married to his wife Harsha for 32 years. Harsha manages the office and billing for the pharmacy, and also has a license as a pharmacy technician, so she can help her husband with that part of the business when needed.

Vikas says the entire staff prides itself

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“Even back then, corporate pharmacy was looking at quantity, not quality,” he says. That’s why he chose to be an independent pharmacist, using both his pharmacological training and physiological training from India to spend more time with each patient.

Blister Pack Prescriptions…

Prime RX Pharmacy carries a wide selection of over-the-counter medications, vitamins and durable medical equipment (DME) for sale, with some items also available for rent, such as wheelchairs and canes.

on being both fast and accurate, plus going above and beyond what is typical at a corporate pharmacy or chain drug store.

“Here, customer service is a priority,” explains Vikas. “We often recognize our customers and welcome them by name.”

In fact, to be more accessible to patients, the pharmacy can now be reached by text message. “People can text us whenever we are open,” says pharmacy tech Angelica Guinand, “to ask questions or ask for refills.”

If you text Prime Rx Pharmacy after hours, a member of the pharmacy

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staff will reply whenever the office opens again.

In India, Vikas was educated in Ayurvedic medicine, which is a holistic healing system developed more than 3,000 years ago. He earned a doctorate degree and practiced Ayurveda in India until 1988, when he moved to the United States. He explains that in the U.S., his doctorate in Ayurveda is not recognized.

So, Vikas enrolled at St. John’s University in Queens, NY, and received his B.S. degree in Pharmacy in 1992. Then, he moved to Florida.

Prime Rx Pharmacy offers customized pill packaging, with medications sorted by the day and time a patient should take each of them. This is especially helpful for people who are chronically ill and take several medications at different times throughout the day.

“Instead of opening three or four different bottles, patients just open one blister pack,” Ghiya explains. “It helps the patient not to miss any pills. We count and make sure they get the exact dosage they need.”

He says he’s had patients whose health has improved, thanks to the consistency of not missing doses of medication or taking extra doses.

…And More

In addition to prescriptions, the pharmacy also carries a wide selection of over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and durable medical equipment (DME) for sale, with some items also available for rent, such as wheelchairs and canes.

Vikas and his staff are happy to

counsel patients about the best vitamins for them, especially when they are taking prescription medications. Prime Rx offers high-quality vitamins that he says work better and are absorbed better than those sold in typical chain drug stores.

Pete Radigan lives in Basset Creek in New Tampa’s K-Bar Ranch community.

He switched from local chain drug stores to Prime Rx Pharmacy about a year ago.

“Vikas is great,” Pete says. “From the moment that I met him, he’s gone out of his way to make me feel like I’m part of a family. It’s little things, like dropping off a prescription because I didn’t make it up to the pharmacy before it closed and he knew my wife was sick.”

While prices are similar — or lower — than what Pete says he used to pay at the chains, the service is more personalized.

“Vikas looks at the customer as a whole person, at his family, at everything,” Pete says, “as opposed to just that transaction, that day.”

And, Pete says, the personalized service and family-like atmosphere is not only cultivated by the pharmacist.

“It’s his whole staff. They’re as customer-centric as he is.”

Prime Rx Pharmacy is located at 10010 Cross Creek Blvd. It is open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. For more information, visit PrimeRxPharmacy.com, call (813) 955-7777 or see the ad on page 35 of this issue.

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YOUR WESLEY CHAPEL TOP 25!

1. NOBLE CRUST Deep South Italian always ranks near the top of the list.

2. TREBLE MAKERS Your favorite bar also is a favorite locale for dinner.

3. FIRST WATCH

Even with more competition, still area’s top breakfast spot.

4. FALABELLA FAMILY BISTRO

Our highest-finishing newcomer has great weekend specials.

5. FLORIDA AVE. BREWING COMPANY

The food might be better than the beer — a big compliment.

Although we didn’t quite reach 20 our record of more than 1,500 entries in this year’s annual Reader Dining Survey & Contest, we did receive nearly 1,200 entries — with nearly 700 votes for Wesley Chapel favorites and just under 500 for New Tampa eateries.

This year’s Survey did break one record, however — we had to disqualify nearly half of all of the entries, by far a new record — because they either didn’t include the person’s first and last name or the community they live in, or they didn’t include exactly five favorite restaurants in one of our areas (some had as few as only one favorite, others named 6-7) or they didn’t pick a favorite in at least three of the other five categories in this year’s Survey.

The rules clearly stated all of these requirements, but most (but definitely not all) of the entries we disqualified were people who were just as clearly attempting to “stuff” the ballot box for one or more local restaurants.

The sad part about it is that if these folks had actually followed the rules, all of the results shown on these pages would have looked significantly different because we did count every “legitimate” entry — even if it was clear that the person who filled it out was doing their part to support just one or more of their favorite(s).

In fact, the reason that Noble Crust — which took home this year’s overall Favorite Restaurant in Wesley Chapel crown by only three votes over Treble Makers — won the title is because at least five other restaurants with more votes had so many of those votes DQed by yours truly. It was clear that most, if not all, of those who included Noble Crust in their surveys were not the owners, employees or other ballotstuffers for the Southern Italian minichain — they were just people who liked it enough to name it as one of their five favorites in The Chap.

Treble Makers, which finished as your #2 Favorite Restaurant and #1 Favorite Bar in Wesley Chapel this year, was the clear #2, even with a few disqualifications, and I’m sure new menu Neighborhood News

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6. VALLARTA’S

Wesley Chapel’s Latin favorite has its highest finish ever.

7. BAHAMA BREEZE

Still high among your faves despite all of the new eateries.

T8. KEKE’S BREAKFAST CAFE

Breakfast newcomer finishes in the top-10.

T8. GRILLSMITH

Last year’s No. 1 has been the top choice six of last 10 years.

items like the amazing grilled wahoo in lemon butter sauce, topped with spinach and sitting on a bed of savory parsnip purée pictured above kept this year’s vote for #1 so close.

This year’s favorite new restaurant in Wesley Chapel was the outstanding Falabella Family Bistro, which finished fourth and I believe it may have been even higher on the list if more of you had sampled its amazing weekend specials (and its many DQed entries).

Another newcomer that could have finished higher on the list with fewer disqualifications was Omnivorous, located inside Double Branch Artisanal Ales, which ended up tied for 36th with the most DQed entries of any eatery.

Restaurants that serve only breakfast and lunch also made quite a splash this year, as First Watch was this year’s surprise #3 favorite, the new KeKe’s Breakfast Café (located the same Shoppes at New Tampa plaza) finished 8th overall, Brunchies was 33rd, the now-out-ofbusiness Wolf’s Den finished 44th and the Happy Hangar Café at the North Tampa Aero Park was 53rd.

So, Did You Win?

As for the moment you’ve all been waiting for, here is the list of winners of this year’s gift cards to the restaurants of their choice (I even added a fourth winner): $100 Gift Card — Kevin Ullery, Epperson $60 Gift Card — Jane Worden, Tampa Palms $35 Gift Card — April Parrish, Lexington Oaks $25 Gift Card — Toni Lawrence, The Ridge Congrats to all! See you next year!

10. 900º WOODFIRED PIZZA

Your favorite pizza place also makes your top-10 overall.

11. BJ’s BREWHOUSE

Its huge menu and fair prices keep BJ’s near your top-10.

T12. BONEFISH GRILL

Two-time Reader Survey winner survives moves to S.R. 56.

T12. THE HUNGRY GREEK

Voted as Wesley Chapel’s top Greek restaurant, again.

14. ZUKKU-SAN SUSHI

Your fave Asian has high-end, creative sushi & more.

T15. AMICI PIZZA

Your 4th-fave pizza place also has great Italian food.

T15. ROCK & BREWS

KISS-themed bar with classic American food from scratch.

T15. KING OF THE COOP

Put a little spice in your life with the King’s Nashville hot chicken.

T15. TEXAS ROADHOUSE

This year’s highest-finishing steak place has great prices, too.

19. RICE-N-BEANS

Your 2nd-favorite Latin choice features Puerto Rican cuisine.

20. CHUY’S TEX-MEX

Super-fun atmosphere & tasty Tex-Mex specialties.

21. UMU JAPANESE & THAI

Great setting, fresh sushi and the lobster rolls are a hit.

T22. GLORY DAYS GRILL

Quality bar food and one of best places to catch all the games.

T22. BUBBA’S 33 Another fave for “upscale” bar food & TVs galore.

24. FORD’S GARAGE A top spot for a classic burger, fries and a craft beer.

25. CAPITAL TACOS

Unique taco/burrito/bowl combinations made fresh for you.

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2021 READER DINING SURVEY

Favorite Restaurant in WC:

1. Noble Crust 28330 Paseo Drive (813) 703-2602 Noble-Crust.com When a new restaurant opens in Wesley Chapel, it typically become’s a reader’s favorite in its first year, and then gradually fades to the middle of the pack.

Not Noble Crust. A testament to an innovative and delicious menu, maintaining a steady staff in these difficult times for restaurants and focusing on excellence and consistency, Noble Crust has placed third in our Reader’s Survey every year since opening in 2017.

Not this year, however. This year, Noble Crust has moved up to No. 1.

“That’s huge for us,” says operating partner Danny Autrey. “To be able to stand apart from our other two locations (in Carrollwood and St Petersburg) is great. We pride ourselves on our great staff, and it’s nice to see them rewarded

2. Treble Makers 6034 Wesley Grove Blvd., #101

(813) 406-4371 TrebleMakersofWC.com

Rather than resting on its laurels after debuting as our readers’ fourth (and yours truly’s #1) Favorite Restaurant in Wesley Chapel last year, Treble Makers Dueling Piano Restaurant & Bar has continued to upgrade its menu and service under

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by the community.”

There is much to like about Noble Crust, which is located at the Shops at Wiregrass — the service, the bar, the ambiance and let’s be honest, the place just smells terrific.

Billed as Deep South Italian, Noble Crust combines farm-fresh flavor with unique pairings to create tasty dishes. It is likely so popular with our readers because it does so many things well. You could make the case that it has the best fried chicken (Autrey confesses that it’s so good, he enjoys a piece almost daily), best pizza, best weekend brunch and maybe even the best Italian food around.

The fusion of Deep South and Italian is where it shines, however. Traditional Chicken Marsala is served over four-cheese grits and chicken sausage, the chicken fried chicken parmigiana is

executive chef Kevin Maggard, GM & coowner Lee Bevan and co-owner Jamie Hess and his family.

In fact, Treble Makers is this year’s Favorite Bar in Wesley Chapel with our readers this year (see page 32), after adding great new bartenders and entertainment options to go with the popular weekend dueling piano shows.

But, for me, the best thing about Treble Makers is the food. With better fresh fish — like the grilled wahoo on pg.

23 and the coconut curry grouper — than most seafood restaurants and top-quality steaks, lamb chops (left) more, I hope you’ll check out Treble Makers soon.—GN

Great servers like Bri Small (on the left, holding the rigatoni + short rib ragu) and Josh Salinas (with the bronzed salmon) serving delicious food are a big part of Noble Crust’s win as this year’s Favorite Restaurant in Wesley Chapel. (Photos: Charmaine George) country-fried for a more rustic result, eggs among the standout favorites. the BLT is served with fried green toThe service ties it all together.

Autrey says his grandfather would never matoes, pork belly and pimento cheese return to a restaurant if a manager and one of its most popular dishes, hadn’t stopped by see how the meal the bronzed salmon (bottom right), is highlighted by pickled raisins that bring was, and he has taken that to heart runit all together. ning the Wesley Chapel location. When And, don’t sleep on the pasta we stopped by last week, he was busy dishes, either, like the super-popular helping deliver dishes and checking in rigatoni + short rib ragu. with customers.

Noble Crust’s brunches on Satur“The personalized experience is days and Sundays are exceptional, with important,” he says. “It’s something all its popular friend chicken and waffles, of us here strive for, and I think it keeps lemon ricotta pancakes and steak-andour customers coming back.” — JCC

3. First Watch 1648 Bruce B Downs Blvd (813) 929-3947 FirstWatch.com

Located in The Shoppes at New Tampa, Wesley Chapel’s popular breakfast chain is well-known for its long lines (especially on Sundays) as it is for its delicious and healthy breakfast and lunch menu.

We can’t remember a time that First Watch wasn’t the top vote getter for breakfast joints, and it’s third-place overall finish this year is a testament to its terrific food.

The breakfast menu has traditional eggand-bacon dishes, omelettes, and Floridian French toast (photo) gigantic pancakes, but items like the healthy turkey omelette, superfoods bowls & power wraps set it apart.

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Now serving beer, wine and unique mixed drinks, too, First Watch’s all-natural healthy juices and lunch items like a variety of salads and sandwiches (ham and gruyere melt, mmmm) have kept people coming back in droves for more than a decade. —JCC

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2021 READER DINING SURVEY

Favorite Pizza in WC:

1. 900º Woodfired 28152 Paseo Drive #195 (813) 527-6940

900DegreesWoodfirePizza.com

(L.-r.) Preston Parilo, Cynthia Andujar, Joe Carrion & Ivan Plumb obviously enjoy serving — and eating — the delicious New York-style pepperoni pizza at 900º Woodfired Pizza in the Shops at Wiregrass Mall. (Photo by Charmaine George)

Pizza continues to be a favorite option for lunch and dinner with our readers and none is more popular this year than owner Steve Falabella’s 900º Woodfired Pizza in the Shops at Wiregrass, which won this year’s Favorite Pizza in Wesley Chapel with our readers by a fairly wide margin.

And, considering that Falabella opened not only his Falabella Family Bistro (our readers’ fourth favorite restaurant in WC) but also a second 900º Pizza location (900º New York Pizza, which finished a solid sixth with our readers in its first year) in The Grove at Wesley Chapel in 2021, the fact that so many still selected the original 900º location as their favorite pizza place is a testament to Falabella’s commitment to quality food at super-fair prices.

The primary difference between the two 900º locations is that only the original pizza shop in Wiregrass offers Neapolitan-style woodfired pizza (like the Margherita pizza in the photo, right), as well as the New York style ‘za available at both locations.

2. PizzaMania

3. NY NY Pizza

One of the first pizza places to open in Wesley Chapel also is still high among our readers’ favorites, as the NY/NJ-style pies and Italian specialties continue to earn lots of votes.

Not only is there ever-popular regular pizzas, but also gourmet options, like But, of course, pizza, including gourmet options like Margherita, white sauce and more, but PizzaMania also offers everything from fried ravioli and bruschetta to arancini (traditional rice balls) and other appetizers, plus a variety of salads, hot

Technically, the New York New York Pizza in Wesley Chapel is part of a small eight-unit chain (including one in Tampa International Airport) of no-frills Tampaarea pizza places that serve excellent trueNew York-style pizza. But, chain or no chain, the Wesley Chapel location has been among the top five favorite pizza places with our readers since it first opened.

NY NY, which finished third to second-place PizzaMania by only two votes and ahead of Amici by a half-doz-

1734 Bruce B Downs Blvd.

(813) 907-0005 MyPizzaMania.com

But, thanks to its other great Italian specialties, 900º Woodfired Pizza also finished 10th as our readers’ Favorite Restaurant in Wesley Chapel. Among the favorite appetizers are the deep-fried calzones known as Panzeretto and the bruschetta, while my favorite pasta dish is the authentic pesto Genovese, although the penne alla vodka, Alfredo and Bolognese sauces also are all pretty popular.

And, wash them down with ice cold Peroni on draft, as well as bottled beers and wines by the glass or bottle. — GN

3757 Bruce B Downs Blvd.

(813) 528-8771 NYNYPizzeria.com

and cold subs, calzones and strombolis, plus wings with a variety of sauces, lasagna, baked ziti, stuffed shells, gnocchi Sorrentina and pasta with vodka, white clam and pesto sauce and even a seafood combo of mussels, shrimp and clams that helped it finish tied for 34th Favorite Restaurant in Wesley Chapel with our readers. — GN

en, offers a large variety of pizza-by-theslice and whole-pie options, including everything from cheese and pepperoni to meat lovers and white and from cauliflower crust to my favorite Grandma’s pizza with a garlic red sauce in our area.

NY NY also has a nice selection of salads, sandwiches and even burgers plus baked pasta options. — GN

The rest of the 2021 Pizza Top 10: (4) Amici; (5) Mellow Mushroom; (6) 900 NY; (T7) Fratelli’s; (T7) Best NY; (T7) Blaze; (T10) Papa John’s; (T10) Bosco’s.

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Favorite Latin Food in WC:

1. Vallarta’s 5335 Village Market (813) 907-5161 VallartasRestaurants.com

Rafael Jarnica serves up a combo platter, taco salad and burrito at Vallarta’s Mexican Restaurant in the Wesley Chapel Village Market plaza, which is one of our area’s oldest restaurants and consistently one of the most popular with its huge menu of Mexican and Latin cuisine options.

2. Rice-n-Beans 27405 Wesley Chapel Blvd.

(813) 803-7974 RiceNBeans.com

For those in Wesley Chapel who prefer Puerto Rican cuisine to Mexican, the relocation of Rice-n-Beans from its much smaller former location on S.R. 54 in Lutz to the former location of Remington’s Steakhouse and Cody’s Roadhouse on Wesley Chapel Blvd. was a revelation.

This much larger, sit-down restaurant with full premium liquor bar and live entertainment (Wed.-Fri.) has only been open for a couple of years, but it has attracted a loyal following of those

who crave chicharrons (fried chicken or pork), mofongo, fried whole snapper (photo), Puerto Rican-style empanadas and more.

Also be sure to ask for the daily lunch specials. — GN

Wesley Chapel has an ever-growing number of Latin restaurants, from Mexican and Tex-Mex to Puerto Rican and even Venezuelan options, but the one that’s been around the longest and always finishes at or near the top of our readers’ list is Vallarta’s Mexican Restaurant in the Village Market plaza.

Vallarta’s is part of an extended-family-owned local mini-chain where you always get good value for your money.

Its entrées like tacos, burritos, enchiladas, sizzling fajitas and other Mexican specialties are always served with rice, refried beans, which means you’ll never go home hungry.

Vallarta’s features great appetizers like a variety of nachos, guacamole, bean dip, taquitos and even a Mexican shrimp cocktail. There’s also large entrée-sized salads and a deliciously spicy Mexican chicken soup. Lunch combos start at just $6 and offer everything from tacos to chile rellenos, and from chalupas to quesadillas. There also are 30 different $10 combination plates available.

3. Capital Tacos 27209 S.R. 56 (813) 973-3777 CapitalTacos.com

Capital Tacos, located in the Cypress View Square plaza, takes your traditional tacos or burritos and turns them on their heads. Instead of a tortilla (or bowl) stuffed with the typical meat, lettuce, tomatoes and cheese, you can choose from delicious slow-cooked pork, carne asada, shaved steak, chorizo sausage, fried chicken and vegetarian options, complemented

by Texican BBQ sauce, dirty potatoes, corn salsa, Chihuahua cheese, carmel-

But, my favorite dishes at Vallarta’s are the variety of steak options, including the carne asada (thin-cut ribeye topped with grilled onions), the batter-dipped milanesa and the spicy steak a la Mexicana with fresh jalapeños, tomatoes and grilled onions.

Vegetarian tastes will appreciate the variety of veggie options, from bean and potato burritos to vegetarian fajitas. And, save room for the authentic churros, flan and fried ice cream.

Vallarta’s, which features a fullliquor bar, also is know for its “as big as your head” margaritas and variety of Mexican and domestic beers. — GN

ized onions and spicy slaw, to name a few.

Capital Tacos, now with five locations, bills itself as “Tex-Mex Done Right,” with hand-crafted and handspiced favorites like quesadillas, crazy fries, epic nachos, Mexican street corn and

Rest of the 2021 Latin Top 10: (4) Latin Twist; (T5) Cantina Laredo; (T5) Chuy’s; (T7) Tijuana Flats; (T7) Chipotle; (T9) Taco Sun; (T9) Señor Tequila; (T9) Taco Bus.

See more of our readers’ 2021 Favorite Restaurants on pages 30-33!

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2021 READER DINING SURVEY

Favorite Asian/ Mediterranean

1. Hungry Greek 2653 Bruce B. Downs Blvd.

(813) 345-8526 TheHungryGreek.com

General manager Khan Ly (second from left) and his staff have made sure that The Hungry Greek is not only the best Greek restaurant around, but one of the best overall.

2. Yamato

28347 Paseo Dr., #150 (813) 907-8701 YamatoWesleyChapel.com As Wesley Chapel’s only teppanyaki (hibachi) table Japanese restaurant, Yamato Japanese Steak House & Sushi Bar’s location in the Shops at Wiregrass mall helped guarantee that people would at least try it, but it is Yamato’s excellent fare and reasonable prices (especially when compared with other Japanese steakhouses) have continued to keep it high on our readers’ list of favorite restaurants year after year.

While Yamato has never finished higher than fifth overall in the Favorite Restaurant in Wesley Chapel (it finished tied for 29th

this year), it has always been in the top five favorite Asian restaurants and had we not combined Mediterranean and Asian cuisines in the same category this year, it would have been #1 this year, losing to Hungry Greek by only four votes and finishing a dozen ahead of 3rd place Zukku-San. — GN

The Hungry Greek may be known as that fast and casual Greek place right across the street from AdventHealth Wesley Chapel, but it wasn’t that way when franchise creator George Constantinou originally opened the doors to this first link of his now-10-location minichain on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in Wesley Chapel on Oct. 5, 2008.

“It was two lanes and there were cows across the street,” Constantinou says. “It was in the middle of the housing recession, and everyone pulled out and it was just us and a balloon store. My dad looked at me and said ‘I hope this was a good move.’”

As it turns out, it was. It just required some patience.

Now, the Hungry Greek is smack dab in the middle of a booming area with two malls, countless homes, businesses and restaurants, across from one hospital with a second being built a mile or so away. And, as it pretty much always has been, The Hungry Greek is once again the most popular Mediterranean restaurant in Wesley Chapel, according to our readers.

3. Zukku-San

25916 Sierra Center Blvd.

(813) 419-1351 ZukkuSushi.com When it opened in 2020, we were excited by the possibilities of a new and unique sushi restaurant with predominantly Japanese (and some Korean) specialties in what is surely the most beautiful Asian restaurant in Wesley Chapel.

Zukku-San, owned and operated by Ferdian Jap and his family, also has less formal locations in Charlotte, NC, at Tampa’s Armature Works and coming soon is Ato, which will feature sushi bowls and “burritos” in the KRATE container park at The Grove in Wesley Chapel.

Something of a spinoff of his father’s former Happy Greek restaurant in Dunedin, the Hungry Greek — in 2015 and 2016, it was the No. 2 overall favorite restaurant with our readers — serves up food made from his family’s recipes.

While they did at one time also serve food like burgers, it was a change to a more traditional Greek menu and an emphasis on the things they did best — Greek salads, gyros (gyro platter shown below), chicken souvlaki and tzatziki sauce, to name a few — made with the best ingredients.

The steady hand of local owner Khan Ly has the BBD location humming along as one of the mini-chain’s best, and the local Greek favorite year after year. — JCC

Although many locals choose ZukkuSan for the sushi, if you haven’t tried the gyoza dumplings, the super-crispy spring rolls, the chicken and steak yakitori (below), the Japanese fried rice or full-liquor bar, you’ve been missing something special. — GN

The rest of the 2021 Asian/Mediterranean Top 10: (4) China Wok; (5) Bonsai; (6) Umu; (7) Hibachi Express; (T8) Asian Buffet; (T8) Arroy Thai; (10) Gonna China.

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2021 READER DINING SURVEY

spent a year perfecting in his garage before opening his first location continue to satisfy, and Schembri continues to concoct new delights.

He says his Cookies & Dream flavor is the best seller, and the Cookie Butter is coming on fast.

And, don’t miss out on the seasonal Santa’s Cookies and Milk, Sweet Potato Pie and even Coquito ice cream, as well as a dozen other creamy delights, with many new flavors swapped in weekly, and you can even have them made into amazing ice cream pies (below).

And, speaking of new flavors, Schembri has, as he promised when the Wesley Chapel shop opened, added a variety of new baked goods, including fudge brownies, triple-layer peanut butter brownies and more. — JCC

Joe Schembri scoops some cookie butter ice cream onto a waffle cone. Schembri spent a year developing his ice cream flavors before opening his first store, and the results have made his Ice Dreammm Shop our readers’ favorite dessert place in Wesley Chapel.

Joe Schembri knows people love the ice cream he makes at his popular Ice Dreammm Shop at The Grove.

But sometimes, he can be surprised, overwhelmed and humbled at just how much the locals love it.

Last week, Schembri received an order from a long-time customer of his original store in Lutz. It was for the customer’s motherin-law, who was going into hospice. One of her last requests was a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and a scoop of coffee ice cream. The next morning, at 10 a.m., the order was picked up.

It was a surreal moment, one that had Schembri catching his breath.

“I mean, you always want to see customers love what you sell,” he said.

“But this, this was crazy. Crazy.”

Schembri’s Lutz location already was among the top choices for best dessert in or near Wesley Chapel, but adding to his legion of fans by opening a Wesley Chapel location has launched him to No. 1 — a runaway victory.

Made with the best, all-natural ingredients he can find, the flavors he

2. Twistee Treat

3. Nothing Bundt Cakes

Favorite Dessert

1. Ice Dreammm Shop 6013 Wesley Grove Blvd #101 (727) 495-6730 IceDreammmShop.com.com

5258 Village Market (321) 445-9103 TwisteeTreat.com

Sometimes, you may be in the mood for something other than sitting inside and enjoying a rich, fancy exoticallyflavored helping of ice cream. And, when you just want some soft-serve ice cream, Twistee Treat is a super-popular choice.

You can get your ice cream on a waffle taco, brownie boat, between two cookies or as part of a sundae or banana split. But, the most traditional way Twistee Treat serves up its 25 or so flavors might be its most popular — through a drive-thru

window on the side of its unmistakable ice-creamcone-shaped building, twirled on top of a cone of your choice.

And since your car will probably be full of kids, don’t forget to ask for extra napkins! — JCC

28354 Willet Way (813) 536-1447 NothingBundtCakes.com

Since opening at the Shops at Wiregrass in 2017, Nothing Bundt Cakes has been a consistent top choice for favorite dessert.

In 2018, it was voted as the area’s No. 1 Favorite Dessert, and the last three years, including 2021, it has finished in the Top 3 of Wesley Chapel faves.

And why not?

While it doesn’t offer a crazy variety of cakes, this national chain with more than 400 bakeries across the U.S. has mastered its products, which are, hands

down, the moistest cakes you’ll find anywhere. You can choose between 10 flavors in different sizes — bitesized bundtinis, mini bundtlets or special order fullsized bundt cakes — and they’re always a perfect treat to bring to any holiday party.

— JCC

The rest of the 2021 Dessert top 10: (4) Crumbl Cookies; (5) Culver’s; (6) Dairy Queen; (7) 365 Cafe Italiano; (8) Menchie’s; (9) Dunkin; (10) Starbucks.

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2021 READER DINING SURVEY

Favorite Bar/Tavern

1. Treble Makers 6034 Wesley Grove Blvd., Suite 101

(813) 406-4371 TrebleMakersofWC.com

Treble Makers not only has great food, but the piano key bar, dueling piano shows and other entertainment provide one of the best spots in Wesley Chapel to spend a night with friends.

2. Florida Ave. Brewing Co.

2029 Arrowgrass Dr. (at S.R. 56) (813) 452-6333 FloridaAveBrewing.com Remember when you basically had one option in the area for a good craft beer? Well, now you have a few choices and, according to our readers, there are none better than Florida Ave. Brewing Co. on S.R. 56.

In just a little more than a year, Florida Ave. has established itself as one of the area’s go-to destinations, thanks in part to a tap room offering a wide variety of beers — many now brewed just a few feet away in what may be the State of Florida’s largest craft beer operation (photo) — a

terrific chef-created menu, a fantastic atmosphere and an outdoor seating area that is always packed.

Tours of the brewery are coming soon, and don’t forget to hit the beer cave for to-go beers on your way out. — JCC

As we already told you on page 24 of this issue — Treble Makers Dueling Piano Restaurant & Bar was named our readers’ secondfavorite Restaurant in Wesley Chapel with its outstanding menu created by executive chef Kevin Maggard.

But, considering that no fewer than two dozens restaurants and bars received votes in the Favorite Bar in Wesley Chapel category this year, being named their #1 Favorite Bar for 2021 by our Neighborhood News readers was something of a surprise to co-owner Jamie Hess, even though he and his GM/ co-owner Lee Bevan have worked hard to add great new bartenders and entertainment options to go with the already popular weekend dueling piano shows.

Jannah and I have spent a lot of time at Treble Makers piano key bar, enjoying dinner and Tampa Bay Lightning hockey games or NFL or NCAA football games on the giant screen. We also loved singing karaoke there, as the dueling piano stage provided such a great opportunity to

sing along with our favorite songs. Sadly, karaoke wasn’t a consistent crowd-puller, so Hess, Bevan and Co. decided to do away with those shows on Wednesday nights, replacing it with a rotting schedule of live music.

Other fun events at Treble Makers include live jazz on Mondays (and sometimes on Sundays), Team Trivia competitions on Tuesdays and free acoustic music on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

With delicious specialty drinks, and a variety of great beer and wine, Treble Makers truly is a great local bar. — GN

3. Double Branch Artisanal Ales 5956 Wesley Grove Blvd.

(813) 492-8800 DBAA.com

Double Branch Artisanal Ales (DBAA) hit the ground running when it opened in 2020, producing a creative assortment of beers and growing a loyal following. Now that it has added Omnivorous, the local craft brewery’s in-house and tasty food kitchen, it is complete as a perfect hangout for craft beer aficionados.

And, the location is lovely, right there in the Village at The Grove, where strung lights and lots of foot traffic make it a happening locale and the patio is a nice place to enjoy an outdoor drink. And, with Wesley Chapel’s

No. 2 (Treble Makers) and No. 4 (Falabella Family Bistro) restaurants and No. 1 Dessert Place (Ice Dreammm Shop) a few steps away, DBAA just might be on the hottest corner in the area. — JCC

The rest of the Favorite Bar top 10: (4) Bahama Breeze; (5) Rock & Brews; (T6) BJ’s Brewhouse; (T6) Glory Days; (8) Rice-N-Beans; (9) Chuck Lager; (10) GrillSmith.

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Your New Tampa Favorites RESTAURANTS

1. STONEWOOD GRILL 2. MR. DUNDERBAK’S 3. LIANG’S BISTRO 4. VIA ITALIA 5. ACROPOLIS 6. FIRST WATCH 7. CALI 8. SUSHI CAFE 9. GLORY DAYS GRILL 10. FRESH KITCHEN 11. THE FAT RABBIT T12. KOBE JAPANESE T12. LAS PALMAS 14. BRUNCHERY T15. CANTINA MEXICAN T15. CRACKER BARREL 16. BURGER 21 17. FRAMMI T18. CAPPY’S PIZZERIA T18. RED LOBSTER 20. PANERA T21. CHIPOTLE T21. THE LITTLE GREEK T23. OLIVE GARDEN T23. CHILI’S 25. MICHI RAMEN

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PIZZA 1. TASTE OF NY 2. VIA ITALIA 3. CAPPY’S

LATIN 1. CANTINA MEXICAN 2. LAS PALMAS 3. TIJUANA FLATS ASIAN/MEDITERRANEAN 1. LIANG’S BISTRO 2. ACROPOLIS 3. SUSHI CAFE

DESSERT 1. TWISTEE TREAT 2. COLD STONE 3. BRUSTER’S BAR 1. MR. DUNDERBAK’S 2. STONEWOOD 3. THE FAT RABBIT

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Oronzo Honest Italian Is On The Grow...And Still Delicious!

Oronzo Has A New Midtown Tampa Location, A New GM In New Tampa & Some Yummy New Menu Items!

By GARY NAGER Even though its original location opened in The Walk at Highwoods Preserve plaza during the pandemic in the summer of 2020, the original location of Oronzo Honest Italian has been successful enough that owner Dan Bavaro decided to open a second location of his fast-casual, from-scratch Italian concept restaurant in the new Midtown Tampa development off I-75 at N. Dale Mabry Hwy. Bavaro certainly is no stranger to success in the restaurant business. He also has opened four popular locations of Bavaro’s Pizza Napoletana & Pastaria (including St. Pete, Sarasota, on Franklin St. in Tampa and at Tampa International Airport), but Oronzo’s may be Bavaro’s most ambitious concept to date — one that he co-founded with the company that owns The Melting Pot restaurant.

“You’re getting Bavaro’s old-world, from-scratch Italian cuisine combined with The Melting Pot, which is know for experiences and customer service and we kind of merged those two together to create Oronzo,” Dan told Charley Belcher on a recent Fox 13 News feature about the new Midtown location.

Named for his grandfather Oronzo Bavaro, who emigrated to Brooklyn, NY, from Italy, Oronzo Honest Italian is New Tampa’s only place for actual homemade pastas (which you can watch being made in the open kitchen), plus flatbreads and burrito-style sandwiches made from piadina bread (which Bavaro says dates back to the 1800s) from the eastern Italian town of Rimini, located on the Adriatic Sea. Whatever its roots may be, Oronzo features modern takes on not only many of the recipes created by Dan’s grandmother Angela Bavaro, but also on how to order, create, serve and enjoy made-from-scratch, fast-casual Italian cuisine.

Favorites Old & New!

We featured Oronzo around the same

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(Above left) The grilled chicken pesto with fresh zucchini noodles is a favorite of our editor’s at Oronzo Honest Italian in New Tampa. (Above right) Oronzo owner Dan Bavaro appeared on WTVT-TV with Charley Belcher on Fox 13 News (screen shot from Fox 13 News) to announce the opening of Oronzo’s new Midtown Tampa location. (Right) The new GM at Oronzo’s New Tampa location is Simon Luckett. (All photos on both pages except Fox 13 screen shot by Charmaine George)

time last year in these pages, but there are several new menu items that have been added, as has new general manager Simon Luckett, who had been with Oronzo for less than two months when we interviewed him for this story.

“It’s a great place, with delicious food and happy customers,” Simon says (no pun intended). “Everything has been really great so far.”

As for the new dishes, one of my favorites is the healthy new Protein Bowl (above), which features a delicious base of farro and brown rice, with celery, onion, grilled chicken, soppresata pork, roasted mushrooms, garlic, heirloom tomatoes, roasted bell peppers, feta cheese and homemade pesto dressing. So good!

Another savory (albeit less healthy) new dish is the meatball (or chicken) parm Italian burrito, with homemade spaghetti, your choice of sauce, fresh mozzarella and parmesan wrapped in homemade piadina bread. Not only are they super-tasty, it’s also fun to watch them being made!

The new dish I was shocked that I enjoyed was the pasta and Impossible Bolognese with gluten-free rotini pasta pictured above. Photographer Charmaine George and I agreed that the Impossible meat substitute looked and

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tasted like ground beef and you can choose your favorite pasta to go with it.

And, while you also can still get a variety of delicious cracker-crisp flatbread-

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style pizzas made with Oronzo’s homemade piadina bread (like the American with pepperoni and San Marzano tomatoes pictured on the previous page), also new to the Oronzo menu — but only available at the Midtown Tampa location at our press time

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— are artisan pizzas with a more traditional crust. Simon says (oops, I did it again) that the artisan pizzas also should be available in

Some of our editor’s favorites at Oronzo include (clockwise from top left) the impossible meat pasta, the meatball parm “burrito,” the American flatbread pizza, Nutella piatto & the Protein Bowl.

New Tampa by the end of this month or so.

But, our favorite menu items at Oronzo still include the amazing zucchini noodles (Jannah loves them with grilled chicken and homemade pesto, but you can also order it “meatless,” with pomodoro (red), spicy arrabiata, crema (white) or butter and extra virgin olive oil. If you’re not a fan of zucchini noodles (but I think you should try them before you decide), you can get your choice of sauces with Oronzo’s homemade spaghetti, imported Pastaficio DiMartino penne or the glutenfree rotini, and you can add homemade meatballs (which also are available as an appetizer), heirloom tomatoes, roasted mushrooms, and bell peppers.

Oronzo also features a nice selection

of fresh salads and soups (Jannah loves the tomato basil soup).

For dessert, try the new Nutella piatto or my long-time favorite cannoli crisps, with the cannoli cream on the side as a dip.

There’s also Italian wedding cookies and a variety six pack of French-style macarons.

Oronzo also features a kids menu, plus white and red wines, Peroni Italian beer on draught, espresso drinks, a Coca-Cola soda fountain and the tasty Oronziata (a housemade blood orange beverage) and bottled versions of the red sauces for retail sale.

Oronzo Honest Italian (18027 Highwoods Preserve Pkwy.) is open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. weekdays (9 p.m. on Fri. & Sat.). For info, visit Oronzo.com, call (813) 730-0100 or see the ad on pg. 42.

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Living Room Update!

Miller’s Ale House Opening Delayed!

Even though we reported last issue that the new Miller’s Ale House on the Wesley Chapel Blvd. extension on the south side of S.R. 54 (near Costco) was expected to open by Dec. 13, we’ve now been told that the public opening won’t happen until at least Dec. 26.

When we visited the location on Dec. 10, the interior of the restaurant definitely didn’t look complete (although not too far from being done) and one possible reason for the delay was that some of the needed building materials had not yet been received. — GN

Not long after our last issue hit mailboxes, I saw a Facebook post from Zach Feinstein, the co-owner (with his wife Christina) of The Feinstein Group, which owns and operates The Black Pearl, the Sonder Social Club and The Living Room on Main, all of which are thriving businesses in Dunedin.

In his Facebook post, Zach wrote, “We are over the moon at the opportunity” to open The Living Room Restaurant & Bar in the former Ciao! space in the Shops at Wiregrass, and he outlined many of the plans for the new Living Room, including: • It will have the largest mural in Pasco County (wrapping the entire building) • 75-person private dining area • 10-person VIP dining room (with a private entrance) • 50-person European-style café outdoor dining area (with extended new awning, lots of greenery & antique lighting • 1,000-bottle wine cellar • Cocktail & Wine dinners • Live music (jazz, folk & lounge) four nights a week • a complete $1.5-million overhaul of the space • Award-winning cocktail program • Award-winning food program (breakfast, lunch & dinner)

Las Palmas Food Truck Opens!

Congratulations to Chef Ramses Garcia, his wife Ana and their family for so quickly rebounding from a devastating 20-minute kitchen fire at Las Palmas Latin Grill to now open the Las Palmas Food Truck, which is located just west of BBD (south of County Line Rd.) in the parking lot of the same LA Fitness/WinnDixie plaza where the restaurant was located, but closer to the USF Federal Credit Union.

The food truck opened just before Thanksgiving, and offers many of Ramses’ signature “At The Living Room, we always say dishes, from his award-winning Best Cuban ‘Welcome Home,’” Zach added in his post.

“We are so thrilled to be a part of your com- Sandwiches to many of my favorites, including Vaca Frita (crispy beef), Lechon Asado (roasted munity. Thanks for giving us the chance to pork), Palomilla a la Plancha (thin-cut top make something special here.” round steak with sautéed, grilled onions) and Not long after I saw his post, I got in touch with Zach and had a long conversation more. And, Ramses says, he definitely plans to add even more dishes to the food truck menu as about The Living Room and he said (in an incredibly and genuinely excited tone) that he he gets settled into his new venture.

The Las Palmas Food Truck is now expects the Wiregrass location to open in late open Wednesday-Saturday, 11:30 a.m.-8 March or early April 2022. p.m. Please tell Ramses I sent you! — GN We’ll keep you posted!— GN

Shake-A-Salad Is The Second KRATE To Open At The Grove!

Congratulations to owners Colleen and Leighann for opening Shake-A-Salad, the second former shipping container to open at the KRATE container park at The Grove. With fresh salads, wraps

and rice bowls and amazing homemade dressings (try the creamy Caesar!), Shake-A-Salad is a welcome newcomer at 5817 Goldview Pkwy., #105. Visit ShakeASaladFL.com or call (813) 501-8340.-GN

New Tampa Asian Restaurants That Are Coming & Going

Unlike all of the (mostly) chain restaurants that continue to enter Wesley Chapel’s restaurant scene, New Tampa continues to be a hub for great locally-owned Asian eateries, with more on the way.

We told you in October that Kobé Japanese Steakhouse was moving from in front of the Pebble Creek Collection to the former location of Romano’s Macaroni Grill, Señor T’s and Vuelo at 17641 Bruce B Downs (BBD) Blvd., and it did indeed close the old location on Nov. 22, in anticipation of its move. We don’t yet have word as to when the new Kobé will open, but it could be before the end of this year, or early next year, at the latest.

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Meanwhile, Aroi Thai-Tsuyu, which had been located at 20685 BBD in the Live Oak Preserve area for a couple of years (the same restaurant also has had other names), has closed and will be replaced (apparently fairly soon) by Hana Sushi, Grill & Ramen. To keep up with when Hana Sushi will open, visit HanaSushiGrillTampa. com. The menu is already posted there.

And finally, Gu Wei Noodles & Grill, which opened in 2020 in the former location of Sukkhothai on Highwoods Preserve Pkwy. (across from the AMC Highwoods 20 movie theater), is “temporarily closed for updating the concept.” — GN

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New Tampa & Wesley Chapel HOME IMPROVEMENT

CUSTOM INT. WINDOW COVERINGS! Cust. fabrication of all types of window coverings — plantation & hurricane shutters, vert. blinds, roller, cellular, woven wood & Roman shades, cellular vert., panel tracks, retract. awnings, motorization experts, alum., wood & faux wood blinds & more! FREE installation on orders over $250! Call Henry @ 813-948-6363, email TampaBlindsbyDesign@gmail.com or visit TampaBlindsbyDesign.com.

TOM JOSEPH HANDYMAN: FREE ESTIMATES! Serving residents, Realtors & property mgrs. 30+ yrs home construction exp. Move in/out setups & repairs. Repairs for sale/rent. Hang flatscreen TVs. Setup wifi & home theater. Install closet organizers. Cabinets, pullouts, shelving. Gen’l carpentry. Crown molding. Kitchen backsplash. Door install/repair & more! Call 813-751-4998 or email JosephHomesllc@outlook.com AMBLER ENTERPRISES Home Improvement. Call James at 813-385-6402. 30 Years of exp. Specialist in Kitchens & Bathrooms. Referrals upon request. All interior work: Drywall, Texture Paining, Doors, etc. Use us once & you won’t need to look elsewhere. Google us to see pictures: Wesley Chapel Ambler Enterprises.

See our display ad at the bottom of this page!

JUNK HAULING SERVICE! • We handle all types of furniture removal — bdrm sets, chairs, mattresses & box springs • Hot water heaters & hot tubs - take apart & remove • Construction material • Carpet removal • Estate, eviction, yard, garage & attic clean-outs • Ofc, home & factory • Comm’l/res’l. GorillaJunkremovalExperts.com. For appts, call/text Nigel @ 888-346-5865.

WESLEYCHAPELPRESSUREWASHING.COM Soft pressure ext. house cleaning, screen enclosures, pool decks, driveways, sidewalks, fences, roofs, paver sealing & deck staining. We clean everything. No job too big/small. Exp. the difference when you hire a pressure cleaning pro. Licensed & insured. Owner operated. Call for a free estimate or visit our website. 813-433-6015.

RAYMOND PAINTING. Ext. & Int. Svcs. Ext: Painting, pressure washing, clean & seal pavers, stucco, roofing, leaks & wood rot repair. Int: Painting, plastering, ceiling & wall repairs & tiles. Licensed & Bonded.

References available. Free estimates. Your Neighborhood Arbor Greene Resident! We work 7 days.

Call 813-994-5124.

CHARLES POPPE ELECTRIC. Electric of all kinds: pools, spas, svc changes, new circuits, low-voltage, repairs, upgrades, changes to existing, troubleshoot’g, GFCI performance testing, generators. We are experts w/40+ years exp. Discount of 50% off labor for senior citizens! Lic’d & Insured Master Electrician (EC 13002399) - free phone estimates. Call 813-477-9068.

MILLENNIUM HOME REP. Prof’ Handyman. Cabinet install, dry wall rep, tile install & rep, some plumbing, laminate flooring, light fixtures, int. painting, appliance install, pressure washing, paneling, window rep, awning install, carpentry, garbage disp, fence rep, crown molding, window blinds, seal baths & showers, TV mount & more. Call 813-400-1408 or email TycoonUnion@ yahoo.com.

DRY WALL SPECIALIST. Not a handyman. Affordable, Quality Work repairing water damage, ceilings & walls, retexturing, popcorn removal, room addt’ns, cracks, holes, plaster & stucco repair. 26 years exp. WC resident. State Certified. Call Ron for a free estimate: 813-784-5999.

Classifieds

HOME HEALTH CARE

HOME DIALYSIS PARTNER: Why travel for dialysis?

Home Hemodialysis Partner LLC ‘s Cert. Home Health Aide & Phlebotomy Tech will come to you! We attend mandatory training at your clinic, assemble your machine at home, check vitals, start & finish treatment w/you, maintain contact w/an on-call nurse & safely remove you from the machine. Accepting new clients June 21! Email YourDialysisPartner@gmail.com or call 813.841.3754.

SENIOR OVERNIGHT COMPANION SITTERS Two kind senior sisters seeking work safeguarding your loved one during the overnight hours. We’ve been working w/the senior population for 10 years & have seen a need for local, English-speaking, backgroundchecked, Covid-tested, dependable companions w/their own transportation. Very reasonable rates. Call Diane or Elisa at 813-938-8614.

COMPUTER & BUSINESS SERVICES

DO YOU HATE YOUR COMPUTER?!? WE CAN HELP YOU! Troubleshooting, Installation, Networking & Virus Removal. WE COME TO YOU! Residences & Businesses, more than 25-Years Experience. Contact Jeffrey Blank at 813-973-4507, visit WSICA.COM or email Wsica@wsica.com.

PROFESSIONAL TECH SUPPORT in your home or small biz. A+, Cert. computer tech w/20 years exp.

Maintenance & Repairs, Upgrades & Tutoring. More affordable than large chains! Friendly, personalized svc.

Tech jargon explained. Remote assistance & refs. avail.

Call (813) 957-8342 for a free estimate!

CLEANING SERVICES

PATY CLEANING SERVICE. Comm’l or resid’l cleaning service. We have our own supplies & 6 years of exp.

Free estimates. Call 813 943 6054 or email patycleaningservice@hotmail.com.

A-to-Z CLEANING & ORGANIZING. Home & Ofc Cleaning & Organizing Svcs! We use our own supplies. Affordable & Reliable. Family-Owned & Operated. WC resident. Weekly & Bi-Weekly / Deep Cleaning/ Move-In / Move-Out. Serving WC & NT. Call today for a FREE No-Obligation Quote: 813462-1270. Local references supplied upon request.

B CLEANING SERVICES: Over 18 years exp.! Comm’l & Resid’l; Weekly, bi-weekly, monthly; New house & postconstruction clean-up; Window cleaning; Move-in & move-out cleanings; Pressure washing; FREE estimates.; Refs. avail.

Call 813-531-0154 or e-mail: bcleanings@hotmail.com

PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTOGRAPHER AVAILABLE! Retired Professional Photographer (45+ years experience) in the Tampa Bay area. Corporate Events, Personal Occasions, Portraiture, Pets, Commercial Photography & Real Estate. Reasonable rates. Ask me about “Front Porch Portraits,” taken from the safety of your front porch, FREE OF CHARGE! Great for Families, Children, Pets & more! Call or Text (813) 748-3901 or Visit: russellleprephotography.com.

All Neighborhood News Classified Ads appear in both New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News!

7 issues — $120; 13 issues — $200; or 26 issues (1 year) — $300!

To order yours, visit neighborhoodnewsonline.net/Classified Listings MISCELLANEOUS

Want To Buy A Home, Starting With $1,000? I’d Like to be your Realtor & share a list of beautiful homes & loan officers who can get you approved! I’m familiar w/ Down Payment & Closing Cost Assistance! Call/Text (941) 400-2833. Robert Leonard, Future Home Realty (27552 Cashford Cir., #101, WC 33544). Or, send me an email to Robert@HomeSeminar.Info.

ELITE RIDES. Private rides in a sanitized 2020 Tesla, plus concierge services. Airport, schools, medical appointments, shopping, etc. Courteous, reliable professional. New Tampa to Tampa Int’l Airport - $40 (one way). Driver vaccinated w/two shots. Cory Lake Isles resident. Call/text 813.765.2037.

GET $500 TOWARDS CLOSING COSTS... when you buy a NEW CONSTRUCTION HOME with Florida Homes with Geri at Epperson OR Mirada. Schedule a PRIVATE TOUR of both Communities by a Resident Realtor. Join @LifeAtTheLagoon with @RealtorGeri Call/Text 813-609-0966. Connect with me on Instagram & Facebook.

LAWN & LANDSCAPING____

ALL DIMENSIONS LANDSCAPE & EXTERIORS, LLC. Complete resid’l & comm’l landscape, hardscape & softscape. Mulch & decorative stone. Patios, decks, retaining walls, property maintenance & lawn care. Sod & lawn install’n, artificial turf, fencing, railings, soft & hard pressure washing, painting. We do anything exterior.

Call (724) 541-2535 or (813) 485-6661 for a 25% discount on labor & materials.

NTLC Property Maintenance. Residential & Commercial lawn maintenance for New Tampa & Wesley Chapel. Sprinkler repairs, tree trimming, mulching, landscaping & clean-ups also available. Licensed & Insured. CALL BILL @ (813) 973-3825.

A.T.B. Landscaping & Lawn Service. Lic’d & insured, serving the Tampa Bay area 20+ years. Family owned & operated. Quality work, affordable rates. Gutter clean-outs, screen repairs, pressure washing & sprinkler repairs. Landscaping & property maint., including sod, tree & hedge trimming & clean ups. Other services avail. CALL 813-907-LAWN (5296).

Jasmine Landscaping, Inc. Complete lawn maint.: Tree, palm & hedge trimming, planting, mulching, stones, sod replacement. Gutter cleaning, leaf removal & more. Cited by your HOA? Ask about our HOA Compliance Special, our Fall/Spring Special & FREE estimate! Lic’d & insured. Accepting new resid’l & comm’l accounts. Visa, MC, PayPal, Zelle, AmEx. Call or text 813-420-4465. Now hiring FT workers.

HEAVY HITTER LAWN CARE: Veteran owned & operated lawn care maint. service, focused on lawn mowing, trimming, edging & blowing (flexible w/extra svcs.). Well maintained & professional laborer ensuring cust. satisfaction & on-time cuts. Rain or shine, quality & schedule will be kept. Lic’d & Insured. Call or text 678-673-7856 for your FREE Estimate.

FITNESS & WELL BEING

YOGA, PERSONAL TRAINING, NUTRITION & PHYSICAL THERAPY w/DR. LAUREN LEIVA, DPT! Phys Ed for everyone, including all children, w/a certified personal trainer who also is a degreed Dr. of Physical Therapy. Ask Dr. Leiva about her PE4ME sliding scale pay program, volunteer opportunities and more! For more info, visit TheExerscienceCenter.com, call 813.464.0313 or see the ad on pg. 28 of this issue.

POOL SERVICES

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ALLSTARPOOLSOFTAMPABAY.COM. Pool cleanups, & acid washing of old pool finishes. Marcite, quartz & pebble finishes from $3K. We offer cool decking, Eurocrete & paver decking options. Paver, river rock sealing, leak detection & in-ground vinyl liner replacements avail. Quality salt & ozone generators, pumps, motors & filters. Mention this ad for a $79 pool svc. (restrictions apply). Serving NT & WC since 1990. Call/text 813-244-7077 or visit AllStarPoolsofTampaBay.com.

TRANQUILITY POOL SERVICE. New Tampa owned & operated. Great Pricing w/outstanding customer service! LICENSED, BONDED & INSURED. See why we are New Tampa and Wesley Chapel’s #1 Choice!!

Call or Text Chris today @ 813-857-5400 or visit TranquilityPoolService.com. New customers get ONE MONTH FREE! AQUATEC POOL SERVICE has been keeping pools clear & swim-safe since 1994. WE DO POOLS RIGHT! Commercial & Residential. CPO #33-303052 Licensed & Insured. Service guarantee. Call 813-312-5694 TODAY and get ONE MONTH OF QUALITY SERVICE FREE. www.aquatecpool.com.

NEIGHBORHOOD POOLS Wesley Chapel owned & operated since 1999. Weekly service. No long term contracts. Mention this AD for one-month Free service. Call 813-907-7322 for details or text Joe at 813-758-7608.

TJ’s PRESSURE WASHING LLC. Houses, Fences, Driveways, Lanais & Screened Enclosures. Most resdt’l 2-car driveways & vinyl fences start at $75. House washing starts at $150 /1-story home, $199/2-story home. Need an instant quote? Text me a picture of the job you need done. Call Tj at 727-808-7775.

TREE SERVICE

FITZPATRICK’s TREE SERVICE, INC. 27-yrs of Prof.

Service. Licensed & Insured. Free Estimates. Tree Trimming & Tree Removal. Stump Grinding. DeadWood Removal. Affordable Rates. 24-Hour Emergency Storm Service. Free Mulch. Call 813-495-9541 or 813-788-TREE.

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 29, Issue 26 • December 21, 2021 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 29, Issue 26 • December 21, 2021 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 29, Issue 26 • December 21, 2021 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 29, Issue 26 • December 21, 2021 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 29, Issue 26 • December 21, 2021 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews