Tampa Bay restaurant openings, closings, and more

The Pearl Tampa opens next week, Bern’s is charging for no-shows, and more.

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The bagels are waiting for you.

We wouldn’t blame you if you hung up the kitchen towel and started exclusively eating out. There’s far too many new Tampa Bay restaurants to stick a fork into.

Anyway, here’s a roundup of what’s goin’ on with your eateries and drinkeries.

  • Pete’s Cafe officially soft-launched yesterday. The Ybor City outpost (1804 E. 4th Ave.) is serving a limited quantity of egg and cheese sandwiches, bagels with jalapeño, plain, or scallion cream cheese, and other faves.
  • Now, those last-minute Bern’s cancellations will cost you — $25. The mainstay Tampa eatery just started taking credit cards for reservations — and all fee collections (for less than 24-hours in advance cancellations) go to Feeding Tampa Bay, according to Creative Loafing Tampa Bay.
  • Water Street’s The Pearl Tampa, a new tavern and oyster room, opens next Tuesday, March 7. Make reservations online.
  • Do we have any CJ’s On Island fans? The beach bar closes April 30, but the re-imagined CJ’s On Park opens this May in St. Pete, according to I Love the Burg. And never fret — there will still be karaoke.
  • Welcome to the Heights. Get an inside look at Florida Avenue Brewing’s new Tampa taproom (say that five times fast) before it opens later this month.
  • Another new oyster spot is opening up in Tampa Bay — this time in Wesley Chapel, according to That’s So Tampa. The Shuckin’ Shack (25038 Wesley Chapel Blvd.) starts shuckin’ oysters, and serving up fresh fish and drinks this summer.

We’re also looking for new restaurant news. Spill the beans.

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