In search of exhaust-free outdoor eateries
BRANDON -- I raised this topic in an earlier blog post, but I haven't had any luck since then. I could use some help with suggestions on where to find restaurants in east Hillsborough where you can sit outside and enjoy the weather without also inhaling a bunch of exhaust fumes from passing cars.
My husband and I live in Brandon, and we spent about 45 minutes the other evening driving around looking for a place where we could sit outside, get a bite to eat and drink a beer. By early evening, the heat of the day subsided, the sky was a brilliant blue. We wanted to take advantage of the great weather, but every place we went, the outdoor seating was just a few feet off a parking lot or the crush of traffic on State Road 60 or other busy roads like Bloomingdale Avenue.
In the time we drove around, we could have gone to Tampa, which is what we were trying to avoid. A lot of restaurants need to be in high-traffic areas to draw in business. But does anyone have some suggestions about out-of-the-way eateries out this way that offer outdoor seating with a slice of nature?
Saundra Amrhein, Times Staff Writer
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State Road 60 has long been a defining feature of eastern Hillsborough County: commuter thoroughfare, shopping hub and dining spot. 60 & South offers an array of news, announcements, community activities, local sporting events from the communities north of State Road 60 to the emerging communities farther south. Visit this blog daily for information about your neighborhood and community.
Saundra Amrhein covers retirement living in Sun City Center and cultural and immigration issues in Wimauma, Ruskin, Dover, Brandon and Plant City. Before working in east Hillsborough, she covered police news in Tampa; social services and government in Pasco County; and growth and development in Hernando County. She's originally from Pittsburgh and is married to a professional magician. In her free time, she practices yoga and has been working toward a master's degree in Latin American Studies at the University of South Florida. You can reach Saundra at 
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When I first came to Brandon in 1988, I thought, "There's a McDonald's here, so it can't be all bad." After a year, I moved to St. Petersburg and then Lakeland. When it became time to return to Hillsborough County in 1993, I could have picked Carrollwood, South Tampa or Temple Terrace, but the "60 " South" area just seemed like home. Fifteen years and three kids later, our roots have taken hold in Seffner like a majestic oak tree. We couldn't be happier. You can reach Ernest Hooper at 
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The Beer Shed. Outdoor seating faces the Alafia River. However, I believe they only have food on weekends. It's basic bar food - hamburgers, pork barbecue (very good) "grouper" sandwiches (not sure about the authenticity of the grouper), fried mushrooms, etc.
My dad and stepmom love to go to the Beer Shed and we make it a point each time they visit from PA. Crowd is actually somewhat older, some bikers but there is a "live and let live attitude". A Hillsborough County teacher told me that alot of teachers go to the Shed also. Enjoy.
Here is the website:
http://www.thebeershed.com/The_Beer_Shed/index.html
Posted by: junebee | June 09, 2009 at 12:02 PM
JF Kick's on Lithia Pinecrest
Posted by: JD | June 10, 2009 at 03:20 PM
I agree with you, Saundra. I love the Acropolis in Winthrop Plaza, but the outdoor seating juts into the parking lot, which often becomes busy in the evening as locals flock to the Green Iguana.
I love people watching from the patio of the Tampa Bay Brewing Company, but that's in Ybor.
For local food, I recommend the Fish House, at 1505 Shell Point Road W in Ruskin.
I'll have to try the Beer Shed and JF Kick's. Thanks for the suggestions, junebee and JD.
Posted by: Jessica Vander Velde | June 10, 2009 at 05:14 PM