2022 Clearwater / St. Petersburg

Book excerpt: Andrew Delaplaine is the ultimate Restaurant Enthusiast. With decades in the food writing business, he has been everywhere and eaten (almost) everything. “Unlike the ‘honest’ reviews on sites like Yelp, this writer knows what he’s talking about. He’s a professional, with decades in the business, not a well-intentioned but clueless amateur.” = Holly Titler, Los Angeles “This concise guidebook was exactly what I needed to make the most of my limited time in town.” = Tanner Davis, Milwaukee This is another of his books with spot-on reviews of the most exciting restaurants in town. Some will merit only a line or two, just to bring them to your attention. Others deserve a half page or more. “The fact that he doesn’t accept free meals in exchange for a good review makes all the difference in his sometimes brutally accurate reviews.” = Jerry Adams, El Paso “Exciting” does not necessarily mean expensive. The area’s top spots get the recognition they so richly deserve (and that they so loudly demand), but there are plenty of “sensible alternatives” for those looking for good food handsomely prepared by cooks and chefs who really care what they “plate up” in the kitchen. For those with a touch of Guy Fieri, Delaplaine ferrets out the best food for those on a budget. That dingy looking dive bar around the corner may serve up one of the juiciest burgers in town, perfect to wash down with a locally brewed craft beer. Whatever your predilection or taste, cuisine of choice or your budget, you may rely on Andrew Delaplaine not to disappoint. Delaplaine dines anonymously at the Publisher’s expense. No restaurant listed in this series has paid a penny or given so much as a free meal to be included. Bon Appétit!