Ponte Modern American - Tampa's Newest Fine Dining Restaurant

Ponte Modern American is one of the newest additions to Tampa’s food scene, adding another fine dining restaurant to the mix. Located in Midtown Tampa, Ponte is the "second coming" of Cafe Ponte, the iconic Clearwater restaurant that was a staple in the Tampa Bay food scene for many years. I remember eating at Cafe Ponte for the first time in 2015 and just thinking WOW, both food and service were absolutely amazing, and that sentiment definitely carries over to Ponte.

Chef Chris Ponte, also known for Tampa restaurants OLIVIA & On Swann, blends modern American and classic French cuisines at Ponte to create a really amazing dining experience. Expect innovative takes on classic dishes, table-side presentations, and an impressive cocktail and wine list.

In addition to an impressive menu, the service also couldn’t go unnoticed. Our server was truly amazing and made some great recommendations. We had a feeling he had been a server at the original Cafe Ponte, which he confirmed when we asked at the end of the meal.

Now let’s get in to what we ordered…

The Parker House Rolls with honey & black truffle butter were one of the recommendations our server made. They offer complimentary bread service but I 100% recommend upgrading to these rolls which have a nice crisp outside and pillowy soft inside. There’s only a limited amount available per night so you’ll want to put your order in right away.

There are two soup offerings on the menu and we decided to get one of each. The Mushroom Soup with wild mushroom, truffle crème, and black trumpet dust is an ode to the mushroom soup at Cafe Ponte. I never had the original soup, so I can’t compare them, but I am a big fan of this iteration. It’s presented table-side and has a lovely combination of textures and flavors from the various types of mushrooms.

French Onion Soup is a classic on any steakhouse menu and Ponte’s version is made with black truffle broth, aged gruyere, and crouton. If you’re a French Onion Soup purist this may not be for you, but the black truffle broth is a nice twist on the iconic dish.

For my entree I was planning on getting something other than steak but eventually landed on the 6oz Filet Mignon and topped it with blue cheese-cabernet butter. I very rarely get a topping on my steaks because with such high quality cuts I think the meat should speak for itself; but they always entice me and I wanted to step a bit outside of my regular steak order. I thought the blue cheese-cabernet butter was delicious, it was very rich but didn’t overpower the steak.

For sides we went with my steakhouse favorites and it was fun to see Ponte’s take on them. The Florida Corn with fresno chili, cilantro, and cotija was my favorite side of the night. Reminiscent of elote, it was creamy with a nice kick of spice from the chili.

If you’ve followed for me for a while you probably know how much I love Mac & Cheese and the Campanelle Gouda Mac & Cheese is definitely making it’s way on to my list of best mac & cheeses in Tampa. I love the noodle choice because it really holds onto the cheese sauce which was full of flavor and not too heavy.

In my opinion, the best type of fries are shoestring, but I don’t see them on menus very often. I love the thinness & crispiness of them. The Sea Salt Shoestring Fries at Ponte are served with garlic-parm aioli and you’ll be tempted to eat them by the handful.

In addition to amazing food, the space is absolutely GORGEOUS. You can peek into the massive state-of-the-art kitchen through a glass wall, enjoy dinner on the patio, at the bar, or in the dining room, and admire their extensive wine selection in the floor-to-ceiling glass wine cellar.

I’m already looking forward to my next visit and exploring the menu a bit more. If you have been I would love to hear your thoughts and recommendations! Reservations can be made through their website.

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