How Ulele Elevates Hyper-Local Produce with Distinction

"Set along the Hillsborough River in Tampa, this fifth-generation, family-run restaurant channels a native-inspired, hyper-local ethos in a spectacular setting: a renovated 1903 city water works with indoor/outdoor seating, an open kitchen centered on a circular barbacoa grill echoing Tocobaga cooking fires, and art downstairs with sports memorabilia upstairs, all to a Motown and 1960s/’70s soul soundtrack. With the blessing of local Seminole tribe leaders, the menu draws on ingredients tied to the Tocobaga and early pioneers—think snapper, crab, alligator, wild boar, venison, corn, and grains—plus hand-cut okra brightened with lime and kosher salt and served with house-made ketchup, and a native-inspired Three Sisters Salad of romaine, grilled zucchini and squash, red onions, cranberry beans, tomato, corn, red peppers, and Florida citrus vinaigrette. The must-try chargrilled oysters, barbacoa-grilled with garlic butter and Parmesan and Romano, are a runaway favorite; they’re also served on the half-shell with a Florida datil pepper hot sauce bottled in-house, and you can watch fresh Gulf oysters being shucked at the oyster bar. Another staff-and-guest favorite is the Seafood Risotto with pan-seared shrimp and sea scallops, butter-poached lobster claw, crawfish tail meat, saffron risotto, charred corn cream, and a seasonal vegetable. The in-house Ulele Spring Brewery keeps the taps close to home—beers are brewed just feet away, including the eagerly awaited spring Honeymoon Lager, a limited edition of the Wedding Beer kissed with locally sourced Dover and Plant City strawberries and finished with a plump berry on the rim; the kitchen and brewery also lean on local honey and strawberries for ice cream. Outside, riverfront views mingle with an outdoor sculpture garden featuring restored Fairyland figures like The Three Little Pigs, Humpty Dumpty, and Cinderella. Open since 2014, it’s become a lively local favorite for its “fire, water, spirits” sensibility, convivial dining experience, and commitment to family-owned and independent purveyors." - Kevin Chau