Boss Resources, Main, Tampa Bay

Minority-Owned Businesses in Tampa Bay

July 9, 2020

Tampa Bay is full of amazing businesses. We wanted to highlight some of our favorite minority-owned businesses in Tampa Bay! If you have a favorite business, we didn’t mention, comment below.?

#1 Pop Goes the Waffle

Pop Goes The Waffle is an innovative waffle company dedicated to providing exceptional sweet and savory liege waffles and waffle pops to retail customers in St. Petersburg, the greater Tampa Bay area and to wholesale partners throughout Florida.

Founder and Chief Waffle Officer (CWO)
Sara Gerald Fludd has been utterly besotted with waffles since she took her first bite of an Eggo in kindergarten. Since then, she has been on a quest to waffle virtually everything. Her favorite Mother’s Day gift, a Belgian waffle iron, led her to push the boundaries of waffleology, creating many of the menu concepts featured today.

2020’s pandemic has really set back Sara’s waffle empire and she really needs our support! So until we can get back to holding epic food truck rallies again, give her FB page a like so you can stay up to date on all future Pop Goes the Waffle pop-ups (Next one is July 12th from 8-12 pm at Park & 56th Street in Pinellas Park) OR just thank us later and order her yummy waffles online and have them shipped right to your door!

#2 7th + Grove

7th+Grove, located on 1930 E. 7th Ave, delivers an elevated southern menu, warm ambiance, extraordinary service, and creatively crafted cocktails. Part nightclub, part restaurant, this Ybor City spot sports a menu heavy on “Neo soul” fare, featuring contemporary twists on Southern and soul classics.

They are open – deets below ?

Hours: Dinner 4 to 10 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday. Brunch 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Prices: Smaller plates $7 to $13; large plates $15 to $23.

Recommended dishes: Pimento mac and cheese fritters; fried chicken; shrimp and grits

#3 Xilo Mexican

Xilo Mexican is a concept by Chef Rosana Rivera & Chef Ricardo Castro. During Cinco de Mayo weekend in 2018, Xilo debuted as a pop-up restaurant serving up tacos, nachos, and more at The Hall on Franklin in Tampa, Florida. Foodies at The Hall loved Xilo so much that it became a permanent fixture on July 23, 2018. You can enjoy lunch and dinner by Xilo Tuesday through Sunday at The Hall in Tampa Heights.

Xilo’s food philosophy includes the use of fresh and quality ingredients, traditional Mexican cooking techniques, and excellence in flavor with high-end plating and presentation. Chef Ricardo and chef Rosana have recently launched Chef & the Baker inside the Hall on Franklin, a French-inspired food and patisserie concept, and R2 Provisions, a high-end virtual food hall and catering kitchen in Pinellas Park.

Awesome news, they are open for delivery! Check out their website and social below.

#4 Kuba

Open inside the trendy and historic Armature Works for two years, [kū´bå] — the Spanish word + phonetic spelling for “Cuba” — is the premier concept from veteran and Tampa-based Chef Felicia “Phe” Lacalle.

Putting her signature spin on Cuban classics, the restaurant — awarded “Tampa’s Best Cuban Sandwich” and must-have Gulf Coast dishes in Food & Wine — serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily. The comprehensive menu includes everything from its award-winning Cuban sandwich, Chicharrones, “Build Your Own Cuban Bowls”, Nutella French toast, Breakfast Cuban sandwich as well as ongoing seasonal specials.

Additionally, [kū´bå] features homemade sangria (red, white + seasonal flavors), desserts, and rotating on tap beers. And don’t miss daily Havana Hour featuring $5 sangria and $4 beers!

“I wanted somewhere that was modern and hip — but that still felt like you were eating at your abuela’s house,” said Lacalle. “Our food and warm vibe will always be here for you… that’s what matters to us the most.”

[kū´bå] will be opening a second location within Atlanta’s Krog Street Market this fall. To view the full menu, visit kubacocina.com.

#5 Mama’s Soul Food Restaurant

The concept and vision of Mama’s Southern Soul Food was born in the hearts, kitchens and the dining rooms of the home of the proprietors and your hosts, Chef Reaves and Katrina.

For decades their families took pride on carefully preparing every dish by hand and with love from their homemade recipes. It didn’t matter who you were, or where you came from, when you sat at their table and ate breakfast, lunch or dinner, you were family.

For over 13 years Mama’s Southern Soul Food has been setting the standard for Southern cooking in Tampa, Florida. Business people, celebrities, families, and world travelers all dine at Mama’s Southern Soul Food and feel right at home. Mama’s focus is on serving made-from-scratch true southern fare served with genuine southern hospitality

#6 Bake’n Babes

The Tampa bakery Bake’n Babes captivated sugar-lovers with their massive, delectable Freak Shakes. Recently, they joined forces with GenX Tavern to deliver the best throwback and sweets experience around. They’ve recently decided to reclose their doors. But don’t worry Freak Shake lovers, you’ll still be able to get your favorite shakes in to-go kits!

The decision to close the dining area and go back to take-out only came from the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Florida, particularly in the bakery’s home base of Tampa.

Owner Julie Curry said the business received several messages from customers wishing to get a taste of their signature Pride Shake but feeling unsafe to leave their homes; thus the Freak Shake kit was born. The Freak Shake kits are $20 and come with everything you need to assemble your shake at home.

You can get delivery via UberEATS or order online for pickup at GenX Tavern! Reminder- The dining room is closed, and they are still doing take out only! ?

Click here to learn more!

#7 813 Tequila

Finally! A tequila, we can call our own! 813 Tequila is created with passion and inspired by a desire to bring ownership and quality back into drinking tequila.

Their tequilas are derived from 100% Blue Agave harvested and produced in the rich volcanic highlands of Jalisco, Mexico. They are handcrafted with a passion for making excellent tasting tequila and a commitment to quality. Currently, you can buy the tequila at Whiskey Willies and more locations coming soon!

#8 Tampa Coffee Company

Since 1855, the city of Tampa has served as an incubator of dreams and aspirations from abroad. From the early days and birth of the cigar industry and the prohibition era to the Tampa Mafia scene, Tampa puts the “story” in history. Tampa Coffee Company wants to share this story, through their coffee. Tampa Coffee Company is a coffee bean wholesaler, retailer, and mobile barista service based in Tampa, Florida. Prohibition-style and Vintage presentation for coffee connoisseurs.

Currently, they have a great special that they are running, Tampa Stay at Home Coffee Special where you can get two 10 oz. Tampa Coffee finely ground coffee beans for $20 with free local delivery when you use the code TAMPA2020.

Shop Now

#9 Blue Sage Boutique

Tampa Native, Christina, founded Blue Sage Eco Boutique in 2013 to promote personal growth, peace, and prosperity. Her product line includes all-natural, hand-poured soy candles made with essential oils, premium fragrance oils, and love. With degrees in business management and global sustainability, Christina is dedicated to sharing her knowledge and experience regarding sustainable business models, reducing environmental impact, and intention-based goal-setting to further earth-friendly, sustainable connections across communities.

This website based boutique has a wide array of hand-poured soy wax candles infused with different essential oils. Tampa local and founder Christina is dedicated to sharing her knowledge and reducing her environmental impact.

#10 Moon Light Sticker Co ?

A mother-daughter duo is crushing it on social media. Based in Tampa Bay they offer an array of beautiful stickers that are relevant, beautiful, and versatile.