I have a new recommendation for those in Tampa Bay who are looking for a casual yet up-scale restaurant with a cute and classy aesthetic; It’s The Dan, opening May 20th, 2023.
Roaring Twenties meets contemporary chic at The Dan. Located in the Historic Floridan Palace Hotel in Downtown Tampa, The Dan is a modern take on old-school speakeasies with a New Orleans flair.
I am grateful to have been invited to the Pre-Grand Opening Media Preview Celebration. I had a lot of fun sampling an array of cocktails and trying different bites with other talented Tampa Bay Foodies. After an evening of flavor and fashion, I can confidently say that The Dan is definitely a restaurant you’re going to want to add to your Tampa list!
The Aesthetic
I really enjoyed the sophisticated ambience of The Dan. The details throughout the restaurant are beautiful and are the perfect combination of historic yet contemporary; From the lighting and designed ceiling, to the floors and restored bar. I love that they have a mural painted along their brick wall. It adds to the pizazz and makes for a great photo opp moment. Wear your favorite heels, because the detailing on the floor makes for the perfect shoe, bag, and drink photo.
The Flavors
The cocktails at The Dan are aesthetic and delicious. My favorite is the “Champagne Cocktail,” which is made of champagne, cognac, bitters, and garnished with cotton candy; beautiful, well-balanced, and sweet! Other cocktails I tried are “So We Beat On” made up of beefeater gin, sherry, lime, and soda; tart yet smooth, “Hollywoodland” made up of plantation rum, grapefruit, grenadine, and lime; tart and easy to drink, “Green Door” made up of old forester whiskey, pimms, ginger, mint, and lime; surprisingly really good for a girl who does not prefer whisky, and lastly the “Sazerac” made up of whisky, absinthe, bitters, sugar, and lemon; it gave me Old Fashion vibes so I personally wasn’t a fan. With even more cocktails on their menu than mentioned above, The Dan has cocktails ready to shake every pallet!
The food menu is made up of New Orleans and Gulf Coast-inspired dishes curated by Chef Will Artley. With main dishes such as “Crispy Red Snapper,” “Creole Roasted Half Chicken,” “Lamb Pappardelle,” “Clams And Linguine,” and “Forever Braised Pork Shank,” the food lineup looks and sounds delectable. I tried the “House French Onion Dip” appetizer, “Key Lime Cheesecake” dessert, and “Bananas Foster Sundae” dessert, and they were all delicious.
Check out The Dan’s menus on their website, linked here.
Image 1: “Champagne Cocktail”
Image 2: “Hollywoodlander” on the left and “So We Beat On” on the right
Image 3: “Sazerac” on the left and “Green Door” on the right
The Basics
The restaurant (and Floridan Palace Hotel) are located at 905 N Florida Ave, Tampa, FL 33602. The Dan is open for Lunch and Dinner on both weekdays and weekends. Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 AM–3:00 PM is Brunch time at The Dan. And there is nothing that I love more than a good Brunch spot in Tampa Bay. Parking is easy and is located on Cass Street, next to the Floridan Palace Hotel, just up the street from the restaurant.
In Conclusion
I had so much fun taste testing the flavors and being among the first to experience Downtown Tampa’s newest and trendiest roaring-twenties inspired restaurant, The Dan. I love everything about it from its easy Downtown location, to its chic appearance and lively flavors. I cannot wait to come back and bring my friends to “Dine At The Dan!”
Click here to learn more about The Dan and visit their website.
Want to read my other food & drink recommendations? Click here.
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