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Microsoft may earn an Affiliate Commission if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.
Microsoft may earn an Affiliate Commission if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.
To tide us over until we’re able to travel again, we’re republishing classic travel stories from our archives. This week we revisit Ashwin Bhandari’s trip to Tampa to see a food scene revolutionised by a new generation of chefs.
Read more: Why yak hair is taking over our homes and wardrobes
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On a Friday night in Seminole Heights, The Refinery restaurant is buzzing. Every seat is taken and diners spill onto the terrace, their tables heaving with colourful food. This isn’t what I expected to find in Tampa, a city that was once known as the best place to trial fast food franchises.
“We opened in 2010 to the sound of crickets,” says The Refinery founder Greg Baker. “Locals weren’t exposed to good food back then, but we’ve seen a change. Now they want interesting flavours, from fresh produce, at affordable prices, and Tampa
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What is a “-berto’s?” It doesn’t take much driving around to encounter countless examples. Roliberto’s, Poliberto’s, Raliberto’s, Eriberto’s — these charmingly divey Mexican fast food joints aren’t for the elaborate-post-gentrification-style taco set, nor are they likely to satisfy authentic Mexican food purists. They exist in some alternate fast-food utopia where huge portions come incredibly cheap, ingredients are prepared daily, and weather-beaten exteriors serve not as a deterrent but as a signal of all of the above.
They’re also the subject of much folklore, with the various Roli’s and Poli’s rumored to actually be franchises of some larger corporation dodging income taxes or, even harder to prove, some sort of money-laundering fronts. More likely, the “-berto’s” suffix characterizes an ever-growing list of copycats looking to cash in on the reputation