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*This post was last updated on October 25, 2021.

When we first visited Armature Works in 2018, we were blown away by the ambience, the amazing location, and delicious local food. Fast forward a few years later to 2021 and we’re still in awe of this stunning social space with more than 15 amazing vendors.

There have been many updates made since we last wrote about Armature Works and now they have even more local eateries and additional sitting areas with gorgeous views of the Hillsborough River.

Dating all the way back to 1910, Armature Works used to be a storage and maintenance facility for streetcars and was known as Tampa's streetcar warehouse. The history of this building is what makes the design of this place fascinating.

A lot of the original materials were recycled and the exposed brick walls, skylights, windows and doors have all been beautifully restored and it gives this 73,000 square foot building so much character.

It's a mixed-use commercial space and there are a ton of different vendors here. From Cuban sandwiches to unique desserts to craft coffee, there is definitely something for every palate. There is also plenty of seating both indoors and outdoors.

There are a lot of communal tables so don't be surprised if you have to share a table with others. It's also pet-friendly but your pets must stay in the outdoor seating area. Only service animals are allowed indoors.

The hand washing station was actually found in the men’s bathroom when they were building the space. They repurposed it and modernized it to be a community driven hand-washing station.

It’s a very cool design where you press the foot pedal underneath the sink to start the water.

HEIGHTS PUBLIC MARKET

Heights Public Market is the main area of Armature Works with a variety of cuisines and something for everyone. Most dishes are priced between $10 - $13 and you get an average portion. We’ve tried many of these local vendors over the years and here are some of our favorites plus more.

Bar AW

Right when you walk into Heights Public Market, you’ll notice the gigantic wall of liquor and gorgeous bar area to the right. This is one of our favorite spots inside of Armature Works and we can take pictures here for hours.

They serve a variety of cocktails here and it’s definitely one of the popular spots to hang out at. On weekends, it’s especially busy, so if you want to enjoy this atmosphere in a more relaxing vibe, make sure to visit at off-peak times.

Graze 1910

Graze 1910 offers all-day breakfast along with other tasty comfort foods like artisan cheese burgers. You can expect long lines forming here often because their food is amazing.

We also love stopping by here because their storefront is so inviting. The light green paint against the white tiles is very calming and the stools along the bar are so elegant.

We absolutely love fried chicken so we always get their Spicy Chicken Sandwich. It’s filled with 1910 slaw, thinly sliced pickles, sriracha aioli, and a side of quinoa salad. The chicken is so tender and we love that they use dark meat. That dark meat gives it so much more flavor and juiciness! Hands down the best chicken sandwich we've ever had.

Some other popular dishes you can try here are the Avocado Egg Salad, Graze Burger, and Blackened Ahi Tuna Bowl.

SPCIY CHICKEN SANDWICH WITH A SIDE OF QUIONA SALAD

THAT'S JUST HALF OF the SANDWICH. THE PORTIONS are VERY GENEROUS.

Muchachas

Crystal loves Mexican food, so this was a nice addition to Armature Works. The food here is so good that as soon as they open, there’s already a line forming. But the line goes by pretty fast, so you won’t be waiting long.

We have only tried the regular street tacos which were delicious, but most everyone raves about the Quesatacos, which comes with 3 beef quesabirria tacos with monterey jack cheese, white onion, and cilantro. Served with beef consome, lime, chacha rojo and chacha verde.

Ava

Ava has its own dine-in restaurant on Howard Avenue in Tampa and they are known for their delicious Italian cuisine. It was very popular when they first opened because it is owned by the beloved Joe Maddon, who used to manage the Tampa Bay Rays.

Here at Armature Works, they serve wood-fired oven pizza made to order. We have tried the Filetto White Pizza which consists of marinated cherry tomatoes, basil, prosciutto, and aged balsamic. Each ingredient is fresh and flavorful and the crust is baked to perfection.

Some other popular pizzas you can try are their Margherita Pizza, Sausage Pizza, and Prosciutto Pizza.

The perfect portion for a light lunch at Armature Works

Waiting for my pizza at Ava's - Tampa, Florida

Astro Ice Cream Co.

We've tried liquid nitrogen ice cream in California before and really enjoyed it, so we were thrilled to see that Astro Ice Cream Co. was part of the Armature Works family. We were excited to try some fresh and made-to-order ice cream again.

Liquid nitrogen ice cream made-to-order at Astro Ice cream

The Jetpack at Astro Ice Cream - Tampa, Florida

The basic concept of liquid nitrogen ice cream is that it uses liquid nitrogen to flash freeze your ice cream, instead of the traditional churn method. The old-school way has your ice cream sitting in freezers for days or weeks before you eat it. The new way has your ice cream made just moments before you eat it which results in fresh, smooth, and more flavorful ice cream.

You can try their ice cream in a traditional cone, brownie, cookies, pie, or even a Cuban sandwich! They also have fun creations like the Jetpack which is Cappuccino ice cream mixed with heath bar crunch, topped with chocolate covered espresso beans, a biscotti, and a shot of caramel syrup. Having a syringe filled with a shot of caramel was a fun way to enjoy ice cream.

KUMA PATIENTLY WAITING FOR SOME ICE CREAM

Buddy Brew

Buddy Brew is Tampa’s favorite local coffee, so it makes sense that they added this local coffee shop to Armature Works.

The beginnings of Buddy Brew is an interesting one where the owners, Dave and Susan Ward, loved coffee so much that they started making their own home-roasted beans at home and gifted some to their friends. They jokingly created a label and named it after their dog, Buddy.

The name stuck and they started an online business roasting coffee from their garage. From there, they opened their first coffee bar in 2010 and the rest is history.

They offer their regular coffee here along with cold brews, local juice, teas, sandwiches, and pastries.

Empamamas

It's hard not to love a pastry turnover that is filled with savory ingredients and then deep fried to perfection. Empamamas does just that and they offer a variety of fun flavors to choose from.

We have tried the Cheeseburger in Paradise, the vegan Flower Power, and the Rosemary Romano Parm Fries. We were sad to learn that they no longer offer the rosemary fries because that was our absolutely favorite item on their menu. We hope they bring it back someday.

WE COULDN'T GET ENOUGH OF THOSE ROSEMARY FRIES!

Cru Cellars

If you’re a wine lover, Cru Cellars is a great wine bar with friendly and helpful staff. We had a lovely time trying some of the bartender’s suggestions like the organic Gaspard Sauvignon Blanc. We usually prefer red wine, but the Organic Gaspard that Christine, the bartender, suggested gave us a newfound love for Sauvignon Blanc.

If you want some food with your wine, their menu offers a French Bistro selection of dishes like Roasted Cobia and Duck Confit. We have personally tried the Steak Frites before and it was amazing.

Cru Cellars also has a couple of locations in Tampa and one of them recently opened in the Westshore Marina District that offers a beautiful ambience and eclectic menu.

BnB (Butcher & Barbeque)

It's hard to pass up a barbecue joint when the aroma of that smoked meat is permeating the building. We have tried the Pulled Pork BBQ and Mac and loved that they separated the meat from the bread just like if you were at a barbecue in someone's backyard.

The pulled pork came with a side of coleslaw and extra barbeque sauce but we didn't even need the extra sauce since it was already flavorful without it. We also like to create our own portions, so having the bread and meat separated was perfect. Plus, if you wanted to take some home, you can easily pack the meat and not end up with a soggy sandwich bread.

Kipos

If you love Mediterranean food, Kipos, meaning “Garden” in Greek, has got you covered with delicious salads, hummus, gyros, pitas, and more.

We ordered the Stacked Chicken Pita here and they give you a generous portion of meat and vegetables in your pita. So much so that we had to eat it with a fork and knife instead of eating it like a sandwich. You’ll definitely be taking home some leftovers.

Bake ‘n Babes

If you’re in for some over-the-top dessert creations, Bake ‘n Babes is your ultimate dessert shop. Their desserts are full of color and fun toppings.

We especially love their cookies; the Fruity Pebbles Cookie to be exact. It’s soft and chewy and the best part is that they always serve it warm.

Fruity Pebbles Cookie from Bake ‘N Babes

A.W. Mercantile

This is the only non-food vendor at Armature Works consisting of local hand makers. They have everything from accessories to apparel to home goods and we absolutely love everything in this store.

Additional Vendors

The rest of the vendors that we have not tried yet are:

Bento Asian Kitchen - rice, noodles, bento boxes

Zukku Sushi - sushi including rolls, sushi burritos and poke bowls

Hemingway's - soulful Cuban classics with a contemporary twist

Dharma Southern Kitchen - plant based foods

Full-Service Dining

In addition to all the vendors at Amarture Works, they also have four full-service dining restaurants and one of them is on the rooftop.

Steelbach - Southern-inspired kitchen and chophouse that serves incredible steaks and handcrafted cocktails.

Oak & Ola - American and modern European restaurant with a great atmosphere and flavorful dishes.

M.Bird - Tampa’s premiere rooftop destination and one of our favorite places to hang out with our friends to enjoy some cocktails and enjoy the views overlooking the Tampa skyline and Hillsborough River.

Stones Throw - This outdoor bar and seafood restaurant is located right in front of Armature Work’s main building and you’ll get a front row seat of one of the best views Tampa has to offer.

Parking

Armature Works has several parking lots that range from $5 - $10 depending on the time of your visit. You can also find street parking nearby on W 7th Ave, W Palm Ave, Oak Ave, Market Street and N Highland Ave.

If you don’t have a car, you can arrive via Coast Bike at park your bike at the share station. Or rent one of the many scooters around downtown and park it at their designated area.

You can also arrive via boat either with the water taxi or park your personal boat at the Heights Public Boat Docks.

Hours of Operation

Monday -Thursday: 7:30am – 10pm
Friday: 7:30am – 12am
Saturday: 8am – 12am
Sunday: 9am – 9pm

It Doesn't Stop There!

On top of everything we mentioned, Armature Works also offers an entertainment workshop (Show & Tell), several event spaces, and many events. Check out their calendar of events where you can enjoy complimentary yoga, live music, workshops, festivals, and more.

The location is also in a beautiful area located right by the Riverwalk where you can take a stroll along the Hillsborough River and stop by Ulele's, Waterworks, the dog park and more.