St. Louis ownership group makes presentation to MLS expansion committee

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.stltoday.com/sports/soccer/st-louis-ownership-group-makes-presentation-to-mls-expansion-committee/article_f6ebcb60-54e0-5bd0-bc62-05950042175f.html

SOCCER

St. Louis ownership group makes presentation to MLS expansion committee

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.kmov.com/news/mls-thelou-ownership-group-makes-formal-presentation-to-mls-expansion/article_4e57e80c-a746-11e9-9ee1-371b7e8959d7.html

MLS4TheLou ownership group makes formal presentation to MLS Expansion Committee

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2019/07/15/malik-mls-at-bofa-stadium-in-charlotte-not-so-fast.html

Malik: MLS at BofA stadium in Charlotte? Not so fast, Tepper

Steve Malik is looking to bring Major League Soccer to the Triangle.

Steve Malik, owner of the North Carolina Football Club, acknowledges Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper’s play for a Major League Soccer franchise – something he’s also coveting – has chops.

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.designbuild-network.com/news/fc-cincinnati-soccer-stadium/

FC Cincinnati to unveil final design of Major League Soccer stadium

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.twincities.com/2019/07/15/minnesota-united-futsal-west-7th-park/

Minnesota United-branded futsal court replaces basketball at West 7th park

(Follow link for full article.)

https://en.as.com/en/2019/07/15/football/1563214293_662338.html

Besiktas beat David Beckham in the race for Tyler Boyd

The Turkish giants announced the signing of USMNT's rising star, the New Zeland-born player, Tyler Boyd, from the Portuguese side, Vitoria.

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/usmnt-winger-boyd-signs-with-turkish-giants-besiktas/1kvd0geu4whh41jmmztfnenma3

USMNT winger Boyd signs with Turkish giants Besiktas

(Follow link for full article.)

https://kmox.radio.com/articles/mls4thelou-group-makes-official-presentation-expansion-committee

MLS4TheLou group makes official presentation to Expansion Committee

Group reportedly revealed details on stadium, sponsors

(Follow link for full article.)

https://stpetersburgfoodies.com/restaurants/best-places-in-st-petersburg/5-best-grouper-sandwiches-in-st-petersburg-fl-2019/

5 Best Grouper Sandwiches in St. Petersburg, FL 2019

The Grouper Sandwich is one of the most popular food items in St. Petersburg, FL, for both locals and tourists alike. There are a myriad of different types of grouper, but the most commonly found type in our area are Red, Black, and Gag. You can't really tell the difference once they're cooked and served up. They are available year-round.

Groupers vary in size and weight but are commonly marketed at 5 to 20 pounds. Florida harvests over 85 percent of all the grouper landed in the United States, and over 75 percent of Florida grouper is landed in Pinellas County. The preferred harvest method is hook-and-line fishing. Commercial fishermen receive a premium price for grouper. - Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Grouper can be prepared a number of ways. We had all of ours blackened, except for No Vacancy, which we had deep fried. They do offer it blackened too.

Before we get into the list, an important thing you should be aware of is that there are other publishers of "best of lists" that do not actually go to the establishments, or actually eat the food. (Sounds ridiculous, right?) They just download photos from the internet, or embed Instagram posts from someone else. Instant "Best of ..." list produced without having to leave the house, or even get dressed.

That's NOT how we do it.

We absolutely DO eat all of the food on all of our lists. (How can anyone recommend something they never experienced?)

Unfortunately, we've seen these junk lists a lot—from national and local publishers. We are also aware of a local publisher that offers paid placement in best-of-lists. There is no paid placement here.

I PERSONALLY ATE ALL OF THESE GROUPER SANDWICHES, AND WENT TO ALL OF THESE PLACES, AND THESE ARE ALL ST. PETE FOODIES PHOTO

Best Grouper Sandwiches in St. Pete

1. The Galley
2. Paul's Landing
3. No Vacancy
4. Baytenders
5. Sloppy Joe's

(Follow link for full article.)

https://stpetersburgfoodies.com/restaurants/best-places-in-st-petersburg/top-10-coffee-shops-in-st-pete/

Top 10 Coffee Shops in St. Pete

Is it me or does it seem like St. Pete is becoming a legendary coffee shop town? I absolutely love taking my laptop and heading to a coffee shop to get work done, or grabbing a cold brew with a friend to catch up. The aesthetic of all of the coffee shops on the list are very unique and share a lot of character.

These are my personal favorite shops that I have been to more than once and will continue to go back to. I've also been asking around to get some local feedback and suggestions about where everyone's "go-to" coffee place is.  If your favorite isn't on the list, please nicely comment below and I will try to visit and consider them for the next top list, or maybe even write a review.

There is a lot, and I mean a lot, that goes into being a thriving coffee shop in St. Pete. For one, the coffee!!! And two, the overall experience. All of the places on the list are experts in my eyes at the whole coffee thing. Some roast their own coffee and others research the best beans to source from. Often times it's more than just grabbing a cup of coffee but instead, it's sipping the culture and hard work that made the cup taste so great.

Let's all give a round of applause to the barista masters in St. Pete for keeping our town on a caffeinated high.

These are in alphabetical order.

1. Bandit Coffee Co.
2. Banyan Cafe and Catering on Central
3. Beans & Barlour
4. Black Crow Coffee Shop
5. Brew D Licious
6. Craft Kafe Downtown
7. Flatbread & Butter
8. Gypsy Souls Coffeehouse
9. Intermezzo Coffee & Cocktails
10. Kahwa

(Follow link for full article.)

https://stpetersburgfoodies.com/restaurants/best-places-in-st-petersburg/best-fresh-margaritas-in-st-pete-for-2019/

Best Fresh Margaritas in St. Pete for 2019

Margaritaaaahs! I've gone around town drinking all of the margaritas for this list. Some are fruity, some are spicy, but most of all, they are all FRESH! So, what makes a good margarita? The typical answer is tequila, something sweet or spicy, and lime, but these St. Pete restaurants and bars have gone above and beyond, and completely out of the box, to create some interesting and unique margs. Here are the top 7 fresh margaritas in St. Pete that you must try to keep you feeling buzzed and ready to party/salsa/drink more.

Due to popularity, I was going to include VIP Lounge & Mexican Restaurant on this list but when I went to visit and told the bartender that I was writing this blog, she didn't care at all and served me a drink in a plastic cup without showing any interest or excitement. When we sat down inside for lunch, they didn't have a cocktail menu to show us and by the time they found one, we were halfway through our meal. I decided to keep this list true to my personal opinion, and my experiences always go into consideration when creating a "top" list. I hope you understand.

These are listed in alphabetical order because they were all so delicious. With salt around the rim or not, I enjoyed these tasty, colorful and strong margaritas and hope that you do too!

1. El Agave Bar
2. Nueva Cantina
3. Numex Chile
4. Red Mesa Cantina
5. Sea Critters Cafe
6. The Lure
7. The Mill Restaurant
8. Que Pasa Mexican Cantina

(Follow link for full article.)

https://stpetersburgfoodies.com/restaurants/best-places-in-st-petersburg/top-5-best-cuban-sandwiches-in-st-petersburg-fl-2019/

Top 5 Best Cuban Sandwiches in St. Petersburg FL 2019

I like to end all things on a good note, so this one will start with the somewhat negative.

Everyone is going to hate me because Bodega didn't make the top 5 list of Cuban Sandwiches.

People are going to go insane.

I will probably have to go into the witness protection program, but Bodega's Cuban did not win my heart, or taste buds.

Lots of people rave and rave and rave about the Cuban Sandwich at Bodega, but my experience last week had me concluding that the sandwich was good ... almost very good. Some have proclaimed it the best in all of Tampa Bay.

We decided a long time ago that we don't write negative reviews, but with the massive popularity of this sandwich, I feel compelled to explain.

This is one of the parts of the process of making these lists that you don't normally know about. The items we ate that didn't make the list. There's a lot more eating going on than you realize. (Don't even ask me about one of the chilis I ate last week. I'm still scarred.)

On Bodega's Cuban, the bread is great! It comes from Casino Bakery in Ybor City. Everything else is made from scratch at Bodega, and they do use high quality ingredients.

The pork seemed like very good quality—thick, meaty pieces—but it was unfortunately dry. There was no mustard. Bodega uses mayo - one that turned thin and watery when the sandwich was pressed. George (the owner) says they don’t use mustard or salami because he thinks it overpowers the pork. Mustard is the traditional condiment, and mayo is an option, but it is frowned upon by traditionalists.

I don't take off points for no salami, but I do add points if a sandwich includes it. More on that at the end.

I felt that the pickles were too mild, like they hadn't finished fermenting yet.

I really missed the sourness that the mild pickles didn't deliver, and the vinegar sting that was absent since there was no mustard.

Dry pork can be fixed, but the style of this sandwich is not for me. Sorry folks.

Here it is below. It looks good, and it is. Go try it, and some of the other really good Cuban food at Bodega.

The second runner-up that is also quite popular is Pipo's. (We do listen to what others are saying.) This is another one that people go crazy for, that I thought was good. Pictured below from the location at The Manhattan Casino. Yay for salami, and mustard! Pipo's, like Bodega, also has some other great Cuban food.

Before we get into the list, an important thing you should be aware of is that there are other publishers of "best of lists" that do not actually go to the establishments, or actually eat the food.

We absolutely DO. (How can anyone recommend something they never experienced?)

Unfortunately, we've seen it a lot—from national and local publishers. We are also aware of a local publisher that offers paid placement in best-of-lists. There is no paid placement here.

I PERSONALLY ATE ALL OF THESE SANDWICHES, AND WENT TO ALL OF THESE PLACES, AND THESE ARE ALL OUR PHOTOS.

Here are the 5 Best Cuban Sandwiches in St. Pete for 2019 - Ranked

1. No Vacancy
2. The Galley
3. The Lure
4. The Burg Bar & Grill
5. Stillwaters Tavern

Salami or No Salami?

The Cuban Sandwich was invented in Ybor City in the late 1800s by Cuban immigrants with some influence from Italian immigrants. The original included a Spanish dried sausage that was later replaced with salami.

Later, when Miami picked up on the Cuban Sandwich, they left the salami off. Oddly, ironically, and likely because of the larger population, the Miami version is the more popular one. Because of this, many people think that the Miami version without salami is the true one, but it is not.

I think that if you are in the Tampa Bay area making Cubans, that the salami should be there. There's a great article with more details on Today.com

The Cuban Sandwich was invented in Ybor City (Tampa) by Cuban immigrants, with some influence from the Italians in the area in the late 1800s / early 1900s.

Kevin, I agree with you about Bodega. I always found it too dry. I'm heading to No Vacancy on Friday and am excited to try the Cuban there.

The Floridian has the best Cuban

Love this review. WHAT?? No Vacancy is the best? Can't wait to try it. I've been surprised by everything I've eaten there, the food is great, so I guess it's possible I'll agree with you! Bodega-- it's the Lechon sandwich you want! That is the one we go insane for. I never get the Cuban (no salami, why bother).

Kevin, I am so happy to find someone who shares my exact opinion about Bodega's Cuban sandwich. It's just being honest and objective, not negative, because all taste buds are not the same. I, too, find Bodega's Cuban sandwich to be inferior for lack of taste and poor quality meats... the only good part is their locally sourced Cuban bread. And don't get me started on their black beans which tasted like they were from some kind of lackluster add-water-and- stir kit! I don't think there is any other popular sandwich in Tampa Bay that receives as much attention and stirs such lively debate as the Cuban sandwich! I grew up here and have roots in Ybor City, once the home of the iconic Silver Ring who, in my opinion, were the quintessential masters of the Cuban sandwich. We'd drive 'all the way' from St. Petersburg solely to buy them for our family and friends! So happy to see The Burg Bar and Grill made the list... they rock in the sandwich lane, period! I highly recommend you try the very creative and AMPLE Cuban sandwich at Simply Delicious, 2128 9th Ave North, when you get a chance... it's bold and AWESOME!

They MUST don't know about SIMPLY DELICIOUS. That's the best Cuban sandwich shop in St.pete.

I have to agree with Richard. Simply Delicious ala right off 9th ave right across from old Ed White hospital is the best Cuban in St Pete. It's called Country Market and Deli on Google maps and you will not be disappointed!!!

Bold pick Kevin..but I have to say I completely agree. I had the cuban the other night at No Vacancy and couldn't believe how good it was. I was expecting standard hipster bar quality, but boy was I wrong. There was something special going between that bread, maybe something to do with the fresh crunchy pickles. Only complaint is that they don't have a house made hot sauce to go with it.

Try pressed Cuban at Biffs burgers 49th street north the best .he roster and smokes his own pork.

I agree with you on Bodega. I tried it more than once to see what I may have missed the first time with the same results.

My wife and I love the Cubans at Caribbean Cafe, and their black beans and rice is delish too.

Try M&G Cuban Cafe on 46th Ave & 49th St. N. It's my wife & my personal fave & very inexpensive to boot. We did the wait-in-line thing at Bodega once & while we enjoyed it, we wouldn't roast in the sun again.

Good Day sir I am new to this site so I would like to know how it works . I see post of different restaurant and eating places . I own the Kenwood Market at 2735 5 Ave North St Pete . We have a small deli and make great New York Style Pizza . The main thing I am wanting to know is how do we expose our great products on here . I notice you did a article about the best cuban sandwich ? Well I am not one to brag but we were voted second in the Ybor Cuban Sandwich Festival this year . We feel we do make the best Authentic Cuban Sandwich in this area . We use Fresh Cuban Bread from the Faedo Bakery in Ybor , We use only Boar's Head meats with one exception . We use our own MOJO smoked pork that we smoke on site. I would welcome you to come try the best Cuban on this side of the bay LOL Thank you Joe Buono 727-492-6954

(Follow link for full article.)

https://stpetersburgfoodies.com/restaurants/best-places-in-st-petersburg/10-best-shrimp-grits-in-st-petersburg-fl-2018/

10 Best Shrimp & Grits in St. Petersburg FL 2018

I LOVE grits! I've been eating them since I was a kid, and it was always for breakfast, and always cooked, not the instant crap. With a ton of butter and salt, sometimes with cheese, and sometimes with an over easy egg on top.

Shrimp & Grits is also one of the most popular ways to enjoy this ground corn product. These days more places are adding grits to the lunch and dinner menus, and getting quite creative with the extra ingredients.

For this Top 10 Best Shrimp & Grits in St. Pete, I concentrated on the more kicked-up versions for most of them. This is not an exhaustive list. There are many more places in the area that do a great job, but after eating all of these, I have had my fill of shrimp & grits for now. Plus, a top 10 list is a lot of work when you actually go to all of the places and eat all of the food. Most of the other top 10 lists on the Internet are either auto-generated by people mindlessly clicking on star ratings, or by an actual writer that never left her house and just downloaded photos.

We'll have some honorable mentions at the end too.

These are not ranked from best, to second best, and so on. We've come to feel that is not a good way to do it when they are all amazing executions of this popular dish. There are two repeats from our top 5 shrimp & grits from 2016. The rest are new.

These are listed in ZIP CODE ORDER, then alphabetical.

1. Cassis
2. The Lure
3. The Mill
4. Parkshore Grill
5. Red Mesa Cantina
6. Stillwaters Tavern
7. Metro Diner
8. Chill Restaurant & Bar
9. Sola Bistro & Wine Bar
10. Callaloo

Honorable Mentions

Bavaros has an Italian-style weekend brunch that you can read about here. Sat & Sun 11 - 2.

This is such a cool, different, tangy, Italian treat that I had to include it. There's no way a foodie could pass up jumbo shrimp, lobster polenta with fire roasted bell peppers and a spicy tomato cream sauce with a bit of crab stock in the mix. This is another one that is made with polenta, but in this case they call it grits. Ha! It tastes a bit smoky. The shrimp were plump, fresh and juicy. It's a hearty dish.

Chief's Creole - a very straight-forward version that is always recommended over and over again, so here it is. People just love this one. I thought it was quite good myself for when you don't want 25 ingredients in your shrimp & grits.

Noble Crust - The shrimp & grits is frequently raved about here as well. Unfortunately, I have not had the chance to try it yet. It is a dinner item only. I'm looking forward to getting over to Noble Crust soon to try their shrimp & grits.