The Epicurean Hotel- The Perfect Getaway For A Foodie
The Epicurean in Tampa, FL is a boutique hotel from the Marriott Autograph Collection that has a special focus on culinary delights. The mission of The Epicurean is to curate incredible experiences so that connoisseurs of life can celebrate all of the wonderful flavors that it has to offer – and discover the truth hidden in new awakenings. The hotel is designed to created a one-of-a-kind place where people can come savor fantastic experiences and awaken appetites unknown.
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As soon as you walk into The Epicurean, you know you're in a foodie's paradise. Everything about the hotel is catered to foodies, from the glass of wine at check-in to the forks and knives embroidered on the pillows. Even the lobby wall is filled with culinary character because it's made from wooden wine crates.
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The snacks and wine in the hotel room exceed any mini bar expectations you've ever had. You won't just find candy bars and sodas. Instead, the bottles of wine come with pairing notes to help you decide which artisanal snack goes best.
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Elevage is the onsite restaurant that is located just steps away from the lobby. While you won't be disappointed by the food, you'll probably want to eat dinner at Bern's Steak House. Located across the street, Bern's is not only considered the best fine dining in Tampa, the restaurant is internationally acclaimed for it's food, one of the largest wine collections in the world, and the world famous dessert room. The Epicurean offers a special offer where you can book a room, get guaranteed reservations at Bern's, and get breakfast from Elevage the next morning.
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Breakfast is definitely the meal to eat at Elevage. Developed out of the standards set by Bern's, Elevage creates amazing dishes that are sure to delight everyone. When we visited, my kids were just as happy with their pancakes as I was with the shrimp and grits and biscuits and gravy. Oh yes, I had both, as only a true foodie would do.
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The Epicurean is more than a hotel with really good food. The culinary theater, located between the lobby and the on site restaurant, serves as a classroom as well as an events room. The stadium style seating complete with tables looks onto a professional grade kitchen, just like one you'd find in a restaurant. With a seating capacity of 32, it's intimate enough to get a good look at what's going on in the kitchen.
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During my visit, I was able to see the theater in action for two different events: The Epic Chef Showdown cooking competition, and a Cupcakes and Cocktails cooking class. Both events were nothing short of amazing. The Epic Chef showdown is an annual 8 week cooking competition to raise money for Feeding Tampa Bay. If you can't make it for the showdown, you still have plenty of options for other cooking classes during your visit. A full list of classes can be found here.
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Other food and drink options at The Epicurean include Edge- a rooftop bar, Chocolate Pi- a dessert and coffee shop, and Bern's Fine Wine and Spirits located adjacent to the lobby.
Whether you local to Tampa or you make a foodie pilgrimage to the SoHo district, the destination is worth the journey. This foodie can't wait to go back!