Tampa Bay's new restaurant listings drop
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
There are fewer new restaurant listings in Tampa Bay than in years past.
Why it matters: Restaurants are not just a place to eat — they are a hub for families and communities, a significant source of employment across all socio-economic levels, and a vital part of Tampa Bay's cultural identity.
- The area's new restaurant listings fell by 7% between 2019 and 2023, according to new Yelp data shared with Axios.
By the numbers: 648 restaurants were newly listed on Yelp in 2023 in the Tampa Bay area, compared to 699 in 2019.
- The number of new businesses in the region rose by 60% from 2019.
The big picture: Nationally, the restaurant industry is showing signs of life after a brutal stretch brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
What they're saying: "The restaurant industry has proven to be resilient throughout the pandemic, with the industry seeing higher restaurant openings in 2023 than pre-pandemic levels for the first time," says Clifford Cate, vice president and general manager, restaurants at Yelp.