Tampa, on the West coast of Florida, typically is overshadowed by its eastern neighbor Orlando, which is home to Disney World. This town is full of history, diversity and some really good food. If you’re ever in the area, here are the top 10 places to check out.

1. Kaleisia Tea Lounge – Located at 1441 East Fletcher Ave. Suite #133, this community-oriented tea lounge offers loose leaf teas, smoothies and vegan food options. While close to the University of South Florida, it promotes a “tea community” and welcomes anyone. Owners Kim Pham and Lan Ha are dedicated to customer service and love helping people learn more about tea and Asian cultures.

2. Dunderbaks – Located at 14929 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., this German bar and restaurant offers delicious, authentic food and hundreds of draft and bottled beers from all over the world. With more than 50 beers on draft, there’s a beer for everyone and a size for everyone including Das Boot. If you get really lucky, maybe you’ll get to see the accordion player who sings underneath the gazebo some nights.

3. Carmine’s Restaurant – Located at 1802 E. 7th Ave. in Tampa’s historic Ybor City, Carmine’s might have the best deviled crab in all of Florida. There’s nothing here that isn’t delicious. It’s an affordable place to stop off at if you fly into Tampa International Airport. You can find Cuban, Italian and American favorites there.

4. Tampa Theater – Located at 711 N. Franklin St. #A, this is not only a beautiful building but also a great place to see bands and movies. They bring in great indie movies that don’t typically show in theaters. This beautiful, historic building is a definite see even if you only walk through and enjoys the incredible décor.

5. The Hub – Located at 719 N. Franklin St. (right down the road from the Tampa Theater), The Hub has been described as “trashy and fabulous,” so if you’re looking for a classy place, continue on your way. This is a great place to hang out, get some REALLY strong, cheap drinks, and meet some interesting people. The music there is always great and the drinks are always strong. It’s a Tampa classic.

6. Acropolis – This Greek restaurant has three locations: 1833 W. 7th Ave, 14947 Bruce B. Downs and 6108 Winthrop Town Ctr. Ave. For an all-out Greek experience, Acropolis is the place to go. With a different menu for each place, there is a guarantee that nothing will disappoint. Expect the traditional breaking of the plates.

7. Cilantro – Located at 11009 56th Street N., Cilantro offers a lunch and dinner buffet that is the best Indian buffet around. Check out their delicious Indian wines and beers. The service there is great and the ambiance is even better.

8. Salvador Dali Museum – Located at 1000 Third St. S. in Saint Petersburg, offers anything you may need for your surrealistic needs. Any art aficionado needs to check out this world’s-largest collection of Dali art.

9. Florida Aquarium – Located at 701 Channelside Drive, this is a great place to take the family for a day of fun and discovery. You can swim with thousands of coral reef fishes, meet penguins “face to beak,” and get close to some of the ocean’s most mysterious sea creatures.

10. Tampa Museum of Art – If you can hold out until early 2010, its new building will be completed and it will be incredible. Its current exhibition “Dip, Dot, Byte, Spot” showcases digital art and explores current technological advancement. Exhibitions change throughout the year and are well worth checking out.