GrassRoots - Tampa ("Review")

germin8germin8 Raw Master

I went to GrassRoots while in Tampa this last weekend… thanks, queenfluff, for recommending it.

Their smoothies are the BEST! We had the green smoothie one day… YUMMY! Then we had the peanut smoothie another day; the aftertaste was like the peanut butter part of a Reese’s peanut butter cup… it was unbelievable! They had free wheatgrass shots that week. They were not the wheatgrass grown from dirt… but, it is ocean-grown with maybe sea water and minerals. It tasted slightly different, but better than the regular wheatgrass juice. I think I could taste the mineral-difference. We ate their ”#1” miso soup in the area, makaresh (sp?) which is hummus with veggies, treatloaf with smashes ‘potatoes’, and the fisherman’s salad. The last 3 reminded me of Matt’s recipes in RawVolution. I just bought that book and was going to make those recipes when I returned… but, I’m glad I didn’t have too! GrassRoots meals were great. I’ll make those recipes again later… after I make Matt’s Big Matt and Sloppy Joe. At the restaurant, we also had tuxedo pie. Also a delight. The restaurant and staff were nice. Spencer (the owner) even filled up our juice drinks with the leftovers in the VitaMix. :o)

GrassRoots is closed Sun & Mon… so, there’s also Nature’s Harvest store which sells Glaser Farm’s raw food in the produce section. There’s not much to do in Tampa… except water sports, the beach,. We didn’t do either… but we saw a nice botanical garden... and they had fruit trees… we got to see mango, pineapple, banana, star fruit, pomegranite, papaya, orange, and kaffir lime.

P.S. I also noticed that I didn’t have a craving for sweets (like I usually do) after eating at GrassRoots. I’m wondering if the green drink, or the wheatgrass helped me. :o)

Comments

  • YEA! I went there on thursday for my anniversary and it was awsome!! I also had the tuxedo pie ;)

    Sabrina’s favorite sammich was also very good. Ahhh, I don’t think I can stop raving about that place.

    And you’re right NOT MUCH TO DO HERE. I wish Tampa was more vegan friendly, but atleast theres Grass roots :o)

  • germin8germin8 Raw Master

    Oh yeah, I didn’t have the burrito or ‘sammich’ because those were things I make at home often. They looked so good too! My favorite was the green smoothie and the treatloaf… it was amazing how taking a bite of the treatloaf together with the smashed potatoes tasted so different… it’s like the worked well together to provide a certain flavor. Can’t explain it.

    odalys, we signed the guess book too!

    I didn’t realize GrassRoots moved from NY to FL. Tampa doesn’t have a lot of vegetarian-friendly restaurant, so I hope GrassRoots does well in FL.

  • queenfluffqueenfluff Raw Newbie

    Glad you enjoyed it!

    Funny how you mention about the wheatgrass. Although we didn try their wheatgrass (since we got there right when they were closeing – we just got stuff to go). My bf filled a big empty vodka bottle with ocean water when we were down in Florida just use on his wheatgrass here that he grew his summer – took up a lot of room in his suitcase. He thinks the oceangrown stuff tastes the best and has the best mineral content. I am not a big wheatgrass fan but I can taste the salt in it!

    Did you get any of the Glaser Farms items? I love that place (the actually market is to die for – it like a farmer’s market paradise for raw foodies). I started making flat breads close to what there were after I got home. You can order stuff online from their website.

  • willmizewillmize Raw Newbie

    Waitaminnit! I’ve been to Grass Roots! I live in St Pete, y’all must be locals, too. We should all meet up and have some yummy raw goodness. I take my Singles Dining Out Meet Up group there every once in a while.

  • Hey, I didn’t know Glaser Farms was in Tampa too, I go to their big market here in coconut grove every saturday. It is wonderful. Wish there were a restaurant as good as GrassRoots sounds down south here. Anyone know of one in So. Fla?

  • germin8germin8 Raw Master

    I got the mango cookies from Glaser Farms… but, I wasn’t impressed. I should’ve gone for the other one. ;-)

    Sorry, we’re not from Tampa. Just visiting for a wedding by the beach. I don’t think queenfluff is from there either.

    Glaser Farms is not in Tampa… but, the health store in Tampa sells their raw food products.

  • queenfluffqueenfluff Raw Newbie

    I don’t live in Tampa. I am in Wisconsin. I was there for vacation back in February and my bf and I went all over Florida to eat at the raw places. GrassRoots was one. We went to the Glaser Farms Market on a Saturday in Coconut Grove near Miami. Yeah, there is no Glaser Farms in Tampa – their farm is down near Miami somewhere.

    I didn’t try any of the cookies. We got savories mostly and some of the nut milks and lemonades and produce and my bf brougt a durian which I think he ALSO snuck back in his suitcase! :) What a pain it was to pack that pointy thing! :)

  • If anyone visits North East Florida, you MUST come to The Present Moment Cafe here in St. Augustine. We have the only Raw & Vegan restaurant in N.E. Florida. I got to-go from there today. So awesome!!

  • germin8germin8 Raw Master

    I didn’t see nut milks and lemonades… all raw/living???

    Durian? They must’ve not been in season b/c we checked the produce for interesting fruit. Awwww!

  • queenfluffqueenfluff Raw Newbie

    Fuzzywuzzy – I have been to the Present Moment too – it was quite awesome. :)

    germin8-

    They must only have them at the market. The market was pretty big. They had all sorts of produce, prepared items, items like raw olives, agave, bottled fresh juices plus a fresh raw ice cream and items you could order fresh (we got a raw tortilla thingy). There is SO much more at their market (which is only on Saturdays). Only a fraction of it is sold on their website.

    Yeah, they had a few durian they were selling too – I think they are fresh ones too. I don’t know if they grown them on their farm or not.

    If you are ever down in Miami, seriously, you will be heaven if you go. It was my bf’s idea to go and we drove way out of our way to go to it and I was surprised at how great it was. We must have spend over 100 bucks there. We took most of the food down to the Keys where we went camping. :)

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