If you are visiting the Tampa area of Florida and experience a craving for seafood, you will not be disappointed at the dining choices that are available. Whether you are looking for something simpler like fish and chips or a fish sandwich or something more extraordinary such as sushi or octopus, Tampa offers it.

If you are near South Dale Mabry Highway, try Shells Restaurant. Their clam chowder is not greedy on the clams and it has plenty of bacon and potatoes in it, too. Appetizers include choices from mussels to crab cakes, calamari to oysters and conch fritters.

Shells offers a number of pasta and seafood combinations such as shrimp or baby lobster tails with linguine, each with a special sauce. Other seafood served with pasta includes sea scallops, mussels, and more.

For something unique, try a Fish Taco or a Seafood Po' Boy. The entree list includes
King and Snow Crab, Lobster, catfish, crab cakes, and many other seafood choices. If there are any landlubbers in your party, the Shells menu also offers chicken and steaks.

For another reasonably priced seafood meal, you may enjoy Skippers Smokehouse on Skipper Road. As with most other seafood restaurants, you will find the standard and traditional seafood offerings, but you will be able to find a few different and fun foods on the menu.

If you have never tried Gator Tail or Gator Chili, this is one place you will be able to find it. As long as you are trying new things, there is a Sesame Seaweed Salad on the menu that qualifies for "new and different." An unusual sandwich on the menu is the Blackened Grouper Reuben.

If you don't recognize some things on the menu such as Ahi Carpaccio or Louisiana Mudbugs, just ask your server. Entrees are served with hush puppies and two sides and many fish and seafood items are presented.

It is not found in Tampa proper, but if you would like a Greek touch to seafood and you will not mind traveling about 24 miles, try Santorini Greek Grill in Tarpon Springs. Talk about new and different foods! You will surely find some of those at Santorinis.

On the appetizer menu you can choose Taramosalata which is salmon roe and called "poor man's caviar" on the menu. If that wouldn't be your choice for an appetizer you may enjoy the oysters with Feta or Sagnaki (scallops and shrimp with cream sauce and Feta cheese) or Spanakopita (Spinach Pie). Those are just a handful of the Greek specialties on the starter list.

Some other Greek offerings served at Santorinis include:

Traditional Moussaka (eggplant layered with meat and cheese)
Dolmades (Ground meat and rice in grape leaves with lemon sauce)
Chicken Feta (with Feta and white wine sauce and served with pasta)
Calamari (Fried squid)
Broiled Octopus (As the name suggests!)

You will find the usual shrimp, scallops, mussels, etc. in the seafood section of the menu. For something different, try the Mediterranean Snapper or Porgy or the Seafood Paella. Seafood in the paella includes clams, scallops, shrimp, and mussels. They are served with a wine and Feta sauce and with pasta.

If you don't want seafood for dinner, a number of lamb, chicken, ribs, and beef items are on the list of options. As with any Greek restaurant, you will find things like gyros and souvlaki here, too. Don't forget your Baklava for dessert!