Okay, I have to ‘fess up here: I was going to do a post on “The Five Best Restaurants in North Pinellas County,” but I changed my mind on that pretty quickly.

I mean, what does “the best” mean? Ask 10 different people, and you’ll get 10 different answers. My “best” might include one or more of your “worst.”

So instead, I’m going to offer this: “Five restaurants in North Pinellas County worth trying.” And I’m not going to rank them. I’m just going to put them out there and say that all of them are worth a try.

So, here we go:

1. JIMMY’S NEIGHBORHOOD RESTAURANT, Tarpon Springs: Located in a very un-restaurant location, just a few doors down from Tarpon Springs High School. I drove by it for years before I ventured in. This is probably the area’s very best “joint” that draws people from all over. Excellent pizza, excellent Italian offerings, excellent seafood, and waitresses who call you “Hon.” I go there a lot.
2. RUSTY BELLIES: Another Tarpon Springs hot spot, probably the best seafood restaurant on the list. On the water, and they have their own boats. You will have to get on the list and wait to be seated for a while unless you go at an off-time.
3. MYSTIC FISH: This is a very high-quality seafood restaurant that never misses. They do a bouillabaisse that I order almost every time I visit. A bit upscale, but worth it. Put it on your list.
4. LENNY’S: Lenny’s is a New York-style deli that has been a Clearwater landmark for a long time. You get a free pastry basket with many entrees. The atmosphere, the funny signage and the personality-plus waitresses make it a must-visit as much as the food.
5. HELLAS: I live in Tarpon Springs, a community with an enormous Greek population and flavor, and a town with a Greek restaurant seemingly on every corner. Many of them are very good, but I’m going with Hellas for several reasons: The food is good, they have their own bakery (with a big bakery case in the restaurant), and it is right in the middle of the historic Sponge Docks, the Greek community’s heartbeat.

Okay, now I’m going to go out on a limb here and tell you what my all-time go-to restaurant is. Not the all-time “best,” not the restaurant with out-of-this-world food, not the one with the fanciest décor. Rather, this is my default place, where I know the food and service will always be top-notch, where the desserts are really good, where the coffee is always the best in all the land, and where the prices are reasonable.

You ready? Here it is:

CAFÉ ALFRESCO in downtown Dunedin. I’ve been going there for maybe 20 years and have never been disappointed. You may have to get your name on a list and wait for 15 minutes out on the sidewalk (there’s a couple of park benches out there) but it’s worth the wait.

Okay, this one is a little bit outside the North Pinellas zone but it is close by, in New Port Richey. It is so good I’m going to include it anyway, as a Special Added Bonus eatery:

ZEN KITCHEN & BAR: This place is other-worldly it’s so good. It started out as Zen Forrest a few miles away in a funky strip mall, but it underwent a significant change a few years ago and moved to a cool location in downtown New Port Richey. Food items inspired by Thai, Japanese, Chinese and Korean cuisine. Sample their wonton soup and you’ll never order it anywhere else again.

Want to know more about living in North Pinellas County? Get in touch with Beth anytime: 727-643-7100 or bethfrederickre@gmail.com .