The Top 5 Up-and-Coming Food Influencers in Tampa
Tampa food influencers who punch above their follower count: 5 up-and-coming creators with up to 4 times the typical engagement of their size, and how to book a visit.
Most Tampa-area food accounts with 5,000 to 100,000 followers get about 8 likes and comments per 1,000 followers on a typical Reel.
1. Francesca, @lifewithfrancescag: cafes, bakeries and family-friendly spots
cafes, bakeries and family-friendly spots
- Engagement Strength
- 32.24x the typical Tampa food account
- Followers
- 14,153
- Avg. views per Reel
- 2,759
- Reels, last 30 days
- 6+
Francesca covers cafes, bakeries and restaurants across Tampa Bay, from Ybor City to Clearwater, Largo and Pinellas Park, mostly in Spanish. Recent posts include the barbecue sampler at Station House BBQ in Tampa, croissants and pastries at Katerina's Bakery in Largo, and Dua Cafe on Clearwater Beach.
The account mixes food with family outings, so a family-friendly restaurant, cafe or bakery is the strongest fit, and bilingual captions suit a place that wants content in Spanish. The bio points partnership and PR requests to a link.
2. Celeste, @tampabayfoodies_: hidden gems, seafood and latin spots
hidden gems, seafood and latin spots
- Engagement Strength
- 19.42x the typical Tampa food account
- Followers
- 9,073
- Avg. views per Reel
- 5,023
- Reels, last 30 days
- 6+
Celeste runs a Tampa food guide with new places each week, mostly in Spanish and usually with the address. Recent posts include fresh seafood at The Tides Market in Safety Harbor, pho at Zen Noodles on West Waters Avenue, and the new Big Dave's Cheesesteaks on East Fowler Avenue.
The strongest fit is an independent restaurant with a deal, a grand opening or a weekend special to announce. The bio invites collab and promo requests.
3. Jenn, @thisjenngirl: asian restaurants, bakeries and new openings
asian restaurants, bakeries and new openings
- Engagement Strength
- 17.22x the typical Tampa food account
- Followers
- 38,744
- Avg. views per Reel
- 22,529
- Reels, last 30 days
- 6+
Jenn covers restaurants across the Tampa Bay area with a lean toward Asian food, from Tampa and Brandon to Odessa, St. Pete and Clearwater. Recent posts include bò né, the Vietnamese steak and eggs, at a new Vietnamese restaurant in Tampa, which reached 25,577 views, chicken feet and dim sum at Bakery 1908 on East Fowler Avenue, which reached 47,082 views, and omakase at Sushi Sho Rexley, one of five St. Pete restaurants recommended in the 2026 Michelin Guide, which reached 72,714 views.
The strongest fit is an Asian restaurant, a bakery or a new opening with dishes worth explaining. The bio asks for collaboration requests by email, not DM.
4. Lauren, @eatsbylaurr: bagels, ramen and new casual spots
bagels, ramen and new casual spots
- Engagement Strength
- 16.92x the typical Tampa food account
- Followers
- 19,105
- Avg. views per Reel
- 14,458
- Reels, last 30 days
- 17+
Lauren finds new casual spots around Tampa and Wesley Chapel, with occasional trips to Orlando and South Florida. Recent posts include the fall menu and pumpkin bagel at The Bagel Nook in downtown Tampa, New York style bagels and breakfast sandwiches at Brooklyn Water Bagel in Wesley Chapel, and the new Hokkaido Ramen House on North Dale Mabry Highway.
The strongest fit is a bagel shop, a cafe or a newly opened casual restaurant. The profile lists UGC work and an email address, so it is worth asking about video you can use on your own account.
5. @thetampaguide: new restaurants, date nights and ybor city
new restaurants, date nights and ybor city
- Engagement Strength
- 12.52x the typical Tampa food account
- Followers
- 41,926
- Avg. views per Reel
- 27,517
- Reels, last 30 days
- 3+
The account posts Tampa restaurants and bars, from Ybor City and Seminole Heights to Water Street and Davis Islands. Recent posts include the new Tommy's Chophouse, a modern steakhouse on 7th Avenue in Ybor City, dumplings, noodles and green beans at Shanghai Dumpling House, and a chef's table dinner at The Landon with Chef Robert Hesse.
The strongest fit is a new restaurant, a date-night spot or a dessert shop with a seasonal item. The bio lists an email address.
See @thetampaguide's Instagram
How to reach Tampa food influencers and get a visit booked
Finding someone you want to work with is the start. You still need a reply, agreed terms, a visit on the calendar and the content afterward.
Find their business email, follow them and reach out
Look for the email button on their Instagram profile, a business-inquiries address in their bio or a contact page on their linked website. If they list a manager for collaborations, use that contact.
Follow the account and watch a few recent restaurant videos. Then email a specific invitation: which restaurant you run, where it is, what you would like them to try and what you are proposing in return. Mention a relevant post of theirs so they can see why you chose them.
Send a short DM pointing them to your email. If their profile asks businesses to DM rather than email, start there. The goal is to get the invitation seen through the channels they use for work.
Follow up and get your terms in writing
If you do not hear back, follow up after a few business days. If there is still no response, move on to another good fit. Stop if they decline.
Once they are interested, agree on the food credit, any cash fee, guest count, content they will produce and posting deadline. Include raw footage and commercial usage rights if you need them. Permission to advertise from the influencer's account is separate from permission to run their video from your restaurant's account.
Get those terms in writing before you book. A friendly yes does not tell you whether you are getting a Reel, a few Stories or any files you can use afterward.
Schedule the visit and tell your team what was agreed
Offer specific dates and service windows. Confirm the influencer's name, party size, arrival time, dining credit and who they should ask for when they arrive. Give your team the same information.
Send a reminder before the visit. If the date changes, update the booking and your team so the new plan is not buried in a DM.
Follow up until you have the content
After the visit, check the posting deadline, review anything that requires approval and collect the files you agreed on. Follow up if the content is late. Save the finished video, raw clips and written permissions together so you can actually use them later.
Keep track of the influencers whose content, attitude and follow-through you liked. Those are the people to invite back. You do not need to start a new search every month when you have relationships worth continuing.
Want local influencers without managing all that back-and-forth?
You can do this yourself. The work is keeping a dozen different conversations moving: who replied, who agreed to your terms, who needs a date, who rescheduled and who still owes you content.
Remy gets interested local influencers to apply to work with your restaurant on your terms. You approve the influencers and their content. Remy handles scheduling, reminders, rescheduling and content follow-up, and you keep the relationships so you can invite good people back.
Instead of chasing every person on a list, you can choose from influencers who have already applied to work with you.
Looking for another city? See our food influencer lists by city, including New York City, Boston and Las Vegas.
About the numbers
Engagement Strength is the likes and comments a typical recent Reel gets per 1,000 followers, using each account's newest Reels from the past 90 days. We screened 88 Tampa-area food accounts with 5,000 to 100,000 followers and checked each finalist for real Tampa restaurant coverage. The typical account we screened scored 8. Data collected 2026-09-24.