A Taste You Will Crave Long After You Leave

 The indiscriminate pub sign out front doesn’t begin to hint at what lies inside The Stein & Vine, which manages to successfully combine friendly service, warm décor and a blossoming food menu – not to mention a chalkboard on the wall boasting a bevy of brews. 

Ty Mathis, who is at the helm of the kitchen as the chef, and his wife, Lacey, own the restaurant and bar. Mathis described opening The Stein & Vine in late 2012 as a lifelong dream, made even sweeter after spending months personally rebuilding the bar from the floor to the ceiling.

Reclaimed bricks from an Ybor City schoolhouse, circa 1913, were used to build the unique bar area, complete with storage areas and concealed draught lines. Tinted front windows keep out bright light from the parking lot, but custom light fixtures set amongst the high industrial ceiling with exposed, painted pipes reflect muted light off of the handmade penny-pressed bar top, which features hundreds of heads up copper under a clear coating.

However, with only 52 seats, this neighborhood bar with global appeal can get crowded on the weekends…but it’s worth the wait. While some of the menu favorites are permanent, there are changes made daily based on ingredient availability since Mathis embraces the farm to table concept. “There is a love of food and beer that comes through to our customers,” said manager Steve Lavelle. “We love everything we serve.” The soup of the day, a potato, bacon and cheddar mixture, was the Goldilocks of soup – not too salty, not too thick and in the end, just right as a start to lunch.

Pig wings, made from tender pork shank, are the clear best seller. The variation on regular chicken wings comes with a choice of five original sauces, including Habanero BBQ, Latin Lime and, of course, Buffalo. The dish’s popularity has even led to a collection of patron-donated pigs with wings, from stuffed to lighted.

If you need heat, the Volcano burger, made with bleu cheese, sriracha, jalapenos and buffalo sauce, can set your soul on fire, and the Cajun corn on the cob, a deep-fried treat with butter and secret seasonings, redefines vegetables forever. he most memorable bite in the house, however, is the 33 1/3 & a Bird. It is a burger made with 1/3 bacon, cheese, a fried egg in the middle and served with tator tots.

If you’re unsure what to sip while savoring the burger, or any of the dishes, Mathis is ready to help. As a Cicerone Certified Beer Server, he can recommend the right barley and hops combination for customers, whether they’re looking to experiment or just trying to find a more familiar taste. Selection is never an issue, with 30 rotating draughts from craft breweries in the Tampa area and across the country, as well as 150 bottled beer selections. “I like to think we are expanding people’s palates,” Mathis stated.

True to its name, The Stein & Vine also offers a wide assortment of wine, ranging from Washington State standards to hard-to-find French varietals, most of which are poured by the glass. “We want to keep improving the bar and working on new menu items,” Mathis said. “We’re a small business. We want our customers to be happy and drink local with us.”


The Stein & Vine, which opens at noon everyday, is located at 827 West Bloomingdale Ave. in Brandon. To see a current menu and check out the latest and greatest beers on tap, go to www.thesteinandvine.com. For take-out, call 813-655-4786.

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