Great food, drinks and service! I visit with a group of girls and we shared 7 different appetizers. Â My favorite were the tequila lime shrimp and scallops with crystallized ginger (YUM) and I also really liked the Athenian flatbread! Everything was very tasty though! There is a full bar and many options for cocktails, wine and beer to choose from.
Review Source:This place was just okay. Â We ordered a bottle of wine, which was probably an 8 dollar bottle getting sold at wine exchange for 28, and we also ordered the cheese plate. The cheeses were okay, nothing fantastic, and they came with ritz crakers which was a big dissapointment, the fruits that they came with were actually nice and fresh. Â We asked for water crakers instead of the ritz crakers and we were told that they didnt have any, then towards the end when we finushed the ritz and still had plenty of cheese left over they bought us some extra crakers which were actully water crakers this time. Â Also, what disappointed me was that other tables were given complementary bread and oil, which actually looked really good, and we weren't given this!!!
We may still give this place one more shot since its so happening, now that we know what stuff that they actually have, it could be enjoyable next time.
First time here. Â We only had two drinks and a couple apps but they were all tasty. For drinks we had the kapparinha and kappa punch - it was like juice! Â That's always a plus for me. Â Okay, maybe they were kind of sweet, but still refreshing. Â For apps we had the chevre and tuna sashimi. Â
The chevre was prepared in a tomato sauce with pine nuts and topped with pesto. Â It was delicious BUT we say no to pine nuts! Â They just got in the way.
The sashimi was seared nicely and came on a bed of pickled onions and a seaweed salad. Â This was just a standard sashimi dish - it was well prepared and tasted good. Â The chevre had it beat.
Service was good and attentive. Â This place seems nice and chill. Â Wouldn't mind being a regular here.
I don't know why it took me so long to eat here but I finally had the opportunity over lunch. I love Hyde Park Village so the location is great - local feel with indoor and outdoor seating, smack in the middle of South Tampa.
The lunch crowd was very light which surprised me why service was slow. Both my guest and I ordered salads and by the time it came out, we had to rush and eat to make it back to the office in time. My friend had the grilled shrimp salad which smelled and looked amazing. I had the grilled, mesquite steak salad. The flavor was overpowering and the steak overcooked. I could only eat half because all I could taste was the mesquite flavor.
Not enough to turn me away but I had high expectations.
Wine Exchange gets 5 stars from me primarily because of awesome but also because of a wonderful food and wine menu. Â Â This was one of the few places we've been where once the waiter knew we were vegetarian, he actually started suggesting vegetable substitutions for their meat entrees. Â That kind of understanding of the menu is very impressive and very welcome.
Their wine menu boasted a plethora of options in every type of wine so I chose to start with a light prosecco and my wife had a really delicious sparkling shiraz that was worth every penny.
Dinner for me was a grilled portabella mushroom layered on top of a parmesan seared potato cake on a bed of spring greens. Â And yes, it was even better than it sounds. Â My wife had gnocchi with spinach and broccoli. Â Originally it came with anchovies but the waiter suggested the broccoli which worked well with it. Â All of our food arrived quickly and was presented beautifully.
The dessert menu was also great, but after dinner and wine we had no room left. Â But that's ok, because we'll definitely be heading back here to sample more of everything.
Good atmosphere not very excited about the food, good flavors but the overall execution was poor. For me soup equals liquid something lacking in the black bean soup and extremely toasted French Dip sandwich that I wished I had a full bowl to dip in. I'm hoping to try the dinner menu and the specialty drinks soon...there is definitely potential items in the menu.
Review Source:This is a cute little place in Hyde Park Village with great ambiance and reasonable prices. The patio is lovely- definitely recommend getting seated on the patio on a nice day.
This place has THE best chicken salad I have ever had. The chicken salad itself deserves like ten stars. I crave their chicken salad all the time.
I've eaten some other dishes here before too... A pasta dish over a year ago that I remember being fairly average and the Cajun lobster tail they had as a special recently. I'd give the lobster about three stars... Lobster is always delicious but I've definitely had better. The veggies that came on the side with the dish were very good. I've also had the lime shrimp and scallops appetizer which were very interesting... Flavor was unique and light but seemed to be missing something. Oh, also- LOVE the free bread here! Warm and fluffy served with a delicious dipping sauce.
Some good happy hour specials here too- they have a $12 bottomless wine night and $5 Absolut cocktails on Sundays. Got the strawberry lemonade cocktail and it tasted just like one of those strawberry lemonade freeze pops.
I love Wine Exchange! Wine Exchange was one of the stops on the Discrawl Hyde Park tour where we were served the chicken salad and cuban salad. I was in love with the Cuban Salad and wanted to eat more and more. I've also been to Wine Exchange on several other occasions and always opt for something with mushrooms because for some reason, their mushrooms are so amazing, more so than at other places. The inside is small but not too crowded- you just feel like you're hanging out with a bunch of friends. The patio is a great size and perfect for those great Florida nights.
Review Source:Wine Exchange used to be my Saturday night "Go-to" date night staple with my lad. Â We had our favorite server (Dionne) who never failed us and food that was consistently tasty. Â Though it never knocked our socks off, we never had a bad meal and were always so impressed with the incredible hospitality. Â
 In the last year or so, we have begun to sing a different tune.  Sure, Wine Exchange's location is bar none.  The ambiance is awesome too.  However, the food has been so hit or miss-with more misses along the way.  Due to our failure to plan properly this New year's Eve, we settled on a reservation for our group of 8 to go here.  With the exception of two friends in our party, there were issues with everyone else's plates.  Overcooked, undercooked, cold, or warmed by the heat lamp, it was rather horrendous.  With sincere apologies from our server, we were still brushed off by the manager who offered a $20 discount from our $400 bill.  I haven't been back since and plan on keeping it that way.
 I gave Wine Exchange 3 stars because it truly has never been THIS bad. The service is always flawless too.  It is the cuisine that has taken quite a hurtin'.  The few times before NYE that we visited, we did notice a difference in the chef's creativity for the Specials menu and also noticed quite a decline with the tastiness of our meals.  Yet, it still wasn't awful.  We would've continued visiting sporadically had the New Years Eve incident never occurred.  Perhaps they wre much busier than they had anticipated.  Maybe there was an absence of a line cook or two.  Whatever the case was, it was so disappointing and I can only hope that our favorite server is still reaping the benefits of the restaurant's prime location in Old Hyde park.
this place is great! located in the hyde park area. not quite "fine" dining, but close enough. certainly way better than many places who do call themselves fine dining. this place is kind of small, seating about 30 people inside with a patio area outside seating about the same. its quiet and lovely and normally has chill vibe music playing at a level where carrying on a conversation is not a problem. everything ive had has been good, if not great! their chicken salad sandwich is spot on as well as their potato salad that comes with. there is no one way of doing things so appreciate the dish for what it is, whether its good or bad, not what you expect it to taste like because thats the only way you know of it. be open minded to your potato salad tasting differently than the way your mom makes it.
theyre gnocchi a la porky is AMAZING!
ive only been here for lunch so the prices seem perfectly reasonable for what you get. dinner seems to be a few dollars higher, but double the portion. so if you want to try this place, go for lunch.
ive been here over a dozen times and if i didnt live an hour away i would sure frequent this place a lot more.
its awesome. not spiffy. not stuck up. unpretentious. awesome.
Nice little place for a date night or a girls night out, or even with a group of friends. Most of their seating is on the patio, which at this time of year is enclosed. It's cozy out there, so you don't really feel like you're on the back porch, and they are equipped with fans and these sweet heaters that keep you cozy.
I've been here twice; once with friends and once for a date night. When with a group, we also sat on the patio, and the service was great, food was satisfactory, but it got a bit loud and echo-y, so not the best location for like a book club, or if you're getting to know people in a large group. When I went with my man for date night, it was perfect for being able to talk to each other. As luck would have it, we were actually seated at a table right next to a table where two of our friends were sitting, and we had no problem conversing with them from our seats. So I guess noise level depends on the time and the size of your group. Heck, our group could have been one of the ones making all the noise!
Nice wine and cocktail selection, but the food menu isn't that large. However, it is diverse. They have some unique appetizers, limited soup selection, but several salads and sandwiches. The entree selection is pretty good, ranging from pastas to chicken and steak and seafood. Many of the pastas looked really good. Entrees range from $12 to $18 (most of them) with a steak at $24. The pizzas are around $11 and DELICIOUS. We ordered an Athenian and a Wingin' It and both were scrumptious. I'd go back just for those. The artichoke hears were full of flavor and the crust was definitely to my liking. My mango martini was alright, and can't be beat for $5. I've also had their moscato which was pretty good. I just have a hard time ordering glasses of wine for $8 or $9 knowing I can get a whole bottle for a few dollars more at the liquor store. But indulging every once in awhile is nice.
Service was pretty good when with a group of 10, but last night on our date night, it was just okay. The manager was there and seemed attentive, but no one really checked on us for drink refills and things. My glass sat empty a few times, and I just felt a little abandoned. They were semi-busy, but there seemed to be lots of servers and the manager, but maybe we looked a little too content to bother. ;)
Nice menu selection of pizzas, salads, entrees, and pasta at dinner. Good drink specials. I love their lunch menu which has some awesome sandwiches. The patio is a cool place to sit and relax most nights. On my last visit, I had the BBQ Pizza and the Cafe Salad. The BBQ pizza had chicken, honey-bbq sauce, onions, bacon, and cheddar cheese. It's not a huge pizza but the toppings are piled on, so it was very filling. The Cafe Salad comes with artichoke hearts, hearts of palm, black olives, croutons, tomatoes, and a vinaigrette dressing. Very nice! Meals are served with warm sliced bread and seasoned olive oil. The last time I had a dessert here it wasn't the best but you can walk around the corner to the sweets shop in Hyde Park Village for chocolates or ice cream.
Review Source:I wish I could give half stars because it's a little better than -meh- but not quite a-ok. My lunch today was middle of the road. Average.
I sat out on the patio because the weather was nice. They have fans and heaters installed above for less ideal temperatures. The waiter we had was "just okay" - not particularly friendly and didn't really check in on us much.
I got a turkey/brie sandwich so I passed on the bread to start with (looked good though). There wasn't anything special about it. The bread was fine. The brie was fine. The turkey was shaved deli style with no real seasoning or anything. Came with a side of fries. They're those thick cut ones, for those of you who are anal about your friend potatoes. They also had fruit as an option, and it was definitely fresh. It would have been nice if they cut the pineapple and melon off the outer rind though. Last but not least, the iced tea had a weird flavor to it. Does water in hyde park have some kind of weird taste I don't know about?
All in all, I wouldn't go out of my way just to eat here again, but if I was in the area I wouldn't be opposed to going back. Some of the salads that went by looked good but a couple of them were made with iceberg (it's just crunchy water!) and I would rather try the options with lettuce/greens of nutritional value.
And so, the hunt for the best chicken salad sandwich continues.
I came here today with a bunch of coworkers. I had to try the Georgian sandwich (chicken salad with grapes and other good stuff). I opted for the potato salad- another tough order to fill because potato salad can vary so much.
I got my sandwich and immediately knew I was going to hate the bread, and I was right. It was far too crispy, or toasted, and I ended up scraping off my chicken salad and leaving most of the bread on my plate or as crumbs in my lap. One of my coworkers commented that the bread looked like fake food. lol, who needs carbs anyhow? The potato salad was ok. It was too heavy on dill or something for my taste. I seem to prefer more eggy or more "loaded baked potato" ala Publix's, but that is just personal preference.
I think I enjoyed eating here simply because it made me feel like I lived in a real city again, and I could pretend I owned one of those beautiful Hyde Park bungalows as I drove away. Le sigh...
All in all, I liked the atmosphere and the service. I would probably come back again.
I love the atmosphere of Wine Exchange. It is a great place for a date night, or even just a girl's night out. I love meeting friends there to share a flatbread pizza, and just talk over a glass (or 2!) of wine. The menu has a lot of variation, and ranges from budget friendly to some more expensive items. I recommend sitting inside if you can. I just like the atmosphere better, and feel that the service is better too. However, the patio is dog friendly, which is always a fun perk! The staff is very knowledgable about the wine that they serve, and will even let you try some if you ask. I really enjoying coming here for a nice, low key evening.
Review Source:Decent menu, nothing truly exceptional but a pretty consistent level of quality and a wide variety sure to please most palates. Â I have eaten here twice and both times have dined outside on the patio. Â The inside decor is nice - cozy and intimate - would be good for a date, I think. Â The patio is dog-friendly and covered so you can still sit out there even when it's raining outside. Â
The dinner menu has a selection of pizzas, pastas and entrees in addition to some various appetizers, soups and salads. Â Portion sizes are large and prices are about average (entrees $15-$25). Â For lunch, the menu is similar but with a bit more variety as they have about a dozen sandwiches available in addition to the same appetizers, salads and pastas/entrees, just served in smaller portions for a correspondingly smaller price. Â They seem to have 2-3 daily specials to choose from too, on any given day, which I appreciate.
Dishes we have tried and enjoyed include the Grape-Pecan Chicken salad, the Hummus appetizer, the Vineyard pizza, the Neapolitan pasta and a special Cajun pasta with filet tips.
I really enjoy wine but am certainly no wine expert. Â With that being said, I have found several nice wines available by the glass that I have enjoyed here, and they also have a pretty good selection of specialty cocktails available, although I haven't tried any of them since I usually stick to wine. Â Â
Service has been good on both dining occasions, with the servers being knowledgeable about  the menu and happy to make recommendations. Â
All in all I like the Wine Exchange. Â It's certainly not the best restaurant in Tampa but definitely worth a visit and a nice spot for drinks with friends or a date night out.
She's a Keeper!
I found the Wine Exchange to be a refreshing place for a lite mid-week dinner and glass of wine.
Looking for something different, I tried the "Numanthia Termes / Tempranillo / Toro" red which came from a 50 year old vintage.  I noticed that this particular wine had many hidden flavors and depth of  taste vs. the more moderately priced Malbec on the menu.  If you're a Pinot Noir drinker, I've enjoyed the "Matua / New Zealand" red in the past which was also delightful.
The soup of the day was a cajun black bean and it was really fantastic. Â Just the right amount of spice with carrots and other vegetables to add texture and flavor versatility.
Looking to pace myself with my entree, I ordered the Portobello Stacker from the appetizers section of the menu and added grilled chicken which turned out to be a perfect portion for an entree. Â
I am newer to the area and I'm always surprised at how desolate the Hyde Park downtown area is with Timpano and the Wine Exchange as exceptions to this observation. Â Does everyone stick to Howard / Macdill during the evening? Why are there so many storefront vacancies?
Tip: Staff seems to be GLBT friendly!
Love this place. Great date place. Honestly, I don't know how to describe how perfect this place it. Â The food is awesome. Â The mash potatoes-- I would literally stab my date in the eye if he tried to try them. OMG. Amazing. The steak I ordered. Perfect. Wine was perfect. And the drinks strong. Like I said-Amazing.
Review Source:The Wine Exchange is a good restaurant that doesn't stand out in a crowd. It has decent offerings on the menu, but there is nothing that really jumps out as being a featured dish or something that you can only find at the Wine Exchange. The menu is huge, and I almost think it might be a little. There are ample appetizers, salads, pizzas, pastas, and main dishes to choose from, but again, none of them are that special.
Of course, the feature here, as the name would suggest, is the wine list. It's a multi-page book that has at least 20-25 options for glasses of red and glasses of white. There are then hundreds of bottles to choose from.
I ordered the fresh spinach salad with ahi tuna on it. The salad had bacon actually on it, which I don't remember saying on the menu, and the dressing just felt like it was bacon and oil It was way to heavy for such a light salad. I didn't pour it on top but dipped my fork into it to get as much as I wanted.
I'm not sure I would go back here again. It's just not that great, and it ended up costing $45 for two glasses of wine and that salad.
I love everything about Hyde Park (Anthropologie, Cinebistro, walk-able outdoor shops and Indigo Coffee).
The Wine Exchange is no exception. We take out-of-town visitors here and they always love it. Â It's a very pretty, comfortable restaurant. Â I probably gave it an extra star just for the ambiance. Have a seat outside on the patio and you'll get some great people (and dog) watching as shoppers stroll past. Â
For lunch, the Roman Chicken Sandwich (chicken breast with pesto) and Georgian Chicken Sandwich (chicken salad with grapes) are both good. Â
For dinner, try one of their pasta dishes.
We snagged a table by the window on a chilly Saturday night and about an hour later there was a line. Despite filling up it never was loud, and the tables weren't on top of one another like many restaurants. It was intimate but not pretentious.
We started with salads: the small caesar for him and the small cafe (hearts of palm, black olives, artichoke hearts, tomatoes and croutons) with balsamic for me. Both were decent size for their small price tag (4.50). The croutons were crunchy and airy.
From the appetizer menu he had the veggie quesadilla and the sauteed veggies with cheddar and feta were packed with flavor. Sour cream and salsa accompanied the four wedges.
I had the Neapolitan pasta: fusilli pasta with sauteed mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, black olives, walnuts and artichoke hearts tossed in a pesto olive oil sauce and topped with ricotta. It was delicious and enough for two meals. The sauce was a bit oily.
Nice vibe, cool bar area and nice artwork. Nothing overly special, but a decent meal in Hyde Park Village.
If you are looking for a great, huge meal and a even better drink this is the place! The cuban salad I crave every day, but living so close by I have tried basically everything on the menu. Everything has so much flavor it is to savor, definitely not run of the mill chain food. The specials are always great, except they sometimes run out of them.
I would say if you are looking for a great date place this is it!! it is moderately priced, great food, great wines, and great waiters that will answer any questions and are very knowledgeable about the wine list.
I love coming here. The food is very good. They have an extensive wine selection, the name gives it away. Also, on the outdoor patio they are dog friendly which is a definite plus for me as there are very few places I can bring my dog with me. Servers have always been great; as has the service.
Review Source:The food at the Wine Exchange is so-so, but the Van Gogh and Kettle One cocktails are awesome. Â The bartender made one of the better dirty martinis I have had in a while. Â Shame the food isn't better, the location is great and the atmosphere is fun. Â Great place for people watching: large bar, restaurant window overlooks Hyde Park Circle and the back patio area is festively decorated.
My opinion: stop by Wine Exchange for drinks, but go elsewhere for dinner.
Only stopped in for a few drinks before Music Fest, but will for sure come back and try the menu. Drinks were quite reasonable ($3.50 flavored Smirnoff and whatever to get you in the mood for some live jazz), and the atmosphere was bustling but still quiet enough that you could hear a conversation.
The wine list was quite extensive, and the staff friendly. Hyde Park needs to make a comeback and I hope places like this are what can rally the neighborhood. There's so much great space down there that's not getting used presently, and it's in such a wonderful location.
Looking forward to a more extensive review once I can see what's on the menu!
I have lived in Tampa my whole life but always thought of the Wine Exchange as a place for older people. I was wrong. The smells walking up to the place made me hungry! The atmosphere is modern and clean. I went Mid-July so sitting outside on the patio was not an option! Â My friend is pregnant and asked for ginger ale. They make it in-house! She loved it. Our waiter was super nice and helpful.
One of my friends ordered the Paris sandwich. She completely deconstructed it but the waiter was patient and even told her that she would rename it and they would put it on the specials! My mom had the cafe salad. It was nice and light! I did discover that heart of palm is NOT for me. The dressing on the salad was delicious! I had the spinach ravioli and was very pleasantly surprised! It is super fresh and perfectly portioned for lunch. I thought it might be a little heavy but in a light garlic butter sauce the spinach and cheese filling really shined.
My only complaint is they run out of things. I heard the waiter telling people they didn't have a couple of different menu items. It is a common problem that smaller restaurants tend to experience so it's nothing to be to upset about!
Overall, I really enjoyed my meal. I will definitely go back and try it for dinner!
I remain a fan, and have been since they originally opened. The new location is actually far superior in both size and layout to the old digs.
We came for cocktails and ended up ordering a pizza (Athenian 11$) ZOMG so good noms. Our first round was delicious and in the ups glasses, second round was off the Saturday night tequila 5$ special menu - I ordered one I absolutely hated, and they replaced it with the same as my lovely drinking companion without hesitation.
Need to go back for dinner soon... nice staff too.
I probably wouldn't go again. The service was horrible, but I got the impression it was just our server who was bad, and they are not all like that!
The food was plain jane, nothing too exciting. I ordered nut crusted mahi and it was bland. To be called the "Wine Exchange" the wine list was average, and the server didn't step up and say anything wonderful about their wines.
Definitely overpriced, they try to be something more than they really are. If you are not too finicky and are simple when it comes to your food, go for it, I think you would enjoy it. But I would have rather spent $50 and make it better myself!!
A favorite for my wife and I. Â We visit a few times a month, at least. Â The wine list is constantly changing, and it's nice to have a place that can get away with not having the same mass-marketed wines as typical places. Â If you don't drink wine, they also have some decent beers on tap (Dogfish 90, Bells Two Hearted Ale, etc).
The food specials are also constantly changing, and are typically excellent. Â I've had everything from orange-glazed duck, to grilled fish sandwiches with some type of banana sauce on top, to cheese stuffed pork chops (amazing). Â Their salads are enormous and you can tell they use extremely fresh ingredients. Â The baked brie appetizer is solid... more than enough food alone for two people having a small lunch with a glass of wine or beer.
Another great thing about Wine Exchange is the outdoor seating area. Â They allow dogs out there, usually have fans on during hot weather, and are very quick to bring your dog a water dish for your table.
Ask for Thomas to be your server.
I would give it 3 1/2 stars. Â Also, the restaurant is on Snow, not Swann.
The restaurant doesn't have any extensive menu, but there is plenty of choice between pastas, salads, and steak. Â They also have a decent selection of beers and wine.
We had the fish tacos as an appetizer and I ate the Cajun pasta for my entree. Â Both, the tacos and the pasta, were flavorful, but the "wow factor" that would make it 4 stars was missing. Â My husband and I were unable to finish our pastas, as the portions are pretty significant. Â Also, while the wait staff was nice and helpful while present, they weren't as attentive as they could have been.
I may go back if I am in the area, but I wouldn't drive out to the Old Hyde Park Village especially...
I've been to the wine echange twice now and would recommend it to most people, whether you are into wine or not. The bar itself is pretty cozy and you can sit and enjoy a drink while watching a game on one of the 2 small flatscreens. The decor is sleek and modern which is a little unique for tampa to begin with.
There seems to be a slightly older clientele in the evening hours (40's-50's) rather than a younger single crowd, however I have heard their happy hour is quite good 4-7 but have not been myself.
I would recommend this place to guys as a date place, to ladies for a girl night out, etc. The food is great and reasonable in price (12-20$) the chili rubbed flank steak is my favorite. EXTENSIVE wine list as well as wines by the glass is a big plus.
There's an outdoor patio which is also a nice change of pace on cooler tampa evenings. Overall i think its a place to enjoy over and over again.
If there is a god, she eats here! My first experience at Wine Exchange was a memorable one! A friend from work recommended we try it for our May meeting and I'm so happy she did.
It's located in cute "Hyde Park" with garage parking just up the street. We arrived first for lunch and it was a good thing - it got full fast!
I loved the inside decor, very edgy and cozy, if that's at all possible. The front seating is set next to full wall windows - the natural lighting gives it a clean-crisp feeling. Put it this way, I usually only snap a shot or two for a reveiw but I ended up posting 5! I could've even shot the bathroom it was so pretty but I figured I'd spare you all my nerdiness.
Bread and olive oil is served. 2 of us ordered the fantabulous grape-pecan chicken salads, 1 ordered french dip (she loved), and 1 ordered a lunch special - pork chop with roasted garlic mash, corn saute & strawberry sauce (I sampled this & can't wait to go back again to order it).
Prices were very reasonable for the size dish you receive. Service was very friendly and ultra fast (per 1st review-server broke up the bill).
Wine Exchange has moved to the top of my list -yay!
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