Longtime Tampa diner to close for brand refresh

After more than 20 years on South Howard Avenue, Tampa’s Daily Eats will be closing its doors to undergo a complete brand makeover, the restaurant’s ownership announced Thursday. 

Ciccio Restaurant Group will be permanently closing Daily Eats, its “modern refresh of the classic diner,” to launch a new restaurant in the same space at 901 South Howard Ave. The closure is scheduled for June 15 and should last “a few weeks” until Daily Eats reopens as Meeting House — a neighborhood restaurant where guests can “meet, eat … and repeat,” the release says.  

“Daily Eats has been a meaningful part of the South Howard community for over two decades, serving as a place where first dates turned into families, regulars became friends and lasting memories were made,” the company says in a press release Thursday. “CRG does not take that history lightly. This is not goodbye to the people or spirit of Daily Eats.”

According to the release, the team at Daily Eats will stay on at the new restaurant, and some guest favorites will remain on the menu. Unlike Daily Eats, which has been a longtime local favorite for breakfast, Meeting House’s menu will offer lunch and dinner with a weekend brunch. 

“While change can be emotional, especially for a place tied to so many memories, CRG is incredibly grateful for the support the community has shown over the years and is excited to create something new for South Howard while still honoring what came before it,” the release says. 

CRG was founded more than 30 years ago in New York City and currently operates 30 different restaurants, including Cali, Fresh Kitchen, Green Lemon, Jay Luigi, Sweet Soul, Taco Dirty, and Water + Flour. Its portfolio also includes South Tampa and California wellness and fitness boutique CAMP.