Della’s Cafe and Bistro

We had a great first lunch experience here. It’s a nice strip mall restaurant with a nice ambience inside. The menu is written very tiny in chalk with a relatively extensive selection. I had hoped for options like the shrimp & grits but that must be night options (as these were all sandwich and salad choices). My friend got the special – chicken salad plate with 2 melon fruit salad, broccoli salad and tomatoes. She did not like the grainy consistency of the ground chicken salad, preferred a chunk style. The broccoli salad was the traditional one with raisins minus any sunflower seeds or onions – good flavor but sorta ‘blah’ with only the two ingredients. Everything was fresh. I ordered the #20 Sausalito Cuban, a turkey with jalapeño cream cheese. It references a salsa that was not evident and the turkey was next-​to non-​existent on the sandwich. The cream cheese was flavorful, it was large portioned and nicely toasted. We had the chocolate tart for dessert, a dark chocolate treat on graham cracker crust. Nice «bitter» dark chocolate flavor. Prices good ($ 8-​ish entrees), nice presentation of food, service friendly & quick. Overall, though, the tastes and flavors fell short of unique or gourmet. We would absolutely return.

Had dinner Saturday night with 8 others. Excellent service, very polite and friendly. Bread and food delicious! Excellent atmosphere and music. A little pricey and small portions. Had Grouper which was perfectly cooked and a small (seasoned)yam which was amazing, wish it was bigger. Will go back, if the portions were larger would go regularly. Worth a try.

I have to give credit where credit is due, this place is growing on me. A long time ago I ordered the broccoli and cheese soup and hated it, I hadn’t returned since. However I decided to give this cozy bistro another shot and I’m glad I did. The food has been very good and service is prompt so I’m able to get in and out on my lunch without rushing. Now that I know lunch has been an improvement I’m definitely coming back to try dinner.

Always first-​rate, inventive and extensive menu, fresh and fast. Our favorite restaurant!

I have only ever been for lunch and deserts, but oh my! The sandwiches are excellent but the real reason that I keep going back is the baked goods. It’s a little out of the way but I will make the trip for that red velvet cake. Good prices for the quality.

Last night we ate at Della’s After Dark in Brandon and can’t praise their talented young chef extraordinaire Wesley enough; his food was simply delicious. Fresh and exciting locally sourced ingredients produced creative dishes that were so yummy we can’t wait to go back. If you are like me and fed up with all the chain restaurants in our neighborhood and haven’t tried Della’s fine dining yet please do, I promise you won’t be disappointed!

What a great experience. Ingredients direct from local farms and very creative dishes. All four of us were amazed. The great Jazz and dancing was a great bonus. This is my new hangout!

heard Dellas after Dark has once again reopened & went for dinner last Friday evening… beautiful evening & sat on the patio with «Pampa»… This has always been one of our favorite restaurants, and dinner under chef Wesley did not disappoint: the menu is smaller now but well appointed … my husband got the Grouper & I had the Steak: both were expertly prepared and service from Lindsay & Lisa was friendly and efficient: also the entertainment was superb; the singer & keyboard player had an Al Green sound that was relaxing and professional: the desert was stellar and simple: poached mango with sorbet with carmelized crumbles… and flattering that Wes came to the table to check on our experience (very classy & easy on the eyes, besides attentive) Although we miss the equally handsome former doorman; Marshall who retired to Palm Springs, CA; it is comforting to see Dellas After Dark has maintained the high standards of the Dellagrotta Family … Unilocal needs to add a six star rating for this wonderful nite spot…

Ordered the strip steak. Looked like flank steak. Over cooked even when i told them medium rare to rare. Had good flavor but left very hungry. Nice jazz music. Had to order a pizza when we left

I ordered the shrimp n grits wrapped in bacon and it was delicious! The setting of the restaurant was lovely and the music the band played was very relaxing while eating. I will definitely be coming back for the shrimp and grits (:

This place was always amazing! Can’t believe they closed their doors.

I had heard good things about Della’s, so I had high hopes but was ultimately underwhelmed. I went for lunch, which offers a more deli-​like menu, so maybe that was the issue. My order was the special of the day, which was a burger and fries. Unfortunately, there was simply nothing about it that would make me want to go out of my way to go back. In addition, there was a hair that had been melted into the cheese which was an unpleasant discovery, but I was so hungry I just pulled it out and kept right on eating. I realize that things like that happen, but the quality of my experience, the price and the food all prevented me from giving a higher rating.

Drawn in by the aroma! I’ve lived here all my life and never had the desire to come here. That’s going to change. It’s a great little hole in the wall.
While waiting for my steak sandwich, it’s apparent that Della knows most all her customers and makes a point to meet the new ones. The steak sandwich is great, simple and quick. I shall return.

We came here for my birthday dinner last month. I’d heard of Della’s and had been meaning to check it out for the music (as somehow I’d gotten it into my head that it was a jazz club). Well, it’s not a jazz club, but there was a keyboardist there that evening who did a beautiful job and even humored me by singing my request, «My Funny Valentine.»
Della’s is intimate and cozy. The service was excellent. Our server was excellent. And Chef Debra was absolutely phenomenal! She came out to our table to explain the pork belly dish in great detail. And let me tell you — SO GOOD! The shrimp and grits were good also, but that pork belly was a showstopper.
To top off a great choice for dinner, the chef sent out desserts for us when she found out it was my birthday. Way to make a girl feel special! And that’s when a restaurant has done its job in «delighting» the customer.

This is my favorite lunch spot when I am in Brandon. The food here is fresh and delicious. Their lunch menu is filled with home-​made items and the dessert offerings made fresh daily are impossible to resist.
My go-​to light meal is the chicken salad plate. You can tell the chicken is not canned but recently roasted and then mixed with a light mayo dressing with grapes. It is served with broccoli salad and fruit. I use this light meal to balance out any one of the delectable desserts that I always have to get. Choose from Hawaiian Wedding Cake (yum!) or a Lemon Cheesecake Cookie. (double yum!)
I have not been here for dinner yet but I have yet to try a lunch meal or dessert here that I did not like. Try it, you won’t be disappointed!

The meal I had here are what dreams are made of. Shrimp n Grits concept expanded into shrimp stuffed with sausage, wrapped in bacon & brushed with teriyaki. Ohhhhh my. I love the creativity and energy of Chef Dolce Debbie. Well done!

A M A Z I N G. Simply, amazing.
I have had Della’s After Dark bookmarked for a while and have wanted to try it out. Also, our beloved Tampa Bay Unilocal CM, Brett wrote an outstanding review for this place, which just added to my intense yearning to dine here. This meal was definitely one of the best I have had in the Tampa Bay Area and was well worth the drive to the Brandon area.
Upon entering, the hostess quickly apologized and we were told the jazz musician had cancelled for the evening and there wasn’t going to be any live music. I didn’t mind because they had jazz music piping in from the speakers and I was here for the food.
Rachael was our server and she was very pleasant and attentive. Her great service made up for the lack of jazz music.
We started with a bottle of the Pennywise Merlot. I am not a huge fan of most Merlots nor anything that is named «Pennywise.» I still have recurring nightmares from that awful clown from «It.» This wine, however, was not a nightmare, and was quite pleasant to drink.
Rachael brought us an appetizer of Goat Cheese and Beets. Beets and goat cheese are two things I would have never paired together, but tasted fabulous. The bread was brought out a few minutes later and instead of butter, we were served a pepper nosh mixture. That too, was delicious and I loved the fact that it was something other than butter.
My date ordered the Shrimp and Grits. The shrimp were some of the largest I have ever seen! These shrimp were stuffed with pork and then wrapped with bacon… oh my… double pork goodness! The grits were so creamy that they were almost like mashed potatoes and melted in your mouth. The dish was amazing! The portion was perfect also, and I got to take some home!
I ordered one of the limited time specials, the Duck Confit Ravioli. Let me tell you, I am glad I was able to dine at Della’s in order to be able to try this dish because it too was amazing! The dish was served with Pan Seared Duck and the ravioli was covered in a Gorgonzola Dulce Cream Sauce. It was heavenly!
I was meeting friends for dessert afterwards, so we passed on dessert, but I plan on returning to try something the next time. I will definitely be back to try some of their other signature dishes and bring my foodie friends. I look forward to listening to some live jazz, too.
Della’s After Dark is a MUST dine experience for everyone. I promise you, you will NOT be disappointed.

Why 5 stars? Because I’d say this is a top 10 meal in Tampa Bay.
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Della’s After Dark had been on my to-​do list for months, but I just don’t find myself in Brandon very often on a Friday or Saturday night. But I had put it off so long that I decided to make the trek after a meeting I had way out in Largo.
I made a reservation, but was shocked to see the place nearly empty by the time I arrived. There was only one other table seated, and they cleared out around the time I was halfway done with my meal. This allowed me to be on the receiving end of my own, personal concert. The band playing was awesome, and I really enjoyed that aspect of the evening as well.
The service was top notch. I guess it may be easier when a place isn’t very busy, but nonetheless, the servers could not have been friendlier.
The food totally blew me away. The shrimp and grits was absolutely one of the best meals one of the best meals I have had in Tampa Bay. I find «bacon-​wrapped» things to be overrated and more hype than substance usually, but Della’s knocked it out of the park. The flavors of this dish were out of this world.
Cannot wait to return here. I know I have a decent amount of 5 star reviews, but this was a true masterpiece of a dinner. I wish I could give six stars.
***Only open Friday and Saturday nights***

My husband and I strongly recommend Dellas! This was our first meal and we enjoyed every bite! The French onion soup was delightful as was the salmon served with spinach and cauliflower mash. My husband ordered the chicken Panetta. We eat out a lot and this will be our special occasion and «just want to relax with my honey» date place. Everything from the atmosphere, sweet jazz, service and food was excellent! Try Dellas after dark; bring someone you care about or want to know better plus your appetite for fine dining and be pampered for the evening.
Ps My husband won’t let me stop this review unless I tell you about the pasta and desserts made in house. They are delicious too :-)

A hidden gem in Brandon! Not knowing what to expect, I ventured out for a decent meal and some live jazz close to home. In a daytime deli location, Della’s After Dark turns into a culinary delight on Friday & Saturday nights. From the greeting until I stepped out of the door, I felt catered to the entire evening.
Now the food:
The Chef’s amuse-​bouche — Pickled beet braised in brandy topped with goat cheese and a balsamic reduction drizzle followed by a vitello tonnato that was highly recommended and did not disappoint. The entrée was steak au poivre with a sweet potato & bacon purée was cooked and portioned to perfection. Dessert options paired with illy espresso were a wonderful way to end the dining experience. I chose the flourless chocolate torte that had hints of Chambord in every amazing bite. Compliments to the Chef and staff!