Petra Mediterranean Restaurant — Restaurant in Tampa

My recent experience with Petra Restaurant was beyond magnificent!! I was responsible for planning a bachelor's party for a dear friend of mine whose wedding I'm in today, and Petra Restaurant rose to the occasion! When we arrived, they ushered us to an upper room that we had all to ourselves for the entire evening and then treated us to an outrageously delicious four-course meal!

The first course was pita bread served with dipping oil. But the dipping oil was no ordinary dipping oil! The dipping oil had zaatar (Middle Eastern herb blend) and seasoned red pepper flakes in it that made even the pita bread absolutely burst with flavor!

The second course was an assortment of Middle Eastern appetizers including hummus, babaghanoush, labeneh (cream of yogurt topped with olive oil), falafel, and the best vegetarian grape leaves you will find anywhere. The hummus and labeneh also made excellent dips for the pita bread which continued to be served throughout the evening.

The third course was the entree, the "Petra mix grilled," a combination of shish kebab, kufta kebab, and grilled chicken kebab, served over a bed of seasoned rice. As if this phenomenal entree didn't already have enough flavor, it was served with an absolutely delightful garlic sauce that seduced me into eating more that evening than I care to admit.

The fourth course was dessert! Dessert was the world-renowned Middle Eastern delight, baklava, served with a small cup of coffee. Baklava is already one of my favorite desserts, but this baklava was made with honey and was a bit softer than most other baklava, making it some of the best baklava I have had in my life!

Added perks to the evening included a delicious mint-infused lemonade that was served throughout the evening, liberality on the part of Petra Restaurant in serving additional helpings of appetizers and entree without additional cost, and extra tables that we used to play a board game after dinner was over

My friend who is getting married today is one of the kindest, most loving people I know. It was deeply important to me to provide him with a bachelor's party worth remembering. Petra Restaurant made that possible for me, and for that, I am eternally grateful to all the staff who treated us like royalty throughout the evening. If you are planning a trip to Tampa, Petra on W. Kennedy Blvd. is a must-visit destination. If you live in Tampa and have not yet visited Petra, this is your call to drive over for lunch or...

I recently visited Petra Middle Eastern Restaurant in Tampa for the second time, and unfortunately, I do not plan on returning. While the ambiance and service were commendable, I must express my disappointment regarding the most crucial aspect - the food.

The atmosphere of Petra is undoubtedly pleasant, with a welcoming and cozy ambiance that sets the stage for an enjoyable dining experience. The staff demonstrated excellent customer service, ensuring our needs were attended to promptly. However, despite these positives, the quality of the food fell short of expectations.

During both visits, I found the meat to be extremely tough and cold, which greatly impacted the overall taste. The lack of tenderness and flavor left much to be desired, leaving me feeling unsatisfied with my dining experience. It was clear that attention to detail and proper preparation of the dishes was lacking.

In today's competitive market, where restaurants have to go above and beyond to stand out, Petra Middle Eastern Restaurant must make some serious changes if they wish to survive. While the atmosphere and service are commendable, the quality of the food is ultimately what will determine the success of any dining establishment.

Improving the tenderness and temperature of the meat should be a priority. Additionally, focusing on enhancing the overall flavor profile of the dishes would greatly improve the dining experience. With these changes, Petra could potentially regain its footing in the challenging market by providing a more satisfying culinary experience to its customers.

I want to emphasize that my review is based on my personal experience, and other patrons may have different opinions. However, as a paying customer, I believe it is important to provide constructive feedback to help businesses improve.

In conclusion, while Petra Middle Eastern Restaurant offers a pleasant atmosphere and attentive service, the subpar quality of the food prevents me from recommending it to others. I hope that the management takes this feedback seriously and works towards making the necessary improvements.Best...

Beautiful, comfortable space, friendly staff, and easy access from downtown. Choice of indoor or large, covered outdoor dining space, We chose indoors, as it was nice and cool. We were greeted with large bottle of cold water for the table, warm basket of pita, and two dipping sauces (forgive my ignorance- I forgot to ask what they were). Our server, Pedro, was so friendly and attentive, and we didn't feel rushed on our leisurely late lunch date.

We ordered turkish coffees that were bold and smooth with a hint of cardamom, and I also got a tea, which was black tea with whole mint leaves. Perfect.

We went with the appetizer sampler- beautiful array of golden hummus, smokey babaganoush, thich and creamy yogurt, cool, tart grape leaves, crunchy falafel, and tender kibbe. Each item was delicately placed with a variety of toppings. My favorite was the green slightly spicy sauce drizzled on the hummus- gave a delightful kick to one of my already-favorite dishes.

For entrees I got the falafel sandwich with a side of pickles and fries. Falafel was crunchy- bread was soft- sauce was cool- chunks of cucumber- perfect. Husband went for the house special Petra mixed grill- three differently seasoned meats on skewers with two sides (he chose salad and more of that awesome hummus). The standout on this dish was the creamy garlic sauce that would be good for dipping anything- even plain celery- he asked for a second side of the sauce.

We were just in heaven at Petra- couldnt stop raving over every detail- so much love obviously goes into every single dish. One of the best meals I've had in a restaurant in a very long time.

My only disappointment was I ate too much to try the baklava cheesecake- I think we'll go back for coffee and desserts and to try a hookah for the first time- the outdoor space was really inviting- just a little too hot today.

Will definitely be back with our vegetarian daughter or friends or for a romantic night out. Thank you, Petra, for a...