Chanta

Absolutely amazing experience! Chanta European Cuisine feels like a true hidden gem in Tampa. The food is fresh, flavorful, and reminds me of authentic Eastern European home cooking. The portions are generous, and every dish is made with care – from hearty soups to perfectly seasoned meats and delicious desserts. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, with a cozy family vibe that makes you feel at home. The staff is very friendly and attentive, always ready to recommend something special. It’s a perfect spot if you want something different from typical American fast food – real comfort food with a European soul. Highly recommended for anyone who loves authentic, homemade-style meals!

We wanted to try a new place to eat and loved the idea Eastern European food. To our delight we learned that everything is made fresh daily. Everything. They only use olive oil or avocado oil and value making food that not only takes good, but is also nutritious. They have a variety of menu options from Romanian stew, pork schnitzel, fried meatballs, amazing pasta, and so much more. And the daily specials are amazing! We enjoyed learning about the rich family roots of the restaurant from Vanessa. She’s one of the owners of this family run business. We will be back soon as we want to try everything and n the menu!

A little piece of home in Florida. The best Romanian mici and bread in Florida hands down! All the food was tasty, atmosphere authentic, family friendly owned restaurant. Would go back in a heartbeat. All the food is freshly made, and tastes like the ingredients are shipped directly from Europe.

Delicious dinner with authentic flavors! The burrata was creamy, goulash was phenomenal and the papanashi dessert was warm and flavorful. Inga was a great server and the head chef even stopped by our table to ensure we were enjoying our meal. Will definitely visit again soon to try the schnitzel!

Loved it! The restaurant is owned by a Romanian family and has a diverse European menu. The food was amazing and I had the best food that I had experienced anywhere in Tampa. I loved everything about it. The food, service, cleanliness, decor, etc. were all terrific. It is conveniently located next to the University of Tampa. I highly recommend this restaurant and I will definitely go back.

Quaint resturant with top notch home made food. Our server was very pleasant and friendly. The food here was fresh and delicious. The food reminds me of the food I ate while in Europe. Would definitely come back here again!

Chanta is definitely one of the best restaurants I have ever been to. There is a wide variety of wonderful European dishes that are full of flavor, and the atmosphere is very cozy, and comfortable, and makes you feel right at home. I tried the octopus dish, some Italian pasta, and the Osso Buco. It all tasted amazing, highly recommend! We got to meet some of the staff and the owners, they welcomed us with open arms, and were very kind and hospitable. Definitely one of the best places to visit in Tampa!

This is a gem of a find! We just spent several weeks in Europe and can attest that the food at Chanta is next level! Our meals were outstanding and the service was very good. The atmosphere is very authentic and pleasant. I got the sea bass and believe it is the beast I've had. I highly recommend this place!!

Been looking for an Eastern European restaurant for ages & convinced my husband to let me make a Valentines reservation. We specifically made the trip for the Sarma (stuffed cabbage) The food, the staff, everything was top notch. We were both blown away with our menu choices. We’ll definitely be back & cannot wait!

Absolutely fantastic! I wish I had more time to soak the place in, but I came a little to late…. They still took care of me. Server was great, very kind and didn’t hover. The food was great, 6oz filet with blue cheese butter, asparagus and mashed potatoes!!! I will definitely be back! I will do dessert next time and report back. The atmosphere inside the restaurant was stylish and classy. Very warm, nice lighting…. hate when you walk into a dark restaurant. Like I said, warm, romantic and classy. Don’t sleep on this place!

Gorgeous little spot right near downtown Tampa. The food was absolutely EXCELLENT and our waiter was so friendly and knowledgeable about the meals. The hostess went above and beyond to make sure we could even get a table. If you are in Tampa for anything special, make sure Chantal is your pick for dinner. Definitely make a reservation so you can be sure you'll get in. It is absolutely worth it 👍🏻

We arrived shortly before our reservation time and were taken to our table promptly. First impressions were fantastic. We also asked, and received, their second menu that might be available by request. The service was great in the more relaxed environment. We were there to enjoy the experience and take our time. The service and food is very enjoyable. We plan to come back often.

Great food we had schnitzel. And Argentinian Malbec. And a delicy Romanian dessert Very good service family own Buissness y recommend it

Chanta was such a delightful introduction to Romanian cuisine! The atmosphere strikes the perfect balance between classy and cozy, wrapping you in an intimate embrace that instantly makes you feel at home. From the moment we stepped inside, we were welcomed with open arms, as if we were already part of the family. The restaurant’s decor, with its charming European flair, only adds to the authentic experience. To kick things off, we ordered the Fusion Platter, a vibrant medley of spreads and dips. Each of the four dips was a unique flavor extravaganza, making it nearly impossible to choose a favorite. The eggplant spread was simply divine—I could eat it by the spoonful! The tzatziki was refreshingly zesty, while the hearty zacusca vegetable spread was rich and savory. And let’s not forget the whipped feta, which had a delightful kick that kept me coming back for more. Even the accompanying bread was a treat—fresh, warm, and wonderfully soft, it was the ideal vehicle for our dips. I only wish we had more, but the vegetable sticks were a great alternative for extra snacking. This platter is an absolute must-try! While we initially came for the German schnitzel dishes, we were pleasantly surprised by the Romanian twist on the Schweine Schnitzel, complete with creamy mushrooms. The schnitzel was pounded thin and had a perfectly crispy breading reminiscent of katsu. I loved that the creamy mushroom sauce was served separately, keeping the cutlet beautifully crunchy. The sauce itself was bursting with flavor, with mushrooms cooked to perfection. We can’t wait to return to Chanta to explore more of the menu—or indulge in our favorites all over again! Huge kudos to the incredibly talented grandmas in the kitchen, who cook from a place of love in this family-owned gem. We’re so grateful for such a fantastic dining experience—thank you to everyone at Chanta!

This is a must if your craving Authentic home cooked Mediterranean and European food! It's fully family owned and still has recipes that are hand cooked by the Grandma! Get it while it's good! The experience was beyond what I was expecting even with the longer wait time. It's expected when your able to taste the love in each bite. We started with the stuffed mushrooms and the feta cheese makes it so delicious 😋. My Main course was the Romanian Mititei which is homemade sausages! So tender and juicy! If you want to be treated like a guest of honor and family at the same time this place knows how to make the ambiance and hospitality welcoming!

I've been coming here since they opened the place , amazing family, absolutely love the place and the food is simply delicious!!! Very big plates, great home-made healthy European cuisine and very yummy deserts !!! Always a great experience here!!!!! If you wanna dine in downtown Tampa , this is the place to go !!! I highly recommend it! Amazing place !

Delicious Eastern European food, attentive service, and a cozy atmosphere. My party of six enjoyed the evening air seated outside, but one of those outdoor tables is wobbly, which was a little troublesome. We shared dishes like the Romanian Stew, Hungarian Goulash, and Chicken Paprika family style. Everything was tasty and hearty.

Chanta is a very elegant place. I love the soft instrumental background music. The staff is very professional and the place is clean. Is a small place with limited tables so please do a reservation online. My daughter loved the lemonade! I really enjoyed the Tiramisu cake, the 3 cheese bread and the cappuccino!

We first ordered the Frittura Di Mare appetizer (3rd picture) which was very savory & satisfying along with two glasses of CA mont Sangue that our very helpful and kind server Haley was able to recommend us this amazing sweet red wine. They also provided us with some delicious bread that paired with a herb and oil dip that was very good. We would definitely recommend the Chicken Paprikash (2nd photo) as it was very delicious. The Pappardelle Bolognese (1st photo) was good however we wished there was more cheese on it. Overall, we would highly recommend Chanta and will definitely eat here again.

Amazing hidden gem in Tampa! Authentic European food, with fresh ingredients and attentive service. Don’t miss out on the goulash it’s delicious! Family owned, with a sweet grandma cooking in the kitchen. Attentive, friendly but not intrusive servers, with beautiful and comfortable surroundings. Will definitely be back. Highly recommended!!!

I’ve been dining at this Romanian restaurant several times now, and it never disappoints. The food is consistently amazing—authentic, flavorful, and comforting. My favorites are Chicken Paprikash and Sarma, but honestly, everything I’ve tried has been excellent. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, and the staff are always friendly and attentive. It’s my go-to spot when I’m craving real Romanian home cooking. Highly recommend!

Love this family restaurant! My husband had a steak that was cooked perfectly—tender, juicy, and full of flavor. The pizza was also a hit with our girls. The staff was friendly and attentive, and the cozy European atmosphere made the meal extra special. Highly recommend!

Absolutely loved this place! From the moment we walked in, we were welcomed by the loveliest, friendliest staff who made us feel instantly at home. The atmosphere is cosy and warm, the kind of place where you can truly relax and enjoy yourself. And the food—wow. Every dish was bursting with flavour, beautifully prepared, and clearly made with so much care and passion. It’s rare to find a restaurant that gets everything so right: incredible food, wonderful service, and such a comforting, inviting vibe.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The mains of osso buco and Hungarian stew were phenomenal. So much so that we are still giving 5 stars even though the Transylvanian dessert didn’t go over very well as the custard (looked) and tasted burnt. Overall, I’d return and skip the dessert like I saw a regular do. The meat in both dishes were perfectly tender and satisfying.

This restaurant is high quality in every way. The food has no comparison and the service is amazing. We celebrated our 18th year wedding anniversary with my husband and will comeback with our kids. It’s family friendly and the beautiful chef took time to come and say hello. If you have a special occasion to celebrate or simply want to have the best experience, this is the best place!!!

We just had the most incredible Christmas Eve dinner at Chanta! The food was absolutely outstanding, and the cozy European vibe made the night feel so special. The staff went above and beyond to make sure we had a wonderful time. If you are looking for authentic cuisine and top tier service in a beautiful setting, we cannot recommend Chanta enough. Thank you to the entire team for making our holiday celebration so memorable. We are already looking forward to our next visit!

We went to Chanta before a show at the Straz. We had a group of 7. Plenty of room for us. The food was outstanding. Truly superb! A Romanian family runs it and when “Grandma” is in the kitchen prepare to be impressed. We had the pulpo, Wellington, Weiner Schnitzel, Chicken paparishka, and salmon which were all delicious! The stuffed cabbage leaves were the best I have ever had!

We had the most incredible dining experience here. Atmosphere felt warm, romantic, and genuinely authentic. The lamb rack was cooked beautifully, tender and full of flavor. The grilled octopus was equally outstanding—perfectly charred on the outside, melt-in-your-mouth on the inside, and seasoned just right. Ordered a bottle of wine, just as delicious. I don't remember which one exactly. Went well with the food I thought. The service matched the food—attentive without being rushed, making us feel truly cared for. If you’re looking for a place that combines romance, authenticity, and flawless food, this is it. We can’t wait to come back!!

A very pleasant experience. Food was very tasty and filling. A great place for friends, individuals, dates, and families with *children with manners/ family time. Had the Goulash along with the fresh doughnuts for dessert. Prices are more on the higher side -- however-- it's a true family/ local restaurant and have no problem supporting local with quality ingredients.

My husband made a reservation for our anniversary in Chanta. The menu looked quite extensive but we decided to start with the mussels, followed by goulash and sirloin and dessert of course. I was very surprised with the appetizer portion and the flavors hit on the right spot. Meat was good but goulash was supreme! I appreciated my server and she even suggested it (beautiful girl but can't remember names only faces). Overall great experience and nice homey atmosphere.

Dinner felt like dining in traditional family dining room - though pretty noisy and a bit hard to hear each other. Service was relaxed but took some time, especially with clearing plates and water refills. The Goulash was a typical beef stew and a smaller portion than expected (we tried to share). The Chicken Shnitzel was breaded nicely and probably my second favorite. The real standout was the Octopus appetizer and the presentation was outstanding!

Stopped here for drinks. We had a bottle of wine that was very good. Service staff were extremely nice and accommodating. The family that runs the place looked like they treated their guests with care. Will definitely be back for food.

The goulash was really good but chicken paprikas was a miss. Smaller European portions and the menu was all a la carte so prices are more the expensive side. it’s a small establishment with good folks and good ingredients with a very cozy ambiance. Would definitely go back to try other dishes when we are in the area again.

I argue with myself about how many stars to give to Chanta, and I decided to leave 4 instead of 3 because the place has potential and I do understand it's a small family restaurant. But if you're going to charge heavy-hitter prices, I expect heavy-hitter everything. We spent $189 plus tips on Valentine's evening. First of all, even though it was on the wine menu, they ended not having the wine we wanted. They had no other options that we could substitute it with, because they do not prepare drinks. I ended up ordering a beer, which was not that bad, but my partner and I really wanted to share a bottle of wine for St Valentine's, and we couldn't. That immediately killed the mood for us, but we made an effort to get back into it. First miss of the night. The atmosphere was not as romantic as I had expected as the heavy lights were kept on until 7:04pm, and then they only slightly dimmed the lights. Second miss of the night. Now to the food. We ordered the stuffed mushrooms appetizer and were surprised that all we got for $18 were three tiny mushroom caps with maybe half a teaspoon of cream cheese each inside in a huge plate full of arugula. My partner and I looked at each other, baffled at this. Third miss. We told the waiter to bring us the sourdough bread with cheese which was good, but nothing that blew us away. I ordered the fillet mignon with asparagus and mashed potatoes and it was absolutely perfect! First time I eat a full plate of anything without having to add salt or pepper to any part of it. Fillet was perfectly cooked and soft as silk. Great value for $46. First bullseye of the night. I recommend it. My partner had the seabass with rice and vegetables in a citric sauce. She said it was underwhelming. The sauce was too watery and didn't add anything to the plate. Fourth miss of the night. For dessert we had the papanashi (donut) with cream and nutella with ice cream. Absolutely addictive, except for the nutella, because whatever syrup was on top of the donut did not look nor taste like nutella; it tasted sour, but that was probably the bread. The donut itself (which felt more like a round piece of fluffy sourdough bread) with the ice cream was perfect! So with the fillet and dessert they gave us two absolute bullseyes. Just for that, we want to give the place another chance, but I don't know if I am willing to spend another $200 while doing it. We will think about it. However, if you've never been there, we do recommend you visit it. Their flavor profiles are something you should try at least once. Maybe it will blow you away.

Will not return: comfort food, good ambience, and service. We’ve ~ Baked mushrooms ~ Romanian Pork stew w/ a fried egg ~ Chicken stew paprikash ~ Super Tuscan ~ Pinot Noir The baked mushrooms are good. However, two stews are canteen food that came out fast. The pork stew is so dry, like chewing wood: it's the wrong cut. The long-handled small spoons for stews are great. Nice stems and yummy Chianti. The Pinot Noir has something in it that doesn't look like sediment. High back chairs look slick. Some paintings/photographs on the wall are pretty. Tiles on the bathroom wall are lovely. Meter parking is available, or you can park at the church, located half a block ahead.

Tried out this place tonight as we were just walking by. We had the salmon pappardelle, prosciutto pizza, hand cut fries and another dish which was a recommendation (can’t find it on the menu). Everything was ok overall, but nothing to blow our mind. The pizza oven is not a wood oven so it lacks a bit of flavor. The pasta was well cooked, salmon not overly done, but tasted a bit bland. The other dish which they made Wellington looked impressive but tasted subpar. The meat inside was dry and for the price, we expected more. It came up to $54 for that last dish and I can’t find it on the menu. Donuts for dessert were good! Takes a bit of time to make though. Restaurant is small but cozy, feels authentic. Staff is very friendly and attentive.

The restaurant has a nice atmosphere, but overall our experience didn’t quite meet expectations for the price point. While everything looked beautiful, the portions and flavors didn’t really match the cost, and we left feeling a bit underwhelmed. It’s a lovely spot in a great area, but for the price, we expected a bit more in terms of value and overall experience.

Clean place, nice Server… but SO very disappointed in our food experience this time. Upon ordering some wine, we were served a from a bottle of corked wine, that was brown and had obviously turned. The server agreed and brought out a newly opened bottle. That was appreciated. We have eaten here before the pandemic, several times. It was way better back then. They have clearly changed their recipes. Having been to Romania, we know what the food should taste like and how it should be served. Romanian Chicken Paprikash should be served with bone in meat and or thighs/legs and actually have Paprika, Sour Cream and Veggies..the sauce should be the color of their famous Paprika… now it’s a tiny bowl of mostly Polenta, with very little cut up chicken cutlet bits, no veggies and no Paprika or Sour Cream taste or color at all. The Pork Stew, was the same, a bowl of mostly Polenta, with hard, way overcooked pork cubes & slices of sausage that tasted leftover. Too much Polenta, and barely any meat…Sorry to say, we will not be returning.

This is an unfortunate review . My husband and I ate here for the first time and this missed the mark by a long shot. First I’ll say this, the atmosphere is warm and cozy and inviting. There weren’t any seats indoors ( super small inside so they were “fully booked”) so we were sat on the patio which was fine. It was cozy and relaxing. By being sat on the patio we were basically forgotten about. The service was BEYOND slow. Our waiter could have cared less about our experience. He was completely uninterested in anything and everything we asked. We ordered a 80.00 bottle of wine ( the markup here was insane but alas we ordered it regardless) . The salami , cheese, and olive platter for 27.00 bucks was underwhelming as far as presentation but tasted good. We ordered two pasta dishes which were good and to be fair tasted homemade. Extremely small portions but we expected that so no big deal. Then we ordered a lemon cake which was nothing special. When I tell you NOBODY ever came to ask how the food was, how our night was, NOBODY asked, there was NO warmth from the staff, and there was 0 hospitality. I usually try and give grace to people because you never know what they are dealing with but at a certain point you gotta pull up your boot straps and do your job. We were there for SO LONG and the service was just such a let down. I did let the hostess know about our experience on our way out, she said to call her and she will give a discount on the next visit. I rarely leave reviews but this was unfortunate.

The place and the atmosphere are nice. The service was a little slow. The food tasted good, but the prices and quantity don't make any sense. The waitress recommended the chicken paprikash for me. It's a $28 plate full of polenta (cornmeal), sauce, and literally 8 tiny pieces of chicken. And they don't even give you pieces of bread while you wait for your food. And they also charge you extra for paying with your card. First and last time.