Co-owners: Ferrell Alvarez, Ty Rodriguez, and Chon Nguyen | Tampa, Florida

Modern American spot Rooster & the Till has become a Tampa institution. Located among the historic homes and popular restaurants, bars, and small businesses of the vibrant Seminole Heights neighborhood, the restaurant will celebrate its ninth anniversary in December.

“The inspiration behind Rooster was to bring a creative and thoughtful restaurant to life,” says chef Ferrell Alvarez, who co-owns the restaurant with partners Ty Rodriguez and Chon Nguyen. “[It is] a true representation of who we are as owners: focused, fun, and unique.”

The restaurant began as a 37-seat eatery in 2013. Now, its 72-seat dining room and rotating, seasonal contemporary menus have secured it a 2022 Michelin Bib Gourmand Award and Alvarez a 2017 James Beard nomination.

In addition to Rooster & the Till, Alvarez has created burger, Mexican street food, and Asian street food concepts under his Proper House Restaurant Group. He’s also on track to open Ash, an Italian fine-dining establishment, in 2023. A fixture in the Tampa industry, Alvarez sees a great deal of potential in the area.

“The Tampa restaurant scene is starting to mature but still has a way to go,” he says. “I’m positive that we will become a solid food destination city in the next few years. … The amount of restaurants over the past few years has been increasing steadily.”