I want you to close your eyes and picture your favorite bar food.

What is it? A juicy cheese burger? Maybe tater tots with your favorite dipping sauce? Now take that food and elevate it with a crafty perspective and leveled up ingredients. Did you add pineapple habanero jam to your burger? Or top your tots with short rib? There’s a place where you can do just that. Folks, allow me to introduce you to Craft Street Kitchen in Oldsmar.

Located on Curlew Road, Craft Street is churning out dishes that aim to please. Their crafty twist on bar food is taking dishes you know and love to the next level. The atmosphere serves up a comfortably industrial take on a neighborhood joint which makes it perfect for a date night, drinks out with friends, or even a family get together. I’ll let you in on a secret – the owners handmade all of the cool fixtures and pieces that you see inside.

Craft Street Kitchen invited Ben and I out for a date night last month.

I had heard how incredible their food was (to quote a friend: “their food is FIRE”) so I knew we were in for a treat. It was absolutely confirmed that this place was a hot spot when we arrived at 5pm for our reservation and the line to get in was quite literally already out the door.

We got seated at a high top near the kitchen which was phenomenal because we could see everything that got ordered up. It also made me want to order half the menu, but hey – that’s what second visits are for.

For our first round of drinks, we sipped on the Velvet in Retrograde (Wheatley Vodka, passion fruit, velvet falernum, lemon and sage – created by Julia at CSKO) and the I Love Vieux (Knob Creek CSK Barrel Select Rye, cognac, benedictine, fancy vermouth, orange bitters – created by Tiffani at CSKT). Both drinks held their own on the blackboard specials. The coolest part? Craft Street Kitchen employees designed them. That’s right – each month bartenders get the chance to show their skills and create drinks for the blackboard specials menu.

As we sipped our cocktails, Ben and I talked about what to order.

Craft Street Kitchen could color me impressed. The menu contains an array of play on words when it comes to food names. As a blogger and caption creator – I can appreciate the wit that goes into that.

Since we were clearly lost on how to lock in a food choice, our waiter recommended the shrimp and grits egg rolls as well as the short rib sweet potato tots. To be honest, I was skeptical about the shrimp and grits egg rolls. I couldn’t wrap my head around how it would work texturally until I actually tried it. The crunch on the egg rolls perfectly accommodated the creamy grits and juicy shrimp inside. As someone who has never tried shrimp and grits before, I think I’m ready to give it a whirl on its own.

Craft Street’s short rib sweet potato tots are a MUST. The app was a total slam dunk. I love how hearty and flavorful they are – special shoutout to the Thai chili braised short rib.

Pleased by our starters passing the taste test, Ben and I knew we were going to score with the mains.

I was feeling a burger, so I ordered the Three Kings (House Ground Burger Patty Blended with Short Rib, Sirloin, Applewood Bacon and Gouda, Topped with Cheddar, Funions, Relish Aioli, Kings Hawaiian Roll). A little sweetness from the Hawaiian roll played nicely with the tender patty and smokey gouda.

Ben went for the Walk the Flank (Marinated Flank Steak, BBQ Pork Belly Fried Rice, Pineapple Soy Glaze & a Sunny Side Up Egg). The pork belly fried rice that accompanies the dish is INSANE. I could honestly eat a whole bowl of just that rice for dinner.

The cherry on top of the meal was our shared sides: truffle fries with balsamic ketchup and skillet mac & cheese with andouille & pork belly. Can you tell we like pork belly? I also put in for another drink: the Paloma-tini (Cazadores Reposado Tequlia, Solerno Blood Orange, Pama Liqueur, Grapefruit, Lime Agave & Aquafaba). She was fresh and light – just like a ‘tini should be.

Just when I thought the night was over, our waiter asked what we were having for dessert.

Truth be told I had been eyeing the dessert board above our table all night, so I knew what I wanted. The Snickerdoodle Cookie Skillet was the top contender, but when our order came we were greeted with two dishes: the skillet and *SUPRISE* the Oreo Carbomb Cheesecake. I think my jaw actually dropped when I saw them sheerly due to their size. Craft Street’s portions DO NOT PLAY so make sure when you go, you go hungry.

Craft kitchens are some of the most unique restaurants to visit and I love them for that reason. Their menus are usually full of unique takes on dishes you know and love. Craft Street Kitchen in Oldsmar is no exception to that. Rumor has it they have a pretty bangin’ brunch. Something tells me based on that fact alone that we’ll be back sooner rather than later.

Thank you so much to Craft Street Kitchen for hosting us! All thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.

Craft Street Kitchen is located at 3153 Curlew Rd, Oldsmar, FL 34677

Visit their website here: Craft Street Kitchen