Armature Works

Armature Works is a food hall, event space, and community gathering place housed in a converted 1910 Tampa Electric streetcar repair facility on the Hillsborough River. For families, it solves the eternal dining challenge: everyone eats something different, everyone eats together.

The Heights Public Market occupies the ground floor with over a dozen food vendors spanning cuisines: tacos, sushi, wood-fired pizza, poke bowls, BBQ, empanadas, acai bowls, ice cream, and craft coffee. Each vendor is a small, independent kitchen producing focused, quality dishes. The communal seating -- both indoor and on the river-facing terrace -- lets families spread out at long tables with each person eating their chosen meal.

The building itself is worth experiencing. Soaring ceilings, exposed brick walls, original steel trusses, and streetcar tracks still embedded in the concrete floor give the space industrial character. The adaptive reuse is thoughtful -- the bones of the 1910 building are preserved while the interior buzzes with modern energy.

The location on the Hillsborough River and the Tampa Riverwalk makes Armature Works a natural hub for a Tampa family day. The Riverwalk passes directly outside the building. Walking south leads to Curtis Hixon Park, the Tampa Museum of Art, and downtown.

Walking north reaches Ulele restaurant, Water Works Park (with a children's playground), and the Hillsborough River trail system. Families can eat, walk the Riverwalk, and reach major Tampa attractions without driving.

Parking is free in the adjacent lot and garage -- a genuine perk for waterfront dining. The food hall is casual and walk-in only (no reservations needed). Weekend brunch is popular, but the space is large enough that finding a table is rarely an issue except during special events.