Jet City Seminole Heights

I stare at the painting of the brunette woman with the red thong standing in a bright green, almost Streamline Moderne, bathroom. She looks at herself in the mirror, water running in the bathtub next to her. She is wearing red high heels and holding the red material in her arm, possibly a dress. I imagine that she has just come back from an exciting night of dancing and is ready for a long hot bath to take care of her aching body. A small sign underneath the painting says, “All artwork is for sale.” This painting is a rendition of Botero's “The Bath” and just one of many styles created by the owner of Jet City Espresso, Jessica Conlan. And yes, you may be asking what this has to do with food, but to Jessica it is everything. She has an incredible creative talent that transcends to almost everything she does. To her, food is an art form she takes very seriously, and you can taste it in every bite.

Relax in the comfy seating to reflect on Jessica's paintings or play one of the instruments.

Established three years ago, Jet City Espresso opened at 5803 N. Florida Avenue in Seminole Heights. Jessica has lived in the Tampa Bay area off and on for about 22 years where she has opened other Jet City coffee shops in other locations in downtown Tampa when she is living in the area. This place in Seminole Heights is actually the fifth that she has opened, with the fourth coffee shop in Hyde Park at 318 S. Edison Avenue. The old yet well-preserved 1925 Seminole Heights bungalow allows her to display her artwork and even provide a venue for the occasional concert, where you may find her playing the Irish whistle on Thursday nights. Jessica began her 38-year career in the food industry in Seattle and was painting since she was a little girl.

Did I mention the sangria?! Perfect on a hot day!

But this is a food blog, so let’s talk about the food. Described as a unique Seattle-style coffee shop, this place puts Starbucks to shame. To begin with, the Seminole Heights bungalow provides a very inviting and comfortable place to work or just hang out. The staff is fantastic and will make you feel like part of the family – (I mean, there is one, right? A Jet City Espresso family? Because I have already signed up). The food considers dietary restrictions or choices, like gluten-free pasta in the delicious mac and cheese that is made from scratch and to order. The crab cakes are wild caught as is the sockeye salmon. Their signature coffee drink is the Cafe Borgia, which is a honey/orange infused latte with real whipped cream on top. If you’re looking for a little something to wind down, there is an assortment of wine and beers available. Jessica is also experimenting with a few adult beverages, like the Tiramisu Martini, which is delicious!

Crab cakes - yum!!!

The best part about this coffee shop is how “down to earth” the people are, maybe because they are concerned about the Earth and try to buy organic and local when possible. They also use compostable paper products and reuse paper sleeves to reduce their waste footprint. I learned about Jet City by word of mouth, which seems to be very effective because once you visit, you will not forget your experience. So if you get the chance, make sure to say hi to the staff as well as to the brunette woman in the red thong. If you have visited, then let people know in person or through social media how it was like. Even better, please comment below and tell us what you think. And most important, let Jessica, her staff, and the world know what an amazing job they are doing by posting reviews on Facebook or Yelp.

Jet City Seminole Heights is open on the following days and times: Mon 7 am - 4 pm, Tues & Weds 7 am - 8 pm, Thurs & Fri 7 am - 9 pm, Sat 9 am - 9 pm, and Sun 9 am - 4 pm.

Happy Hour is Tuesday thru Saturday from 4 pm to 7 pm. 

Music on most Thursday nights from 6 pm to 9 pm but call first to confirm (813-231-6215).