Frank Mirabella opened the family’s landmark seafood restaurant in 1952 at 327 N. Dale Mabry Hwy. At the time, it was one of the only seafood restaurants in town. But the Mirabella name dates back to the late 1800s when Bastiano Mirabella, a Sicilian immigrant, had a fishing fleet based at the edge of the Hillsborough River downtown and provided Tampa with its daily catch through its fish market for decades. Other family members were involved in the business operating the fishing fleet, fish market, and an ice plant to keep the fresh catch fresh. They moved from their original location to the east end of the Platt Street bridge at 233 South Water St. (now Ashley Drive). Originally just a market, family members decided to start selling cooked box take-out food as a sideline in 1951 and it quickly became a place for locals to eat and greet.

The business was so strong the family opened Dale Mabry restaurant in 1952, and the hometown crowds followed. When it opened, a Seafood Combination Box with shrimp, scallops, oysters, and snapper fingers was $.85. The Deviled Crab Box, containing two crab croquettes, was $.55. They closed the Ashley Drive restaurant in 1987 due to street construction For the Tampa Convention Center, leading to a loss of business. The USF Park on the Riverwalk now sits where the downtown location once stood. A historical marker was placed on the site to honor the Mirabella Fish Company.

 The Dale Mabry restaurant grew much larger over the years. At one point they had over 200 tables in separate dining rooms, each with a nautical name and theme, to serve hungry guests. By the 1970s, the Nautilus Room, the Tarpon Room, and the Blue Marlin Room each having distinct decor, welcomed seafood lovers. The Blue Marlin Room had, appropriately, a giant finned Marlin mounted on the wall surrounded by fishing nets. The Nautilus room could be divided into two separate dining rooms to accommodate luncheons and groups. Politicos, celebrities, and everyday folk were able to rub elbows here. It was the social hub of Tampa for many locals.

The family closed the restaurant in 1991 when Frank Mirabella decided to retire. They had lost the fresh supply of seafood their market supplied, and competition like Red Lobster had come to town. It was a solid 40-year run.   In 1998, the location was home to Hops Bar and Grill. It closed in 2005. In 2013, HomeBanc N.A. relocated its main office to the site, and in 2018, First Citizens Bank completed a merger with Homebanc. The First Citizen’s name is now on the building.

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