Most people don't think twice about what they grab to eat when visiting a local theme park or attraction — it's about convenience. But what if that meal was actually part of a bigger mission?
The Florida Aquarium in Downtown Tampa has opened a brand-new café designed to protect the planet while serving up incredible food. Café Seventy One — named for the 71% of Earth covered in water — was designed to bring the aquarium's shared purpose of conservation into the dining experience.
Chef Omar Serrano from The Florida Aquarium's food partner SSA Group and Executive Chef Matt Beaudin are leading the effort to create a model other attractions and venues can replicate, where sustainability, innovation, and hospitality work together.
The café features sustainably sourced seafood dishes like the Cobia Salad Roll, which represents responsible choices recognized by Seafood Watch and the Ocean Friendly Restaurant program. The chefs emphasize that sustainability should never mean sacrificing flavor.
The restaurant didn't just change the menu — it redesigned how the entire café operates. Guests can expect no single-use plastic bottles, reusable serviceware, and linen-less tables to cut water and detergent use. The OSCAR sorting system helps guests sort waste and recycling correctly.
Technology plays a big part in sustainability efforts. Ordering kiosks reduce paper and speed up service, while pickup lockers reduce congestion and waste. The modern layout improves flow and doubles as event space, with an interactive drawing screen adding guest engagement for a better guest experience with a smaller environmental footprint.
The café works with local partners including local seafood suppliers, Open Blue, Bright Ice, and local breweries. This shorter supply chain creates a smaller footprint while keeping dollars in the Tampa Bay community. Partnerships featuring mangrove-raised black tiger shrimp, barramundi, and responsibly sourced chocolate show how thoughtful sourcing protects ecosystems and delivers exceptional flavor.
Beaudin suggests viewers can be more sustainable in their own kitchens by choosing sustainable seafood, ditching single-use plastics, reducing food waste, and shopping local when possible.
The impact is measurable: 180,000 straws are diverted every year, and more than 28,000 meals are donated to the community. The café is a certified Ocean Friendly Restaurant and recognized by Monterey Bay Seafood Watch. Every decision is designed to protect the 71% of our planet covered in water.
Café Seventy One is open during The Florida Aquarium's operating hours. Visitors can check the website for hours, purchase tickets and plan their trip at FLAquarium.org. The aquarium is located at 701 Channelside Drive in Tampa.
