Top Picks for the Best Gasparilla Brunches This Year
What better way to kick off Gasparilla than to enjoy a hearty brunch before bead-catching? Both the festival and other third-party hosts have ticketed brunch options available for purchase online around Gasparilla to better convenience families and other swashbucklers who are looking for a bite to eat.
Our guide to the best Gasparilla Brunch Spots will satisfy your appetite, whether you’re looking for a place that’s kid-friendly or just want to hang with the adults.
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Gasparilla 2023 Invasion Brunch
This is the official Gasparilla brunch for 2023. Hosted inside the Tampa Convention Center, this brunch event provides a prime viewing area for families to watch the invasion.
Brunch begins at 10am and includes entertainment, a cash bar, and a reserved seat for the best view of the historic Gasparilla Invasion. The menu includes an array of items such as assorted baked goods, fruit and cheese display, salad, a hot buffet with french toast, egg, sausage, and bacon, a carving station, and assorted beverages. Tickets to brunch are $150 per person.
Other Family-Friendly Gasparilla Brunch Spots
Scully’s Children’s Gasparilla and Parade of the Pirates Hospitality Experience
January 21 and 28
Enjoy the parade in comfort during Children’s Gasparilla on January 21 or Gasparilla Pirate Fest on January 28 when you snag tickets for this special experience. Tickets grant you access to a reserved area south of Howard Avenue on Bayshore Boulevard.
In addition to reserved bleacher seating and pre-parade entertainment, you’ll also get a picnic-style lunch. Lunch is served before the parade and includes slow-roasted pork, black beans & yellow rice, salad, cookies, and alcohol-free beverages. Additional snacks and non-alcoholic drinks will be served during the parade.
January 21: Adults are $165 per person/children 3 and up are $65 (children under 2 are free)
January 28: Tickets are $200 per person.
Yacht StarShip’s Gasparilla Invasion Brunch Cruise
January 28
Don’t have a boat but want to be part of the flotilla? Hop aboard the Yacht StarShip to view the invasion from the largest vessel in the flotilla.
Perks include a full brunch buffet, two drink tickets, a reserved table, DJ entertainment on the top deck, and amazing up-close views of the Jose Gaspar Pirate Ship as it makes its way across the bay.
The cruise lasts 2.5 hours. Adult tickets range from $199.95 to $269.95 and kids’ tickets are $129.95 to $199.95.
13th Annual Gasparilla Extravaganza
January 28
This ticketed event takes place at the Westin Tampa Waterside, offering prime viewing of the Gasparilla Pirate Invasion.
Don your best pirate garb and enjoy delicious food, open bar, live music, cigar rolling, raffle prizes, and a special play area for the kiddos. As an added benefit, event proceeds support Father of Mine, a local nonprofit that provides support for children growing up without a father.
Adult tickets are $125 plus tax and include unlimited food, drinks and entertainment. Kids tickets are $25 plus tax.
Starlite Cruises Gasparilla Invasion of Tampa Bay
January 28
Looking for an over-the-top way to celebrate Gasparilla? Join this epic 11-hour event which includes breakfast, lunch AND dinner.
The fun begins when you board at 8:30am to enjoy a continental breakfast, setting sail at 9am from St. Petersburg across Tampa Bay to join the pirate invasion. Next, enjoy lunch, then make your way to the bleachers where you’ll have reserved seating for the parade on land.
After the parade, reboard for the dinner cruise to end the night. Wine and cocktails are available to purchase onboard. Tickets are $275 per person.
Willa’s
2023 details not yet released
2022: Willa’s in North Hyde Park will be open for brunch on January 29 from 9am-1pm, or you can pick up special to-go items from the exclusive “Gaspar-Willa” takeout menu.
Create your own feast with bagel boxes, tacos, salads, sandwich boxes, biscuits, snacks and more. You can even add batch cocktails to your order.
Orders must be placed 24 hours in advance online.
Gasparilla Brunch for The Grown-Ups
Gasparilla Invasion Party
January 28
Join The Junior League of Tampa Bay for their 21+ Gasparilla Invasion Party from 9am – 1pm at their Headquarters on Davis Island.
Tickets include food, drinks, live music and entertainment, and of course, viewing of the Gasparilla Invasion. Tickets are $120 per person.
Florida Aquarium Gasparilla Invasion Brunch Cruise
January 28
Set sail with The Florida Aquarium with the Gasparilla pirate flotilla! Climb aboard their 72’ catamaran, the Bay Spirit II, as you travel across the waters of Hillsborough Bay to join the annual re-enactment of Tampa’s historic pirate invasion from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. This swashbuckling adventure is open to guests 21 years of age or older and includes an unlimited brunch, open bar, live DJ and spectacular views of the invasion. Tickets are $185 per person.
Gasparilla Bar Crawl with Brunch and VIP
The mutiny starts at 9am at The Patio. Get a Brunch ticket and enjoy a delish Buffet Style Brunch along with Bottomless Mimosas from 9am – 12pm. Go full steam ahead and upgrade to VIP Brunch to also get guaranteed entry into the coveted Big Wave Treasure Cove on Bayshore during the parade. (Limited availability).
VIP includes free welcome shot at 5 locations of your choice (max. 1 per location), buffet style brunch from 9am-12pm, bottomless mimosas from 9am – 12pm, guaranteed entry into the Big Wave Treasure Cove on Bayshore during parade. Tickets are $19-$79. 21 and up only.