Egypt Lake - Tampa, FL

Native American fishermen occupied the region until the sixteenth century, when Spanish explorers sailed into the area looking for gold. The United States purchased the region from Spain in 1821, but the area remained sparsely populated and was mostly used by citrus growers. Egypt Lake was named by Shriners who used it as a resort. Until the 1940's, the lake was home to only a few residents and two public beaches. The beaches and a dance pavilion made it a popular destination for visitors from Tampa until World War II when the United States Army used the lake as training grounds. Increased development of the area as a residential suburb began in the 1970s.

With no museums in the immediate neighborhood, residents drive about 15 minutes to get to the Tampa Museum of Art. Parents Magazine named nearby Lowry Park Zoo the best in the United States for children.

In Egypt Lake–Leto, you’re never very far from a Cuban sandwich, Colombian arepas, or a steaming bowl of Vietnamese pho. Many tiny Latin American and Asian restaurants dot the neighborhood, along with a few American and Italian eateries. After the sun goes down, choose from several sports bars and small taverns. Look to Armenia Avenue for a variety of restaurants and pubs.

Golden Phoenix Seafood Restaurant specializes in Chinese cuisine made with local seafood. Try the Szechwan shrimp for a spicy treat. Regulars come for the more than 40 dim sum offerings, available any time of the day. Dine in the pleasant and spacious dining room, or carry out.

Saigon Deli serves up authentic Vietnamese-style food at reasonable prices. Guests rave about the Bahn Mi loaded with pork and veggies and the comfort-in-a-bowl chicken pho. Accompany your meal with a refreshing boba drink.

Hang out at the popular neighborhood watering hole The Front Porch Bar and Grill. Built in 1898, the Front Porch boasts of a resident ghost. Regulars come for the live music on Friday nights and karaoke several other nights during the week. They have a solid list of beers and wines; try the char-grilled flatbread pizzas.

The community of Egypt Lake-Leto depends on cars; more than 90 percent of the workforce travels to work in an automobile. Highways 589 and 93 connect the neighborhood to the expressway system. No public parking garages or lots operate in the neighborhood. Restaurants and businesses usually provide free parking on site. There is also free curb-side parking for most local businesses.

Residents generally consider the neighborhood moderately walkable, although that will vary depending on the specific location. Many streets have sidewalks, but might not have retail within walking distance of residences. Cyclists find Egypt Lake-Leto convenient because of the infrastructure in place and the flatness of the land. A dedicated bike lane runs along Route 580, and bike users consider many streets bicycle friendly, including Pine Crest Manor Boulevard and Humphrey, Kirby and Sitka.

More than 20 taxi companies serve Lake Egypt-Leto. Download an app or call from your cell to make easy reservations. You can also catch a ride with Uber. If you prefer public transportation, Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) provides local bus transportation to the neighborhood with service to most residences and retail outlets. Route 34 runs east-west and Routes 41, 14 and 45 run north-south. On weekdays, buses run about every 30 minutes on each route.

The neighborhood contains three free parks operated by the city of Tampa.

Al Lopez Park sits just across 580 from the neighborhood, and includes about 130 acres of Florida wildlife and two ponds. Families gather at the imaginative playground built by the community. Kids enjoy a range of play structures including several suitable for young or disabled children. Locals also come to use the ball fields, trails and dog park.

Lowry Park nestles along the Hillsborough River next to the zoo. A trail runs beside the river through oak hammocks. The park features fishing docks and a boat launch; park visitors find plenty of scenic spots for picnics.

Just south of Leto Lake, West Park Dog Park provides a 5-acre dog park with separate areas for small and large dogs to exercise off-leash. At the same spot, Pinecrest West Park contains ball diamonds and trails.

The cost of living in Lake Egypt-Leto runs about 6 percent less than the standard Tampa neighborhood, with housing costs particularly easy on the wallet. A monthly one-bedroom apartment rental averages at $688. Filling the gas tank sets you back about 89 percent of the average national price, and $2 gets you to downtown Tampa by bus. Expect to pay about $3.50 for a domestic beer in a local tavern, and about $8 for a pizza to go with it.

Locals shop for a wide variety of retail outlets along Route 580 or Armenia Avenue from big box stores to florists. Looking for home furnishings? Many furniture stores line North Dale Mabry Highway.

At Robyn Story Designs, a boutique for stylish home furnishings and accessories, showrooms reveal everything from country French to just plain quirky. Add personality to your home with lovely silk floral arrangements and trees, original oil paintings or vintage prints, or accessorize a favorite outfit with jewelry or shoes. Shoppers enjoy a cup from the complimentary coffee bar while browsing the many rooms, looking for the perfect gift for a friend or for themselves.

Cedeno All-Sportswear specializes in high-end sports apparel and sports memorabilia. Customers shop for jerseys from their favorite teams or for sports-related gifts. Cedeno’s carries licensed logo merchandise for baseball and football teams, as well as basketball and other sports.

Convenient chain grocery stores like Walmart and Publix serve the neighborhood. Din Ho Market carries a large selection of Asian produce and food. Look for green tea ice cream and Chinese candies and snacks. Small independent groceries include Mexican and Cuban specialty stores, and favorite butcher shops include Amigos Meat Market and Tampa Meat Market. Two open-air Farmers Market locations sell local produce and hand-crafted products in the community. Seminole Heights Morning Market, held Sundays at Hillsborough High school, lies just to the southeast of the neighborhood. North Tampa Market, held at Carrollwood Cultural Center just to the north, opens on Saturdays year round.