Shay Ryan spent 14 years on camera forecasting weather for Tampa Bay audiences at ABC Action News. A mid-career celiac diagnosis prompted a second act: Ryan is now the operator behind Clever Deli, a 100% gluten-free cafe and eatery now open at 2002 N. Lois Ave in Westshore.
Per the operator's Instagram, the diagnosis was the direct catalyst for the concept. The result is a kitchen that avoids seed oils and artificial ingredients entirely, sourcing cage-free eggs and organic produce across an all-day menu. Hours run 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday.
The menu covers both morning and midday: avocado toast, French toast, and BEC sandwiches on the early side; Cubans, Reubens, salads, and smoothies running the rest of service. Vegan and nut-free options appear throughout — not as a dedicated section but as a built-in feature of the menu's design. The coffee bar keeps the price point in check: lattes and drip both run $2.99.
The weekday-only, morning-through-early-afternoon schedule positions Clever Deli squarely for the office traffic on the Westshore corridor, one of Tampa's denser concentrations of commercial real estate. For the celiac and gluten-sensitive community in that area, the distinction is meaningful: a 100% gluten-free kitchen eliminates cross-contamination risk in a way that a standard restaurant offering gluten-free menu items does not.
Clever Deli at 2002 N. Lois Ave is open 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday.
