Celebrity Chef To Open 2nd Tampa Bay Chuck Lager America's Grill

TAMPA, FL — Westshore Marina District’s village-style retail center continues to grow with the addition of Chuck Lager America’s Tavern, a restaurant launched by celebrity chef, Fabio Viviani.

The 4,000-square-foot restaurant in the district’s Marina Landings Town Center will be the chain’s second location in Tampa. It is scheduled to open early 2022.

It will be the chain's second location in Tampa Bay. The first Tampa Bay Chuck Lager America's Tavern opened at The Shops at Wiregrass, 2001 Piazza Ave., in Wesley Chapel in 2020.

He debuted Chuck Lager America's Tavern in Wilmington, Delaware, in 2018, followed by a second restaurant in Barrington, New Jersey, in 2020.

Additionally, Viviani announced plans last week to open a third Tampa Bay restaurant at the former 5,257-square-foot Applebee's Grill + Bar location at 4016 Tampa Road, Oldsmar.

Viviani rose to national acclaim after appearing on three seasons of the Bravo television competition show,"Top Chef," and winning the title of “Fan Favorite.”

Since moving to the United States from Italy in 2005, Viviani’s hospitality group, Fabio Viviani Hospitality, has opened more than 30 restaurants, bars and event spaces, making it one of the leading restaurant groups in the U.S.

Viviani entered the Tampa Bay market when he partnered with the Nocturnal Hospitality Group and opened the upscale Italian restaurant Osteria Bar + Kitchen in Franklin Manor in 2019 followed by the traditional Spanish restaurant Mole y Abuela in St. Petersburg and the Asian fusion restaurant, Shibui, on Franklin Street in 2020.

However, he broke ties with Noctural Hospitality Group following negative publicity after co-owner Lanfranco Pescante was accused of posting inflammatory comments on social media regarding the racial protests following the death of George Floyd.

All three restaurants subsequently closed.

Viviani has now turned his attention to Chuck Lager America's Tavern, a chain of restaurants that pay homage to his childhood hero, a legendary adventurer Viviani said he met in his grandmother's kitchen.

Viviani grew up in that kitchen where his grandmother, Abuela, passed on her family recipes and taught him the skills he uses today to create chef-inspired pasta dishes with fresh, rustic ingredients.

After hearing rumors about her exceptional dishes, Lager, who Viviani describes as a globe-trotting archaeologist who was born while his parents were climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, showed up at his grandmother's home. She promptly invited Lager in to share a meal.

"He never forgot the way that experience made him feel," Viviani said.

Viviani said he kept in touch with Lager over the years and the two vowed to one day open a restaurant together. That day came when they launched the first Chuck Lager America's Tavern in 2018.

A departure from the upscale, gourmet Italian and Spanish dishes of Osteria and Mole Y Abuela, America's Tavern's menu is more casual and trendy without sacrificing the taste and quality Viviani has staked his reputation on.

He still offers the traditional dishes he learned to make in his grandmother's kitchen, such as Pork Milanese with crispy pork cutlet, blistered cherry tomatoes, arugula salad, pepperoncini, pickled red onions, capers, lemons and Parmesan; Tuna Romesco with seared tuna, Romesco sauce, sauteed Brussels sprouts, spinach, asparagus and blistered cherry tomatoes; and Shrimp Diablo Pappardelle with shrimp in a spicy diablo sauce over pappardelle pasta.

However, diners will also find some contemporary dishes like Viviani's macaroni and cheese with a twist, Smoked Mac & Cheese, made with smoked brisket, Parmesan cream, Parmesan-toasted bread crumbs and cavatappi pasta, and Shrimp & Crab Mac.

Sides include Truffle Fries, Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Pork Belly, Street Corn and Cheddar Jalapeno Mashed Potatoes.

Appetizers run the gamut from Fabio's Meatballs made with creamy polenta, pomodoro, Parmesan and hand-torn basil to Tuna Poke Nachos with cusabi, teriyaki, avocado and sesame seeds and Deviled Eggs with candied pork belly and tomato jam.

There's a selection of sandwiches including Cajun Group, Nashville Hot Chicken, Smoked Brisket Grilled Cheese and Italian Roast Pork along with gourmet tacos like Asian Shrimp Street Tacos, Cajun Group Taco, Carnitas Taco and Smoke Pulled Chicken Taco.

In addition to classic Italian dishes, entrees include Guinness Fish & Chips, Chuck's Citrus Salmon, Fabio's Fire-Roasted Half Chicken and Steak Frites with truffle fries and chimichurri.

Chuck Lager America's Grill will join the mix of dining and retail offerings moving into the newly completed Marina Landings Town Center, a waterfront development by BTI Partners.

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Cru Cellars, Sand Surf Co., Salon Color Bar and Duckweed Urban Grocery have already opened their doors in Marina Landings. Crave Spa, DRNK coffee + tea, QWENCH juice bar and Buzzed Bull Creamery are set to open in the coming months.

“We are so excited to welcome Chuck Lager America’s Tavern to our growing Marina Landings family,” said Britney Mroczkowski, vice president of retail development with Fort Lauderdale-based BTI Partners. “The restaurant is a perfect anchor for our roster of tenants and helps round out our restaurant offerings. We are confident that Westshore Marina District residents and visitors alike will thoroughly enjoy dining at Chuck Lager’s when visiting our exciting community.”

Located off Westshore and Gandy boulevards on Old Tampa Bay, the 52-acre Westshore Marina District along 1.5 miles of bay front overlooks one of the largest yacht basins on Tampa Bay.

The development is home to luxury condos and apartments, single-family homes, waterfront walking trails and parks, a marina on a 13-acre deep-water basin and floating docks featuring a 150-slip full-service marina to accommodate vessels from 40 feet in length to more than 100 feet.

BTI Partners is currently building Marina Pointe, a luxury condominium development with three high-rises. Marina Pointe’s first tower will consist of 120 condominium homes to be completed in mid-2022.

Designed by renowned architect Kobi Karp, the condos are priced from the mid $800,000s to more than $3 million.

Once BTI Partners’ development and neighboring residential projects are completed, the area will have nearly 2,400 new homes.

See related stories:

• Duckweed Urban Grocery Now Open In Westshore Marina District
• Construction Underway On Westshore Marina District Development
• Sand Surf Co. Open, Cru Cellars Opens May 10 At Marina Landings
• Marina Pointe High-Rise Condo Project Celebrates Topping Off
• Alcohol-Infused, Liquid Nitrogen Treats Coming To Marina District