Tuscan-Inspired Restaurant Adds To Midtown’s Foodie Appeal

TAMPA, FL — BellaBrava: New World Trattoria is now offering its award-winning Tuscan-inspired Italian cuisine to residents across the bay in Tampa.

Following the success of its flagship restaurant, which opened on Beach Drive Northeast in St. Petersburg in 2010, BellaBrava chose the $500 million mixed-use Midtown Tampa development off Dale Mabry Highway for its second location.

“We’re excited to welcome BellaBrava to its first Tampa location joining our other high-profile, first-to-market brands converging at Midtown Tampa,” said Nicholas Haines, CEO of Bromley Companies, developer of Midtown Tampa. “As we continue to build this new district curating only the best-in-class eateries, Midtown is fast becoming recognized as a highly anticipated foodie destination.”

With 4,500 square feet at Midtown’s main entrance off Cypress Street, next door to Shake Shack and below the Aloft and Element Hotels, BellaBrava will showcase its trendy European atmosphere and superior guest service experiences.

“After searching for a location in Tampa the past couple of years, we were thrilled to discover Midtown Tampa,” said Robert Sanderson, managing partner of BellaBrava. “We were inspired by the success of our BellaBrava location on Beach Drive in the heart of an exciting, urban neighborhood and searched for a similar type of location in Tampa where we could become trailblazers again at our next urban destination.”

BellaBrava blends Old-World Italian cuisine with the modern bustle of a New-World urban lifestyle. The restaurant offers a variety of pastas and antipasti, seafood, American burgers with a Tuscan twist, and flatbreads, pizzas (dough made fresh daily) and calzones from its unique woodstone ovens.

“For us, it’s all about location and the guest experience, and Midtown Tampa is the perfect fit for BellaBrava,” said Dyce Craig, partner in BellaBrava. “Midtown is urban, at one of the most-traveled locations in the Tampa region, and patrons will quickly understand why the restaurant has earned such a loyal following on Beach Drive. You can eat anywhere, but at BellaBrava it’s about so much more than our delicious food.”

The menu is influenced by BellaBrava’s owners traveling throughout Italy sampling the best cheeses, pastas, herbs, meats, seafood and pizzas in the world. The result has been earning accolades, recognition and thousands of loyal followers.

BellaBrava has been named as one of USA Today’s top 10 restaurants in St. Petersburg/Clearwater, earned Best of the Bay for Italian Restaurant, happy hour and wait staff, and was voted Best Restaurant Downtown St. Petersburg three years in a row.

Serving up true Italian flavor, BellaBrava is known for using only the finest Old World herbs, spices and cheeses, and serving generous portions. Guests can expect to enjoy such signature drinks as a true Italian martini, main courses like hot Sicilian flatbread with Molinari pepperoni, hot capicola, genoa salami, tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, asiago, Calabrian chili, oregano and then choose from a menu of enticing desserts such as Chocolate Marsala Cake with Sea Salt Caramel Gelato.

An extensive wine list, with nearly half being Italian, will complement the experience.

Anchored by Whole Foods Market and REI Co-op, the 220,000 square feet of retail space is almost completely leased. BellaBrava joins the Shake Shack, the Sal y Mar rooftop bar and Joffrey's Coffee & Tea Company. Coming to Midtown Tampa is Walk-Ons fresh-from-scratch kitchen, True Food Kitchen, William Dean Chocolates, a new restaurant by James Beard-nominated chef Chris Ponte, Oronzo Honest Italian, Midtown Boba, Ben & Jerry's, the Hall at Midtown and Kale Me Crazy.

Located at 1015 Gramercy Lane, Tampa, BellaBrava is open Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 4 to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 4 to 11 p.m.

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