Cena 1120 E Kennedy Blvd. No. 112, Tampa Last October, after 13 years, celebrated upscale Italian restaurant Cena has served its last dish in Tampa’s Channel District. Cena partner Ken Stoltenberg confirmed the recent closure to the Tampa Bay Business Journal, adding that nearby sister restaurant Bread and Butta Pizza Bar has also shuttered because they both share a kitchen. “The past year has been a challenging environment,” said Stoltenberg to TBBJ. “This summer was the worst summer we’d ever had. It’s a combination of the general economy, Cena is a destination — and it’s a luxury.” Stoltenberg also told the publication that the recent departure of Chef Michael Buttacavoli played a role in the decision, as did the fact that a large portion of the concept’s customers hailed from nearby Davis Islands, which was inundated by storm surge from Hurricane Helene. Cena (which is Italian for “dinner”) opened to warm reviews in 2013, and was praised by Creative Loafing Tampa Bay food critic Jon Palmer Claridge, who called it “the best new restaurant in town.” “Like its intimate sleek dining room, the menu is narrow, but boy, does it pack a punch,” wrote Claridge. “Chef Michael Buttacavoli delivers on Cena’s promise to be “modern, fresh, and simple.” Having recently dined at another noted Italian landmark, I am struck that Cena has much better food at nearly half the price.” Buttacavoli was also a known fixture around Tampa Bay, often competing in charity events like the Tampa Bay Food Fight and Epicurean’s Epic Chef Showdown. Buttacavoli even scored a win on the Food Network’s competition show “Beat Bobby Flay.” Photo via Google Street Credit: Photo via Google Street
OPENINGS/CLOSINGS

Popular Tampa Italian restaurant Cena is now closed
After 13 years, celebrated upscale Italian restaurant Cena has served its last dish in Tampa’s Channel District.Cena partner Ken Stoltenberg confirmed the recent closure to the Tampa Bay Business Journal, adding that nearby sister restaurant Bread and Butta Pizza Bar has also shuttered because they both share a kitchen. “The past year has been a challenging environment,” said Stoltenberg to TBBJ. “This summer was the worst summer we’d ever had. It’s a combination of the general economy, Cena is a destination — and it’s a luxury.” Stoltenberg also told the publication that the recent departure of Chef Michael Buttacavoli played a role in the decision, as did the fact that a large portion of the concept’s customers hailed from nearby Davis Islands, which was inundated by storm surge from Hurricane Helene.

Offset Sandwich Exchange opens food truck at St. Pete’s Green Bench Brewing Co.
 After two years of popping up around St. Petersburg, Offset Sandwich Exchange has a more permanent home in the Edge District. The concept run by restaurant industry lifer John Harrell and his wife Amy DePalma-Harrell recently opened the window on its food truck parked at Green Bench Brewing Co. (1133 Baum Ave. N). The menu includes five sandwiches, two small plates, a handful of sides and desserts, plus cold brew and drinks. Offset—one of the Bay area’s best pop-ups—opens at 5 p.m. today and will operate 4 p.m.-10 p.m. Thursdays-Fridays, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturdays, and noon-5 p.m. on Sundays. The menu will expand after this opening weekend as the operation settles in, Offset Sandwich Exchange told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. For now, handhelds available this weekend start at $10.95 and includes a fried green tomato sandwich, smashburger, plus Nashville hot chicken and BBQ pulled pork sandwiches. There’s also a gochujang-glazed Korean-style fried chicken sandwich available. Offset Sandwich Exchange’s opening menu also has grilled cheese and chicken tender plates. Sides offered by Offset include seasoned fries, sweet potato fries with hot honey, curry coleslaw and banana cheesecake flautas.

St. Pete Ferments owner Sarah Arrazola talks Florida flora, ‘slow food’ and new retail storefront
But after receiving news that the production space she leased in Gulfport was sold this summer, the opportunity to rent a brick and mortar in downtown St. Pete quickly presented itself. Arrazola was given 75 days to relocate, and with the help of fundraising efforts from the St. Pete community and loyalcustomers alike, she was able to sign a lease by the end of the summer. St. Pete Ferments’ new storefront, which it shares with local honey producers Queen and Colony, is located at 326 Dr. MLK Jr. St. N and in soft opening phase. A grand opening shindig was slated for Thursday, Oct. 17. For now, the part-retail part-production space is open from 2 p.m.-7 p.m. on Thursdays and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, although Arrazola tells Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that these hours may expand in the future. Launched in 2016, SPF has made a name for itself by being a consistent vendor at both the Indie Flea and Saturday Morning Markets in St. Pete, giving Arrazola the chance to purvey a variety of kombucha, kimchi, sauerkraut and other Florida-focused ferments directly to her customer base.

EVENTS

A portion of proceeds from St. Pete’s OctoberWest craft beer festival will benefit Mutual Aid Disaster Relief
Who doesn’t need a beer right about now? As Tampa Bay continues to pick itself up after back-to-back hurricanes, one beer festival in St. Petersburg wants to make it a little easier to catch a buzz without the use of a chainsaw. A press release says that in response to Hurricane’s Milton and Helene, a portion of proceeds from next weekend’s OctoberWest craft beer festival will benefit the local chapter of Mutual Aid Disaster Relief (MADR). “MADR is a grassroots network whose mission is to provide disaster relief based on the principles of solidarity, mutual aid, and autonomous direct action. By working with, listening to, and supporting impacted communities, especially their most vulnerable members, to lead their own recovery, it builds long-term, sustainable and resilient communities,” the release adds. The organization mobilized after Helene and is currently running a free market in Tampa where community members can get clothes and supplies at no charge. What’s more is that admission to the event at St. Petersburg’s James Museum of Wildlife and Western Art are now buy-one-get-one-free when ticket buyers use the code BOGO at checkout.

Taco Bus is donating all proceeds from $10 gift cards to staff affected by recent hurricanes
Hurricanes Milton and Helene have left a lot of Tampa Bay in shambles, and local food service workers are some of the most severely impacted. One local chain is giving customers a chance to give directly to its workers by selling gift cards, with proceeds going directly to staff affected by the storms. Taco Bus—which has 10 locations across the Bay area—is now selling $10 gift cards good for two tacos with a choice of protein, plus chips and salsa, and a medium fountain drink. Customers can choose to redeem the meal for themselves or donate it to a first responder by putting a message in the “gift message” space of the order. An owner of four of the Taco Bus franchises participating told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that they have about 30 employees across their stores. About half missed more than two days due to the storm, but the rest just missed a couple days of work and some none at all.

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This article appears in Oct 17-23, 2024.

Colin Wolf has been working with weekly newspapers since 2007 and has been the Digital Editor for Creative Loafing Tampa since 2019. He is also the Director of Digital Content Strategy for CL's parent...