Chef Nic Bryon hosts a pasta-making class at Pasta Packs’ Water Street pop-up in Tampa, Florida. Credit: c/o Pasta Packs

In the space that formerly housed fast-casual concept Crisp & Green are brothers bringing fresh pastas and laidback lunches to Tampa’s bustling Water Street.

Out of its new temporary space at 1055 E Cumberland Ave. in one of Tampa Bay’s fastest-growing districts, Pasta Packs offers “an ever-evolving lineup of immersive food events for locals and visitors.”

Owners Nic and Greg Bryon are still operating Pasta Packs out of their South Tampa headquarters at 4334 S Manhattan Ave., but are able to serve a wider clientele out of the large Water Street space.

“A lot of people on this side of town maybe haven’t experienced what we do, so it’s cool to have a new audience of sorts,” Greg tells Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. “The walk-up factor is completely different from our other location, and so far, I think the Water Street residents really like the convenience of the take-home pasta packs.”

The brothers describe their temporary pop-up as a “unique space that blends delicious food, engaging classes and creative collaborations in a lively setting.”

In addition to its weekend lunch services and regular cooking classes, folks can pick up freshly-made pastas that Chef Nic makes on a daily basis. These packs contain pasta, sauces, garnishes and heating instructions and come in a variety of flavors and styles that can change with the seasons.

Some of Chef Nic’s classic dishes that will always be a constant on the Pasta Packs lunch menu—and available inside of its grab-and-go cooler—include the best-selling pappardelle bolognese, aglio e olio, cacio e pepe, short rib tagliatelle and spaghetti pomodoro.

Lunch service at the Water Street pop-up happens every weekend from noon-4 p.m., featuring a menu stacked with Pasta Packs staples and seasonal dishes. The former Crisp & Green space can hold up to 50 customers, an almost 50% increase from Pasta Packs’ flagship South Tampa location.

Owners Nic and Greg Byron launched their new Water Street pop-up in late-2024 after the landlord of the parcel reached out to them about filling in the vacant space.

“It’s a really beautiful, built out restaurant space. I think its owner reached out to us because Pasta Packs is kind of a different food concept here in Tampa—we’re part retail part restaurant. They really loved the activation stuff we do in town, like the pop-ups markets and workshops.”

The monthly pasta-making classes at the Water Street pop-up have been steadily selling out, too. At the new temporary location, Chef Nic is able to host larger, more specialized pasting-making classes, with March’s installment focusing on ravioli.

The brothers signed a six-month contract in fall 24’, but the Water Street pop-up may continue into the spring and summer of this year.

“I think that’s the main point of the Water Street pop-up is just to have some fun,” Greg says. “We’re having great conversations with our new customers, hosting bigger pasta classes and definitely want to do more fun, local collaborations in the future.”

Head to @pastapacks on Instagram for the latest news on its weekend lunch service, pasta-making classes, menu changes and more.

The space is also available for event rentals and private pasta classes; head to pastapacks.com for further information.

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