Ten Rooms opens in Ybor City, Ciro’s permanently closes, and more Tampa Bay food news

Openings

Ten Rooms Two learned restaurateurs are reviving one of the most storied buildings in historic Ybor City—and its highly-anticipated grand opening is right around the corner. El Centro Español de Tampa, at 1536 E 7th Ave., was originally constructed as a clubhouse for cigar industry workers back in 1891, and will soon be home to Ten Rooms, a multifaceted hospitality and retail concept and the newest addition to the Centro Ybor complex. Described as a “dining and retail hub,” Ten Rooms will consist of a 50-seat restaurant called Bar Martinez, craft cocktail hotspot Genevieve the Cat, rotating vendor and art space The Shop at Ten Rooms and The Cafe, a daytime coffee shop and French-inspired bakery. A press release states that Bar Martinez’s new American menu with "southeastern and European influence" will boast a dry-aged beef program and "culinary partnerships with farms and ranches across the state, region and country." Ownership says that Ten Rooms' 5,000 square-foot space will "bring people together for connection and community, whether that’s indulging in a five-star dinner, grabbing a quick lunch or happy hour with coworkers, or picking up sundry items from the curated, locally driven shop.” Ten Rooms officially opens on Saturday, April 27, and reservations for Bar Martinez can be made on resy.com. 1536 E 7th Ave., Ybor City. tenroomsybor.com

Flatbread & Butter (Tampa) People are already taking pictures of their breakfast outside Tampa’s newest place to get a really good pull of espresso. Flatbread & Butter recently soft-opened near the corner of Tyler Street and Ashley Drive, giving downtown denizens, and students living in the nearby Henry building, a place to catch a caffeine buzz and get some work done (bring your own WiFi though). Located at 101 W Tyler St. in the shadow of the old Tampa Bay Times building, Flatbread and Butter is already running a full coffee bar menu which includes drip, cold brew, and all the espresso things (like this ridiculously decadent cortado in front of me right now). Loose leaf tea and lattes (matcha, golden, chai) are available, too. The concept, as previously reported, is a favorite in St. Petersburg’s coffee shop scene, where the small menu includes burritos, loaded toasts, yogurt bowls, breakfast sandwiches, pizzas, and of course, flatbreads. Cafe owner Jesse Muire signed Flatbread's Tampa lease sometime in 2020, and announced plans for the Tampa location last fall. The 3D-coffee bar is here, as promised, and a small menu of pastries is available while the rest of the menu gets off the ground. 101 W Tyler St., Tampa. flatbreadandbutter.com

Sugar Wing Another New Yorker is moving to Tampa, but this time they're bringing chicken. East coast chicken tendie concept Sugar Wing is about to make its deep-fried debut in the Sunshine State. The New York-based chain will open its first Florida location on Friday, April 26 at 7724 113th St., within the Seminole City Center in Pinellas County. To celebrate the grand-opening, the first 50 people on Saturday, April 27 will receive three free chicken strips paired with their choice of sauce. Plus, all weekend long, guests can score any entree with a side of "dip em fries" and a drink for $5. Sugar Wing, which will be open daily between 11 a.m.-9 p.m., is clearly all about consuming various types of chicken (like wings, hand-breaded strips, and chicken sandwiches). But there's also chopped salads, mac and cheese, fries, and sauces... a lot of sauces, 16 to be exact. Sugar Wing started as a ghost kitchen concept in 2019 from the folks at Mighty Quinn’s Barbeque, and has since expanded to include brick and mortar locations in the New York and New Jersey area. The company says there's also plans to open a new Westgate Plaza location at 12004 Anderson Rd. in Tampa next month. 7724 113th St., Seminole. seminolecitycenter.com

Coming Soon

Bosphorous A popular Turkish restaurant in the Orlando area, will soon open a new location in Tampa Bay. The concept has signed a lease to debut within the new mixed-use Edge Collective at 1246 Central Ave. in St. Petersburg, according to a press release from developers PTM Partners and hospitality investment organization DoveHill Capital Management. While no exact opening date was given, Bosphorous will open on the ground floor in a large 5,000 square-foot space previously occupied by Furnish Me Vintage. The space, which is across the street from Hawkers, will share outdoor seating with the neighboring Moxy Hotel. Bosphorus' menu focuses on classic Turkish cuisine, featuring everything from kababs, baklava, hand-carved halal meats, pides (flatbreads), and more. Founded in 2004, Bosphorous Turkish Cuisine's first location opened along Park Avenue in Winter Park. The company has since expanded with outposts in Winter Garden, Lake Nona Orlando and Dr. Phillips Orlando. The restaurant also a new location planned for Tampa in June at 714 S Howard Ave., says St. Pete Rising. 1246 Central Ave., St. Pete. bosphorousrestaurant.com

Closings

Lingr After three years of dishing out exciting fusion cuisine and picture-perfect cocktails, a mainstay in St. Pete's dining scene is closing its doors. According to a statement on Lingr’s website and social media, the upscale Norwegian-Asian restaurant at 400 6th St. S will serve its last customers on Saturday, April 27. “After almost 3 years of Lingr serving the St. Petersburg community and its visitors, I have made the difficult decision to close. During illness and family emergencies, I have always counseled my employees that their health and family are more important than Lingr,” Chef and owner Jeffrey Jew writes on Lingr’s Instagram. “Now, I am in the position that I must take my own advice and spend time with my Mother as we navigate her Lewy body dementia." Chef Jew encourages his customers to donate to the Alzheimer's Association as an act of support for him and his family during this difficult time. Lingr made its highly-anticipated debut in the spring of 2021 showcasing a contemporary blend of Jew’s Nordic and Asian heritage with unique dishes like pumpkin and mushroom dumplings, smoked lions mane and trumpet mushrooms with Brunost cheese, and fried fish with fermented black beans and chili oil. Jew—who is also known for his time as a “Top Chef” contestant, in addition to winning Food Network’s popular “Guy’s Grocery Games"— helmed the kitchens at St. Pete’s BellaBrava and Stillwaters Tavern before pivoting to open Lingr. 400 6th St. S, St. Pete. lingrrestaurant.com

Ciro’s A longtime South Tampa mainstay has officially closed its doors, although its ownership is "actively seeking other locations." Earlier this week, Ciro’s parent company Three Oaks Hospitality announced the permanent closure of the high-end cocktail bar, citing ongoing structural issues within the Bayshore Royal building at 2109 Bayshore Blvd. “Since 2009, Ciro’s has been a cherished spot for locals and visitors alike,” the bar writes on social media. “Thank you to our loyal guests, staff and the Tampa community for your support and memories shared over the years. As they say, this isn’t a goodbye, it’s a see you later.” Last month, Ciro’s temporarily closed due to renovations happening within the Bayshore Royal Condos, but the 100 year-old building's structural problems have forced the cocktail lounge to close for good. Billed as one of the first speakeasies in Tampa, Ciro’s made its debut in South Tampa 15 years ago, boasting a variety of classic cocktails and innovative drinks in a sleek, speakeasy-themed setting. Over the years, Ciro's has snagged countless Best of the Bay awards for Best Martini, Best Cocktails and "Best Place to Drink in the Dark." "Although the doors of Ciro’s may close, its legacy will endure, and we look forward to creating new memories with you in the future.” ownership wrote on its website this week, teasing a relocation elsewhere in Tampa. 2109 Bayshore Blvd., Tampa. @cirostampa on Instagram

Crisp & Green After a year in the heart of Water Street Tampa, a fast-casual salad concept has closed its doors. Crisp & Green, located at 1055 East Cumberland Ave. on the ground floor of the East Cumberland Avenue parking garage, quietly shuttered its doors this week. The Tampa Bay Business Journal reports that signage on the Crisp & Green storefront was taken down earlier this week. The Minneapolis-business has not shared any specific reasons why its one year-old Tampa location closed. Tampa's Crisp & Green location has already been removed from Google, the restaurant’s website and waterstreettampa.com, leaving no trace of the health-conscious concept. Representatives from the company shared the following statement with Creative Loafing Tampa Bay: "After thoughtful consideration, we have decided to close our Tampa location. We’re so thankful for the hard work and dedication of the team to bring the Crisp & Green brand and for the opportunity to serve our amazing customers in Tampa. Thank you for being a part of our journey and we hope to be back in Tampa soon."  1055 East Cumberland Ave., Tampa. crispandgreen.com

Events

'Taste' at the Straz There’s no sense in skipping a Saturday night of live music, craft bevs and great local food, especially when you’re supporting the arts at the same time. The Straz Center for the Performing Arts hosts  its annual fundraiser this Saturday, April 27—an event of perfect synthesis for foodies and arts lovers. There are over 40 participating restaurants including Tampa favorites like Besito Mexican and The Dan, as well as craft brew staples like 3 Daughters, Tampa Bay Brewing Company and others. Not a beer fan? No worries, craft cocktails and NA beverages will also be pouring. Taste (stylized "TASTE") takes place at the venue's lobby, Morsani and Ferguson Halls, and the Tampa Riverwalk, and also offers four stages with live entertainment from Paradigm, Stereo FM, Jaquay Pearce and Chris Flowers. The all-inclusive general admission tickets include unlimited sampling and raise funds to maintain Tampa Bay’s arts scene and support Straz’s education and outreach programs throughout the community. Straz already boasts provision of arts education programs for over a million students and hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarship assistance. 1010 N W C Macinnes Pl., Tampa. strazcenter.org Mega Night Street Food Market Secret’s out about Pinellas’ Saigon Night Market and the Friday Night Street Food Market, and this weekend organizers have teamed up and tapped close to 100 vendors to feed locals who’ll cram into a three-acre gastronomic wonderland for a Lao New Year celebration. Craftspeople will also sell their wares, alongside musicians and libations from St. Pete Distillery. There’s no cover, but you’ve gotta pay to park. The Mega Night Street Food Market happens Friday-Saturday, April 26-28 at Space in St. Petersburg. 855 28th St. S, St. Petersburg.  @FridayNightStreetMarket on Facebook

ICYMI

Former owner of Tampa's Hall on Franklin closes Orlando food hall The Hall on the Yard food hall in Ivanhoe Village has closed amid a lawsuit with its landlord over unpaid rent, according to court records. Records indicate that the Hall on the Yard owes nearly $250,000 in unpaid rent. Marketed as "the world's first full-service food hall," the space housed nine food stalls, five event spaces and three premium cocktail bars. Now, a sign that reads “Permanently Closed” hangs on its front door, although the hall has not made an official announcement pertaining to its closing. The Bungalower first reported the hall had closed on April 18. The Yard’s parent company, Ivanhoe Place Propco, filed a lawsuit against The Hall April 15, alleging the hall owes $249,105 in unpaid rent plus utilities. Ivanhoe Place Propco asked the court that the food hall be evicted, in addition to paying the rent. According to the complaint filed by Ivanhoe Place Propco, The Hall on the Yard's parent company filed for bankruptcy protection in July 2023. They were supposed to continue to pay rent, which did not happen even after notices were served, according to records. Jamal Wilson, owner of The Hall on the Yard LLC, faced a similar fate with his other concepts a few years back. The Hall on Franklin in Tampa closed in 2020, as well as The Hall at Ashford Lane in Atlanta. Wilson’s New Orleans concept also closed in 2022. — Alexandra Sullivan

Tijuana Flats closes four Tampa Bay locations following bankruptcy filing If you’re wondering what happened to your favorite Tijuana Flats, the chain’s parent company recently spilled the beans. On April 19, Tijuana Flats announced that it has closed 11 stores in the past week, including four Tampa Bay locations. The company chose which stores would be shuttered based on financial performance, occupancy costs and market conditions, according to a press release. Four stores in Jacksonville were also closed in February prior to an ownership change this month that saw the Central Florida-based company switch hands from TJF USA, LLC to Flatheads, LLC. The release said Tijuana Flats has also filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Chief Executive Officer Joe Christina joined the company in November 2022, and will remain CEO through the ownership change. “Our company is excited by the new ownership group’s plan to reinvest, focus, and emphasize the things that originally brought so many people to love Tijuana Flats,” Christina said in a press release. The restaurant changed its menu up in 2021 which ended up being a financial failure, according to court documents obtained by Restaurant Business, and rolled out another new menu effective April 1 including changes like new packaging for take-out and delivery.—Suzanne Townsend

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