It was a long road to open Lara for Chef Suzanne Crouch, and making it a year in her very own restaurant wasn’t a walk in the park either.
“We did it,” the Best of the Bay-winning restaurant located at 1919 E 7th Ave. wrote on social media. “This was no easy feat, and we’re beaming with gratitude.”
Yesterday, Crouch told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that she’s grateful to have accomplished her dream—and so proud of the team that’s helped her do it.
“We have faced 100 ‘new restaurant’ challenges and continue to persevere,” Crouch wrote in a text message, adding that that the restaurant feels lived in and always has. “Nearly every person who has ever inspired me, supported me, known me in any way—has walked through these doors with a smile. That energy lingers and truly makes LARA feel special.
And we’re just getting started!”
To show its appreciation Lara hosts an afternoon celebration this weekend, complete with free beer from another new and already-beloved Ybor City spot Sky Puppy Brewing, serving its “Palpable Harmonic Resonance,” a super clean Czech-style Pilsner. Made 100% to style, the malty, bitter beer has Czech Saaz as its primary hop, and is extremely drinkable, which bodes well for the kill-the-keg activity.
Visitors’ first Halal taco from St. Petersburg’s Birria Bros. is also free.
Tunes come via DJs Brian Schanck and Christina Sanchez (of the band Soft Cuff), while Velvet Gypsy’s Christina Gilson takes over the bar.
More information is available via @lara.tampa on Instagram.
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This article appears in Jan. 22 – 28, 2026.