Bavaro's Pizza Napoletana & Pastaria — Restaurant in Tampa

Giving 3 stars because the pizza was quite delicious. It was a bit wetter than some Neapolitan pizzas we've had but the crust is so good and chewy we just used it to mop up the extra sauce. Yummy!

Having said that, the rest was a train wreck. We ordered the bruschetta. We had expected it would come out on a toasted bread. It came out on a rubbery slice of bread. It was a bit of a struggle to bite through it without dumping the tomatoes in your lap. We decided not to continue with that item. The server noticed the plate pushed to the edge of the table and asked if it was okay. We explained that we had expected a crusty, toasty bread. She said the bread is toasted but then they "put it in a bucket that has a lid on it". : /

We also ordered the margherita and caesar salad with the dressing on the side. And we ordered a glass of Montepulciano.

The pizza was incredibly tasty as mentioned above. But the server brought us side plates one of which had a big piece of food stuck to it. And she handed out the plates, so it wasn't as if we discovered it when we unstacked them. She either wasn't paying attention or chose not to address it. We slid it over to the edge of the table and used the small app plate that had been brought for the bruschetta instead.

While we waited on the salad, I asked for another glass of wine. I decided to try the Pinot Noir. I had pushed my empty glass over to the edge of the table now designated for uneaten/unwanted items. It was crawling with fruit flies and this seemed a good solution to draw them away from us while we dined as we had chosen to sit outside. Unfortunately, the server walked straight over and poured the Pinot in the Montepulciano glass, bugs and all, before we could stop her. Again, : /

To wrap this up, the caesar did arrive, but it was already dressed, not with the dressing on the side as we had requested. We had a couple bites, finding it unremarkable, left the remainder. My husband took the bug wine inside and got a fresh glass for me.

Ultimately, we would go back to pick up a pizza. The pizza was really good. But there is a lack of service that makes the rest of the experience...rough. Bruschetta - 1 Salad - 1 Pizza - 4.5 Service - 2 Environment - 2 (we sat outside by choice, but the table that we were directed to wasn't clean and the area didn't appear to have been swept in days.)

ProTip - Grab a pizza or two and...

I have made the trip here for years from another county with my family as well as eating here when I had an office downtown. The pizza is delicious and the best I have had of this type. I’ve never been to Italy, but my wife grew up there and she went back recently and said Bavaro’s is the only thing close to pizza in Naples.

Four star for atmosphere is going to come off a little harsh, but you guys HAVE to do something about the homeless people camping out around your business. And by do something I know it’s not safe today to go out and challenge them and calling TPD will do nothing because their hands are tied (don’t ask me how I know), but you need to team up with your fellow businesses and get the City Council and Mayor to step up and clean up your street.

This most recent visit was a business lunch and the guy called me when he got there to make sure I gave him the right restaurant since he said (his words) he had to “climb around a dozen homeless” to get there. I know this is a much bigger problem for everyone downtown, but this was a first time visitor to Tampa and Bavaro’s and it would have been a perfect day to sit outside on your patio, but the smell of urine and relentless wave of homeless shut that down.

I’ll be back for the delicious pizza and great service, but I don’t think I will be holding any client lunches there until the problems at the front/patio seating are cleared up. I definitely would not let my wife go there alone during the day after dealing what I had to deal with just walking back to my car. I am a large guy and still got cursed out and aggressively approached for money in a one block walk.

Please don’t take it personal, I know it’s not your fault, but you have a voice and it’s not fair to you or your customers that your business is being negatively affected. My client actually wanted to go somewhere else before even getting inside, that’s really bad for your bottom line, but I assured him we would be fine.

I look forward to visiting again and I really hope you get some help from the city clearing a safe path to your door.

EDIT: 1 star to 4 stars for atmosphere since the restaurant atmosphere is great, just the exterior surroundings are negative and it’s not...

The fall from Grace Dan Bávaro, one of the best Italian restaurant in Florida has fallen from grace. Take this review from someone who traveled far distances only to taste the delicious food and excellent service this restaurant used to provide. Today I was received without a “welcome” or any sort of greeting by the host. Followed by our server who at the time of taking our order didn’t seem interested in providing the service. She forgot the appetizers we ordered and when she brought us the entrees our glasses were empty and left without offering a refill and before we could even ask her. She sat down by a table behind us with the another 3 waitresses who didn’t have anything better to do than look depressed, demoralized and bored while on their phones. The atmosphere didn’t get any better, no music on the background, just people eating to the rhythm of forks and knifes hitting plates… the check was brought to us without the opportunity to order my wife’s favorite dessert Gelato. This can only be the reflection of an absent owner, a check that could have easily been 150 dollars was left at 58.02, with a $91.98 difference makes you wonder how much money is walking away due to a mediocre service. Before expansion, quality should be uphold to maximize profit…

Pizza was as it always had been, good! Raviolis were dry and crispy in the corners, that pasta should have never left the kitchen.

I will come back in 3 months time. I hope to update this review to one that reflects the service that used to characterized Bavaro’s Pizza.

Respectfully,

At this time with a heavy heart I do not recommend...