Bavaro’s Pizza Napoletana & Pastaria opened its fourth location on Airside C (Southwest Airlines) at the Tampa International Airport (TIA), according to Dan Bavaro, company founder.
“This is a big step for Bavaro’s,” says Bavaro. “It will bring additional exposure to our ‘Napoletana’ style of food to area residents as well as visitors.”
The 600-square-foot space has limited counter service. Seating is outside the restaurant. The menu focus is on five pizzas (including Bavaro’s signature Margherita pie), three salads and five Panini sandwiches. A special egg Panini sandwich is offered for breakfast. Ingredients are imported from Italy, including a 100-year-old yeast culture for the pizza dough.
“Our flour is ‘Double Zero,’” Bavaro adds. “This means the flour is milled fine like talcum powder and is all natural.”
An imported Italian oven is fired by gas. It heats 800 degrees. Within a U.S. airport, Bavaro’s is the first Neapolitan pizzeria adhering to the ancient methods of dough preparation using a 100-year-old culture.
“TIA projects 15,000 Southwest flyers will pass by Bavaro’s on a daily basis,” Bavaro also adds. “We are projecting the location will generate $1.4 million annually.”
The Bavaro’s story began in 2009 when Bavaro relocated his wife and five children from New Jersey to open the first Bavaro’s in downtown Tampa. Fla. Besides scouting Tampa as the first perspective restaurant, Bavaro did extensive research in Italy to perfect his signature craft of the “Napoletana” style of baking pizza.
Bavaro’s in TIA is open seven days a week. Hours of operation: 8 am to the last Southwest departure flight.
Tampa-based Bavaro’s currently has additional locations in Tampa at 514 North Franklin Street, 945 Central Avenue in St. Petersburg, Florida, and 1468 Tuskawilla Road in the Orlando suburb of Winter Springs. Bavaro also has plans to open additional locations in Florida, including Sarasota. For more information, go to bavarospizza.com.
