The Bavaria’s Pizza Napolitano & Pastaria flagship location in downtown Tampa, Florida, is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year with a variety of special promotions tin the works, says founder Dan Bavaria.

“We are blessed the Tampa community embraced our concept from day one,” Bavaro says. “As a result we’ve expanded into additional locations over the last 10 years.”

While the actual anniversary date is in March, Bavaro says the restaurant will host a series of events throughout the year. Specific details are still in the works, but Bavaria’s is hoping to have a Franklin Street block party this spring.

 “Our flour is ‘Double Zero,’” Bavaro adds. “This means the flour is milled fine like talcum powder and is all natural.” We were the first in Florida to offer traditional Napoletana pizza prepared in an authentic Naples, Italy-imported wood burning pizza oven when the original Bavaro’s opened in 2009 in downtown Tampa.

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.  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 has locations in downtown Tampa on Franklin Street, downtown St. Petersburg in the EDGE District and Tampa International Airport. Bavaro’s also has a sister restaurant called Sorellina (“little sister” in Italian) in Tampa’s Hall on Franklin. Plans call for a Bavaro’s to open soon in Sarasota.