The heady aroma of woodsmoke beckons the second you walk through the door.
Inside the open kitchen, chefs give crusty planks of pan de cristal a quick char. Blistered shishito peppers, a whole sea bream, octopus and a whopping ribeye steak — it all gets time on the grill at this stunning Spanish restaurant, where live fire plays center stage.
Lumbre, which opened in July inside the new Rome Collective in Tampa’s North Hyde Park neighborhood, is the latestaddition from the Tastes Pretty Good group, the team behind notable Tampa spots Rocca, Bar Terroir and Streetlight Taco. Under executive chef and partner Nick Orr, the menu reads like a love letter to Spain, covering the country’s culinary canon in broad strokes.
Lumbre has two bars, including a long chef’s counter where guests can get a glimpse of the action.
Briny gildas ($12) — spears of Spanish anchovies, manzanilla olives and guindilla peppers — take their cue from San Sebastian and the pintxo bars sprinkled throughout the country’s Basque region. A plate of crispy-fried patatas bravas ($10) topped with a smoky, paprika-spiked tomato sauce and tiny dollops of aioli would feel right at home at any Madrid tapas joint (just a touch more of that aioli, pretty please). And the large-format paella ($69) with Cornish hens and artichoke hearts takes a cue straight from Valencia’s playbook.
But this isn’t a catchall tapas restaurant, and the menu doesn’t stay within regionalconfines. Orr is a pedigreed chef with a deep appreciation of the country’s cuisine, so that when he replicates certain well-known dishes, he does so with both traditional finesse and a little creative flair of his own. There might be a dab of yuzu kosho in a dish of gambas al ajillo, for example, or goat cheese folded into the spot’s Basque cheesecake. But Orr’s overall approach is to gently educate diners without pushing the envelope too far: It’s not the most adventurous take, but it’s an overwhelmingly successful one. It also makes Lumbreeasily the best restaurant to debut in Tampa this year.
Chef Nick Orr throws flour on a loaf of pan de cristal, which the team bake fresh daily.
The restaurant’s signature pan de cristal loaves are used in the pan con tomate as well as the gambas al ajillo.
Following a stint as Rocca’s chef de cuisine, Orr spent several months traveling and cooking across Spain. From San Sebastian to Madrid and Barcelona, his knowledge and affection for the country’s multifaceted culinary landscape is evident. It’s there in the whole-grilled sea bream ($65), inspired by the grilled fish sold in Getaria, a small fishing village on Spain’s northern coast where Orr once worked; in the custard-like tortilla de patatas ($13), a staple at any pintxo or tapas bar; and in the decadent slice of Basque cheesecake ($13), a recipe that took several years to perfect.
The attention to detail, time and effort that Orr and his team have invested in Lumbre is striking. During an early visit, my dining companion and I were shocked at how smoothly the spot ran, just days into opening. Each dish arrived in swift succession, with detailed descriptions from the staff. And most importantly: Everything was delicious. From the creamy croquetas studded with Iberico jamon ($11) to the braised short rib cannelloni with Mornay sauce ($18), we couldn’t quite land on our favorite dish of the night — they were all fantastic.
From left to right, a build-your-own gin and tonic cocktail, matrimonio and pan con tomate.
Croquetas de jamón are on the menu at Lumbre.
The words “tapas” or “pintxos” aren’t anywhere to be found on the menu, which instead features a selection of snacks, or “bocados,” and slightly larger “entrantes,” both of which feel designed to share.
Every meal should start with the pan de cristal, or “glass bread,” an archetype of Catalan bread, which is baked fresh daily and serves as the backbone for the juicy, garlicky pan con tomate ($8). Those same crusty slabs accompany the piping hot gambas al ajillo ($21), where Key West pink shrimp arrive in a bubbling vat of garlic, olive oil and sherry (you’ll want every last crumb to sop up that delicious sauce). A creative spin on the classic pulpo a la Gallega, or Galician-style octopus ($19), features lightly charred tentacles atop a creamy potato puree punctuated by the pop of pickled shallots and a healthy sprinkle of pimenton (a Spanish paprika). And quite possibly my favorite dish on the menu, the matrimonio ($12), nods to the marriage of two briny anchovies — one salt-cured, one cured in vinegar — displayed side-by-side atop a slice of toasted brioche with a lemon-tinged butter and a splash of Spanish olive oil. Each bite delivers a winning hit of salt, brine, citrus and crunch.
The matrimonio at Lumbre features two briny anchovies — one salt-cured, one cured in vinegar — displayed side-by-side atop a slice of toasted brioche.
There’s a decent selection of Spanish cheese and charcuterie to choose from, including an aged Manchego and the peppery blue Valdeón. Spain’s lauded Iberian pigs find a stellar showcase in the pata negra ($45 for 1.5 ounces), sliced to order from a 48-month-aged, acorn-fed Iberico ham, and the paleta Iberica ($20 for 1 ounce), a shoulder cut aged the same amount.
The bright and lively ensalada verde ($15) serves as a lovely palate cleanser for some of the menu’s heavier, entree-style options, punchy with caperberries and a zingy sherry vinaigrette. Of the menu’s larger dishes, there are some clear standouts. I particularly loved the pluma ($55), a buttery, prized cut of Iberico pork that arrives with a thick, flavorful sear (again, the grill), fanned out like a steak and served alongside a tasty medley of blistered shishito peppers drizzled with romesco sauce and a generous shaving of Garrotxa, a goat’s milk cheese from Catalonia.
A Cornish hen and artichoke paella is on the menu at Lumbre.
The spot’s signature paella ($69) is large enough to feed three to four people but perhaps not the giant portion some might expect. It’s a flavor-packed preparation dotted with crispy, caramelized artichoke hearts, nicely charred Cornish hens and dollops of aioli. Though tasty, the paella doesn’t quite achieve the characteristic socarrat — that signature layer of crispy, crackly rice that forms along the bottom of the pan. It’s there in some bites, and not in others. And though it’s not really something that detracts from the dish, some more crispy rice would have been nice.
For dessert, look no further than the restaurant’s signature Basque-style cheesecake ($13) which is as good as any you’ll find in the shops of San Sebastian. Creamy, just-set slices are wobbly like pudding, paired with spice-braised pears and thick shavings of salty, nutty Garrotxa cheese. It’s a dish that’s impossible not to keep coming back for, and one that begs for an accompanying glass of sherry.
The restaurant’s short desert menu includes Basque cheesecake.
On that note: Lumbre’s beverage program deserves an equal amount of applause. Under the helm of bar manager Kristian Rodriguez, the emphasis is on creative cocktails with classic Spanish spirits — think sherry, brandy and vermouth, the latter of which is blended in-house and aged in cask barrels seen throughout the space.
The Fino y Fresco ($15) is a favorite (a refreshing gin, honeydew and shishito pepper blend) as is the La Huerta ($14), which reads like a garden party in a glass made with chile-infused vodka, tomato water, celery and basil eau de vie. The surprise hit is the barrel-aged sangria ($14), another drink that combines house-aged elements, fusing red or white wine with an amontillado cinnamon syrup, apricot and Spanish brandy. As someone who is usually reluctant to order sangria this was, without question, the best I’ve ever had.
A mostly Spanish wine list (there are a few Portuguese options) features a solid selection of wines by the glass priced moderately, roughly $13 to $17. There’s also a gin and tonic matrix that offers guests a fun choose-your-own-adventure when concocting the classic cocktail, with different gin options, herbs, peppercorns, citrus, berries and florals to mix in.
The cocktail menu features a gin and tonic matrix that reads like a choose-your-own-adventure for guests.
When I last spoke to Orr about the restaurant, he reiterated that the goal was to remain approachable (dishes like the matrimonio and that double-punch of anchovy initially gave him some agita). So far, diners appear to be on board. And compared to sister restaurants Rocca and Bar Terroir, Lumbre delivers high marks at a considerably lower price point.
But with a few exceptions, Lumbre is still playing it pretty safe. The menu, which features mostly crowd-pleasers, will eventually evolve, Orr said, as the restaurant settles into its new home and diners become more familiar with the spot.
I’m all for pushing the envelope a bit. And as much as I love what the chef has done here so far, I can’t wait to see what he comes up with next.
We’d love to know where you go for Spanish food. Tell us in the comments.
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