A global hospitality group is bringing its European sensibilities to Tampa, and soon. V Modern Italian is opening soon at Rome Collective, the mixed-use development taking shape at 202 N. Rome Ave. in North Hyde Park, and if you’ve been watching that stretch of the city at all lately, you know this is exactly the kind of announcement it’s been waiting for.
Let’s start with who’s actually behind this. V Modern Italian is run by Fast Fine Restaurant Group, a global hospitality platform developed by restaurant designer Benjamin Calleja and industry vet Christian Lagerlöf. That’s right, he’s Swedish. From Sweden. The birthplace of ABBA, build-it-yourelf furniture, and apparently now some of the most forward-thinking Italian restaurants on earth. The group already has locations in Sweden, Spain, Turkey, Belgium, and Saudi Arabia, before they decided the American South was finally ready for what they’re doing. Nashville was their first U.S. stop, opening in May 2025. Then came Charleston this past spring. And now Tampa’s up, which makes a lot of sense, because if there’s one thing this city’s hungry for, it’s a seat at the same table as those two culinary darlings.
Photos via V Modern Italian
So what’s actually on the menu? Expect antipasti, fresh made pastas, oven-fired pizzas, and wood-fired main courses, along with a craft cocktail and wine program that’s built for lingering well past your bedtime. The concept’s designed to engage all five senses, which is literally what the “V” stands for, in case you were curious. Michelin-starred Chef Stefano Ciotti collaborated on the menu, bringing a modern idea of what classic Italian cuisine is, coupled with top-notch technique and contemporary flair. The pedigree is very much there.
The space is worth getting excited about too. In Nashville, the team transformed a former brewery into a dining destination featuring beautiful velvet booths, a marble bar, and massive murals by internationally recognized street art duo PichiAvo. If Tampa’s version hits anywhere close to that mark, North Hyde Park’s about to have some very serious competition for the city’s most impressive dining room.
Photos via V Modern Italian
V Modern Italian is currently hiring for the Tampa location, which means the clock is very much ticking. If you’ve got hospitality experience and you’re ready to get in on the ground floor of one of this year’s more exciting openings, it’s worth heading to their website for updates and opportunities.
No firm opening date’s been announced just yet, but given the momentum already building around Rome Collective, that can’t come soon enough.
Photo via V Modern Italian