{"id":130458,"date":"2026-01-24T16:25:09","date_gmt":"2026-01-24T16:25:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/130458\/"},"modified":"2026-01-24T16:25:09","modified_gmt":"2026-01-24T16:25:09","slug":"ybor-city-restaurant-lara-celebrates-first-anniversary-with-free-beer-and-tacos-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/130458\/","title":{"rendered":"Ybor City restaurant Lara celebrates first anniversary with free beer and tacos, more"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"TheLARA Apothecary Bar & Bazaar in Ybor City, Florida. Credit: LARA Apothecary Bar & Bazaar \/ Facebook<\/a><\/p>\n

It was a long road to open Lara<\/a> for Chef Suzanne Crouch<\/a>, and making it a year in her very own restaurant wasn\u2019t a walk in the park either.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe did it,\u201d the Best of the Bay-winning restaurant<\/a> located at 1919 E 7th Ave. wrote on social media. \u201cThis was no easy feat, and we\u2019re beaming with gratitude.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yesterday, Crouch told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that she\u2019s grateful to have accomplished her dream\u2014and so proud of the team that\u2019s helped her do it.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have faced 100 \u2018new restaurant\u2019 challenges and continue to persevere,\u201d Crouch wrote in a text message, adding that that the restaurant feels lived in and always has. \u201cNearly every person who has ever inspired me, supported me, known me in any way\u2014has walked through these doors with a smile. That energy lingers and truly makes LARA feel special.\u00a0<\/p>\n

And we\u2019re just getting started!\u201d<\/p>\n

To show its appreciation Lara hosts an afternoon celebration this weekend, complete with free beer from another new and already-beloved<\/a> Ybor City spot Sky Puppy Brewing<\/a>, serving its \u201cPalpable Harmonic Resonance,\u201d a super clean Czech-style Pilsner. Made 100% to style, the malty, bitter beer has Czech Saaz as its primary hop, and is extremely drinkable, which bodes well for the kill-the-keg activity.<\/p>\n

Visitors\u2019 first Halal taco from St. Petersburg\u2019s Birria Bros. is also free.<\/p>\n

Tunes come via DJs Brian Schanck and Christina Sanchez (of the band Soft Cuff), while Velvet Gypsy\u2019s Christina Gilson takes over the bar.
More information is available via @lara.tampa on Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Pitch in to help make the Tampa Bay Journalism Project a success.<\/a><\/p>\n

Subscribe to Creative Loafing newsletters.<\/a><\/p>\n

Follow us:\u00a0Google News<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0NewsBreak<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Reddit<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Instagram<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Facebook\u00a0<\/a>|\u00a0BlueSky<\/a><\/p>\n

This article appears in Jan. 22 \u2013 28, 2026<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n

\t