{"id":195823,"date":"2026-03-18T03:21:13","date_gmt":"2026-03-18T03:21:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/195823\/"},"modified":"2026-03-18T03:21:13","modified_gmt":"2026-03-18T03:21:13","slug":"lara-finds-its-rhythm-in-ybor-83-degrees-media","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/195823\/","title":{"rendered":"LARA finds its rhythm in Ybor \u2013 83 Degrees Media"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"LARA, 1919 E. Seventh Ave., recently passed its first anniversary (Carole Devillers)\"\"Chef Suzanne \u201cSuz\u201d Lara\u2019s namesake concept in Ybor City (Carole Devillers)<\/p>\n

When Chef Suzanne \u201cSuz\u201d Lara opened her namesake restaurant LARA in February 2025, it wasn\u2019t just another restaurant debut. It was the culmination of a 20-year journey through Tampa\u2019s kitchens and a bet on Ybor City\u2019s next chapter.<\/p>\n

Now, LARA has passed its first anniversary in Ybor, and the gastropub continues to evolve, refining a food program that blends global comfort with Tampa roots.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first year has been great because we finally have a sense of who\u2019s walking through the door,\u201d Lara says. \u201cAbout sixty percent of our guests are locals from around Tampa Bay, and the rest are tourists, and they\u2019re looking for different things.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Located at 1919 E. Seventh Ave., LARA was conceived as more than a dining room. The 52-seat restaurant\u2019s apothecary bar theme features a craft cocktail program with both zero-proof and spirited drinks alongside a menu with Latin, Asian, and Italian influences.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve learned where to push the creativity and where to keep things approachable,\u201d Lara says. \u201cLunch tends to be quicker and more casual, but dinner is where we can really stretch and put interesting food on the menu.\u201d<\/p>\n

The dishes reflect her extensive culinary r\u00e9sum\u00e9 and Ybor\u2019s layered identity. Korean drunk eggs and Filipino-style Loganisa hot dogs are popular. They\u2019re playful but deliberate, comfort food filtered through the lens of a chef who\u2019s spent two decades sharpening her instincts.<\/p>\n

The fan favorite? It\u2019s chicken wings roasted over a Japanese charcoal grill. The super hot lump charcoal renders the fat nice and crispy, a delicious flavor that\u2019s different from deep-fried wings.<\/p>\n

A new, expanded dinner menu will likely include seafood-forward plates, handmade pastas, and Cuban-style pork and beans.<\/p>\n

\"\"The bar at LARA (Carole Devillers)\"\"LARA\u2019s brick-wall dining room (Carole Devillers)\"\"Art is an integral part of LARA\u2019s identity (Carole Devillers)<\/p>\n

Lara\u2019s professional culinary journey in Tampa began as a dishwasher at the now-closed Viva La Frida. From there, she worked her way up to line cook. She went on to help open Ella\u2019s Americana Folk Art Cafe and led its kitchen for nearly a decade. She helped shape concepts like Cass Street Deli and contributed to the kitchen at Rooster & the Till.<\/p>\n

LARA represents something more personal: a namesake concept built from scratch and grounded in relationships with longtime collaborators who joined her in the move to Ybor.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want LARA to be known for interesting food that still feels familiar,\u201d Lara says. \u201cA good example is our plantain pie; it\u2019s our spin on banana cream pie, but with caramelized plantains, miso, and sesame.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the balance we\u2019re always chasing,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n

As Ybor City continues to evolve beyond its late-night reputation, places like LARA help shape a different rhythm on Seventh Avenue, one built around thoughtful cooking, neighborhood regulars, and a chef willing to experiment.\u00a0One year in, Lara has found her footing, balancing creativity with the tastes of a growing local crowd. The result is a restaurant that feels both personal and rooted in place. Another layer in Ybor\u2019s ever-changing cultural fabric.<\/p>\n

For more information, go to LARA Tampa<\/a><\/p>\n


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