{"id":362642,"date":"2026-08-04T17:15:22","date_gmt":"2026-08-04T17:15:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/362642\/"},"modified":"2026-08-04T17:15:22","modified_gmt":"2026-08-04T17:15:22","slug":"fabio-vivianis-taverna-costale-lunch-in-st-pete-among-best-food-drink-events-coming-to-tampa-bay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/362642\/","title":{"rendered":"Fabio Viviani’s Taverna Costale lunch in St. Pete among best food & drink events coming to Tampa Bay"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AChef Fabio Viviani Credit: ChefFabioViviani\/Facebook<\/p>\n

Chef Fabio Viviani <\/a>has been hosting sold-out cooking demonstrations for a few weeks now, and he continues the practice this weekend at the St. Petersburg location of his Taverna Costale concept<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Organizers for a weekend lunch at 200 Central Ave. and demo said that guests will get a glass of prosecco and special three-course prix-fixe lunch. While the menu includes a caprese salad, shrimp orecchiette, and tiramisu\u2014all paired with libations\u2014don\u2019t be surprised if a meatball makes an appearance.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is never an instance that you show up at Costale and you\u2019re not gonna get meatball,\u201d Viviani, a 47-year-old \u201cTop Chef\u201d fan favorite, recently told WTSP\u2019s \u201cGreat Day Live.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

Jovial as all get out, Viviani told hosts that a proper meatball will ruffle feathers because it will only have beef.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t care what grandma says. If you put pork or veal, you\u2019re doing a meatball a disservice,\u201d he argued saying beef is flavorful, including the fat.\u00a0\u201cIf anyone tells you that you have to use lean beef, I automatically disqualify them, OK? Meatball has to have a little fat component. If they ask you for the lean meatball, they\u2019re probably into Pilates, too, so they\u2019re not a reliable source for meatball.\u201d<\/p>\n

Reservations for the cooking demonstration and lunch with Chef Fabio Viviani, happening Saturday, Aug. 8 at Taverna Costale in St. Petersburg, are still available and start at $75\/person.<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"\/<\/p>\n

The event is just one of many from Creative Loafing Tampa Bay\u2019s user-submitted events calendar, which is free to use and read. See more food and drink events coming to the Bay area below, along with bulleted bits of local food news.<\/p>\n

St. Petersburg Distillery has launched its first ready-to-pour bottled cocktail collection, the 31 South line, debuting with an Espresso Martini, Old Fashioned and Maple Old Fashioned \u2014 each $35 for a 750 mL bottle yielding seven to eight cocktails, available exclusively at the distillery\u2019s Welcome Salon (800 31st St. S). A press release says the collection \u201clets us take some of that experience beyond the speakeasy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Andy\u2019s Frozen Custard: National Frozen Custard Day Coozie Giveaway Saturday, Aug. 8. 11 a.m.-midnight. With purchase. Nine locations across Tampa Bay<\/p>\n

The Art of Coffee: A Tasting Journey Featuring Mission Grounds Coffee<\/a> Friday, Aug. 7. 10 a.m. $7.18 & up. Imagine Museum, St. Petersburg. imaginemuseum.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Bad Moms Brunch<\/a> Monday, Aug. 10. 10 a.m. Shuffle, Tampa. shuffletampa.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Let Us Cook Tuesday, Aug. 11. 11 a.m. No cover with RSVP. Palm Harbor Library, Palm Harbor. palmharborlibrary.org<\/a><\/p>\n

Blind Wine Tasting Battle Wednesday, Aug. 12. 5:30 p.m. Sold out. Book + Bottle, St. Petersburg. bookandbottlestpete.com<\/a><\/p>\n

R&B Ink & Sip Night (Beginner tattoo experience and wine tasting) Friday, Aug. 21. 6:30 p.m. $104.07 & up. Vino Ghvino 21, Tampa. vinoghvino21.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Ice Cream Stroll Saturday, Aug. 22. 2 p.m. $10. Tarpon Springs Downtown District, Tarpon Springs. thegildedpagebookstore.com<\/a><\/p>\n

I Like It HOT! Festival Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 12-13. 10 a.m. No cover. England Brothers Park, Pinellas Park. saucyqueen.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Wines of Spain: An Evening of Spanish Wine & Culture Friday, Oct. 16. 6 p.m. $108.55 & up. Centro Asturiano de Tampa, Tampa. centroasturianotampa.org<\/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 Jul 30 \u2013 Aug 05, 2026<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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

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