LAVO Is Coming to Tampa Riverwalk

• LAVO Italian Restaurant, the global hospitality concept from Tao Group Hospitality, is coming to Hotel Tampa Riverwalk at 200 N. Ashley Drive, Tampa, FL 33602.
• The Tampa location will bring LAVO’s Italian dining, cocktails and high-energy hospitality concept to the downtown Riverwalk.
• The restaurant marks another major national hospitality brand entering Tampa as the city continues to attract larger-scale dining and entertainment operators.

What LAVO Is Bringing to Tampa

LAVO Italian Restaurant is headed to the Tampa Riverwalk, bringing one of Tao Group Hospitality’s best-known restaurant brands to downtown Tampa. The concept is known for combining Italian food with a lively social atmosphere. Its menu has included house-made pastas, wood-fired pizzas, its signature oversized meatball, seafood, cocktails and indulgent desserts. The brand has also become particularly associated with its high-energy brunches and party-focused dining experiences. The new restaurant will be located inside Hotel Tampa Riverwalk at 200 N. Ashley Drive, directly along the Hillsborough River. The hotel currently offers waterfront dining, outdoor spaces and direct access to the Tampa Riverwalk.

What Makes LAVO A Major Hospitality Addition

LAVO is part of Tao Group Hospitality, a global operator behind brands including TAO, Marquee, OMNIA, Beauty & Essex, Cathédrale and Hakkasan. The company operates restaurants, nightclubs, lounges and daylife venues across major markets around the world. LAVO itself has expanded well beyond its New York roots, with locations in markets including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Singapore, London and Mexico City. Tao Group describes the concept as Italian cuisine with a coastal influence, featuring fresh pasta, pizza, seafood and a cocktail program. That global footprint is part of what makes the Tampa announcement notable. This is not simply another restaurant opening downtown; it brings a nationally recognized hospitality operator into one of Tampa’s most visible waterfront destinations.

What Guests Can Expect From The Concept

LAVO's appeal comes from the way it blends dining and entertainment. The restaurant is designed to turn a meal into more of an occasion, with food, cocktails and a social atmosphere playing equal roles. Its signature menu has included dishes such as house-made pasta, wood-fired pizza and the restaurant's famous meatball. LAVO locations have also incorporated brunch and nightlife elements, helping the brand attract customers beyond the traditional dinner crowd. The Tampa location is expected to build on that same identity while adapting the experience to the Riverwalk setting.

What The Riverwalk Location Adds

The restaurant's location gives LAVO a prominent position in downtown Tampa. Hotel Tampa Riverwalk sits directly along the Hillsborough River and is within walking distance of major downtown destinations, including the Tampa Convention Center, the University of Tampa and Amalie Arena. The hotel has 277 guest rooms, riverfront views and existing dining and outdoor spaces, giving LAVO the opportunity to become another major food-and-beverage destination within an established hospitality property. For Tampa's Riverwalk, the arrival also adds another recognizable restaurant brand to an increasingly active downtown dining scene.

What Tao Group Brings to Tampa

Tao Group Hospitality is led by Co-CEOs Noah Tepperberg and Jason Strauss, who have been behind the development of several major restaurant and nightlife brands. Tepperberg and Strauss founded their original hospitality business together and later built Tao Group into an international operator. The company currently operates more than 50 branded restaurants, nightclubs, lounges and daylife venues, according to Strauss' official biography. Its portfolio includes LAVO alongside TAO, Marquee, OMNIA and other high-profile concepts. For Tampa, the arrival of LAVO adds another nationally recognized hospitality name to the city at a time when downtown development is increasingly focused on creating destinations that combine dining, entertainment, hotels, residential projects and waterfront activity.