About Us
Get to Know More About Us
Our Story
Out of passion, tradition, hard work and integrity, Bavaro’s opened its doors in March 2009 as the first traditional Neapolitan Pizzeria in the state of Florida. Determined to share their family recipes with the world, Dan Bavaro, his wife Anna-Maria, and their five beautiful children packed their U-Haul, left their friends and family, drove from New Jersey to Tampa, and set out to provide for others the same love, energy, and authenticity that they experience around their own dinner table.
A company committed to the art and craft of Neapolitan pizza, Bavaro’s stays true to tradition by using hand-crafted, wood-fired brick ovens designed by third-generation Neapolitan craftsmen, a 100-year-old yeast culture, 100-year-old Neapolitan recipes, and top-of-the-line ingredients sourced directly from Italy.
In 2010, after a canceled catering event left them with 20 gallons of homemade pasta sauce, wife Anna-Maria suggested that the team batch the sauces rather than throwing it all away. Thus, Bavaro’s introduced their line of handmade gourmet sauces to the world; allowing loyal guests to take the Bavaro’s family recipes into the comfort of their own home.
From a restaurant in downtown Tampa that seats 50 guests, to a global brand with a standard of quality that resonates around the world, Bavaro’s has since built 3 additional locations in St. Petersburg, the Tampa International Airport, and Sarasota, and continues to commit itself to the high-quality, welcoming experience that guests all around the country have grown to love.
As a pioneer in the traditional Neapolitan pizza culture, Bavaro’s has set the standard for authentic Italian food, and has paved, and continues to pave, the way for many others in the industry.
Where We Started
After a canceled catering event left us with 20 gallons of sauce, we batched it rather than throwing it away. Thus, we introduced our gourmet sauces to the world; allowing guests to take our family recipes into your home.