Oronzo Honest Italian To Feature Age-Old Italian Recipes

NEW TAMPA, FL – Bavaro’s Pizza Napoletana & Pastaria founder Dan Bavaro and Front Burner Brands restaurant group are collaborating on a new Italian fast-casual restaurant opening in New Tampa in late spring.

Construction on Oronzo Honest Italian began Jan. 10 at 18027 Highwood Preserve Parkway, just off Bruce B. Downs Boulevard near Interstate 75 in The Walk at Highwood Preserve.

“Oronzo is named after my grandfather, Oronzo Bavaro, who migrated from Giovinazzo, Italy, to Gravesend, Brooklyn, New York, in the early 1900s,” said Bavaro, who founded Bavaro’s in Tampa in 2009. “My grandfather established Oronzo & Sons General Trucking Company, which made deliveries to area grocery stores and restaurants.”

In 2011, Bavaro’s Tampa patrons and friends of Front Burner CEO Bob Johnston introduced the two restaurateurs. Their friendship led to this joint venture that they feel will resonate with customers in Tampa Bay.

“From the first time we met Dan at his downtown Bavaro’s location, we knew there was something special about him,” said Johnston. “He is passionate about everything he gets involved with. Oronzo has great potential for future growth. We are proud to bring Dan and Oronzo into our legacy of Melting Pot family of restaurants.”

Front Burner is the operator of several restaurant concepts including The Melting Pot “polished casual” dining restaurant franchise. The Melting Pot currently has more than 105 locations in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

The menu at Oronzo will spotlight made-from-scratch recipes with origins dating back to the 1800s in Rimini, Italy, a city on the Adriatic coast in the Emilia-Romagna region. Menu features will focus around Italy’s iconic Piadina bread, made with imported Italian flour, sea salt, lardo and water. Similar to a tortilla, Oronzo's Piadina bread is used as a base for a pizza called Piatto, meaning flat in Italian.

The Piadina bread will also be used as a wrap for fresh Italian ingredients including the ancient grain and superfood, Farro. Other menu items include Italian soups and salads, as well as proteins such as crispy-baked chicken, steak, grilled chicken, hand-rolled meatballs, Forza (power) bowls, homemade pasta and gluten-free zucchini noodles and vegan options.

Oronzo’s first location is scheduled to open in late spring at

“We’re shooting for a late April opening,” Bavaro said. "That’s assuming all goes well with construction.”

Future locations are in the works.