Why 3 stars? Because our experience at dinner wasn't the greatest. --- --- --- I aspired to try Pane Rustica's dinner for years, but the stars had yet to align, until recently. My visit was unfortunately not everything I had hoped it to be, and here's why: 1) I ordered the scallops, because that;s what I have always heard is the go-to for dinner. While the scallops were delicious, there were only four of them (albeit large ones,) and some miscellaneous filler on the plate. I found that everything mixed well together, but when the plate was brought to my table, I was immediately underwhelmed with the value of what I was getting for $29. I wouldn't say that I walked out of the restaurant still hungry, but I think that the price point commands more of a scallop presence, and maybe less pea shoots? 2) My girlfriend ordered the ricotta and potato gnocchi. I love ricotta and gnocchi, yet I really couldn't stand more than a couple bites of this dish before conceding any remaining samples that she offered. I can't even describe the flavor, but it was definitely the worst gnocchi I've ever had, and again, it was $22. 3) Our server kind of struck a bit of a nerve with me. I was having a hard time deciding between the scallops, and the special of the night, so I asked for his opinion. He immediately said that the special was the way to go. When I asked why, his answer was, "because it's the best thing we have going tonight." I'll never forget the advice that I was told from someone who has worked in restaurants their whole life. He said to never order the special because the only reason it's "a special," is because the chef wants to get rid of it. Like, maybe the salmon is about to go bad, so they say, "Our special tonight is the Alaskan Salmon, blah blah, blah." I have no idea if this is true for Pane Rustica, but his answer certainly made it seem that way. So, I said, "..... you know what, I think I am going to go with the scallops." To which he kind of smugly replied, "oh, so you didn't actually need help deciding then, did you?" While it rubbed me the wrong way, I would have given the same star rating, even if the service had been spot-on. I don't believe in downgrading stars based on one, isolated incident of rude service. If it's the usual circumstance, or ownership that's rude, well then, that's another story. My star downgrade is strictly due to the food and the price for it. But overall, I still like Pane for lunch and the bakery. But I doubt I'd ever return for dinner. read more

This is a tale of two different restaurants. Unfortunately both restaurants occupy the same space, and they share the same name, but they are as different as night and day. Pane Rustica is a Zagat-rated restaurant and artisan bakery featuring handcrafted baked goods, and savory, seasonal lunch and dinner specialties. Normally the Zagat rating signifies one of the best fine dining establishments in the city, but my recent dining experience certainly has me scratching my head. Pane Rustica is located in South Tampa on MacDill Avenue, just south of the Crosstown Expressway. Pane is in the same shopping center as Cheese Please and Redneck Wine. I have always eaten at Pane for lunch, or a quick appetizer in their lounge area, and in those cases my experiences have all been good. For lunch you can choose from hearth-baked pizza, sandwiches and salads in a casual atmosphere. The Lounge menu has some small plate options which are also very good. Dinner is a whole different matter with unique wood-fired entrees, appetizers and small plates which change each week according to seasonal availabilities. The emphasis is on a high-end dining experience, but the ambiance is just awful. The noise level in the restaurant is so loud that you have to shout in order to be heard by your dining companions, and after a while that stops being funny. The floor looks like poured concrete so the sounds just bounce all around the dining room, with nothing to deaden the very loud background music and general chatter noise. There is minimal lighting in the dining area, to the point where we all had to fire up our smartphones in order to illuminate the menus and see what our choices were for dinner. Those are both easy things to fix, and should seriously be considered by the management. Our waiter was nice, but very slow, and lacking in the experience to do two things at once. He refilled each water glass one by one, by bringing a fresh glass of water from the kitchen for each diner -- no tray of water glasses or pitcher of water -- just one glass after another. It wasn't until later in the meal that he finally brought out a pitcher and walked around our table. Under normal circumstances I would have asked a question or two about how the food was prepared, but in this case it was so loud that I couldn't carry on a dialogue with the server. That is simply inexcusable for a fine dining restaurant. I ordered one of the seasonal entrée specialties for my dinner, and opted for the pan-seared Rainbow Trout which was served with a crab and arugula salad with pecans and chopped fennel over a bed of cous cous and topped with a maple bourbon reduction. While the meal was good, there were some issues. First, for $27 I would have expected the kitchen staff to pick out all of the pin bones. They didn't, and trying to pick out fish bones in the dark wasn't fun. Second, for that amount of money I expected that we might have a small salad appetizer or maybe some vegetables with the entrée. Nope, that didn't happen. Finally at the end of the meal I was tired of fighting with the pin bones, and I asked for the remainder of my dinner to be wrapped up so I could take it home. Normally the server transfers the remaining food into a to-go container at tableside, but in this case our server took the food back into the kitchen and emerged minutes later with a stapled brown paper bag. That was baffling to say the least. At the end of the day I don't think that Pane lived up to the hype, and I certainly don't think that the quality of my meal was worth what I was charged. I have not experienced this problem when I'm there for lunch, and so I can only conclude that this is a tale of two different restaurants. read more

Pane Rustica - Pan-seared rainbow trout, crab and arugula salad over cous cous with pecans, fennel, sage, and a maple bourbon reduction - Italian Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Where's the 8 star button? Finally went for lunch today after reading the insanely good reviews. Oh yes, they are extremely well deserved. Had a ham and guyere sandwich that was somewhere between delightful and orgasmic. It came with a sweet onion mustard that was just the perfect compliment, and some fried chips that are awesome. And I don't even like potato chips! Also stepped into a delicious Heath Bar cupcake, and I was doing so well by only eating half, but it kept looking at me, all half-eaten, saying "are you to good for me? WHY DON'T YOU LOVE ME??" So I finished it. Sorry new August diet, I can't always control the voices. My bartender Sabrina also said it's an entirely different atmosphere at night for dinner, but that the food is just as amazing. The owner Kevin even gave me a tour of their amazingly impressive kitchen, and I found out when you're eating the bread at some of your other favorite local restaurants it was actually prepared by Pane earlier that day. And wow, what bread it is. This place is truly special, and I'm a little mad at myself for not making it there until now. So the good news is I finally got to Pane Rustica... but the mission is only half-complete. I now have to head back for dinner sometime soon and get the hanger steak that looked just incredible on the menu. read more

Pane Rustica - Hanger steak - Italian Near Me - Tampa, Florida

If someone where to approach me and declare: "Pane Rustica is the BEST restaurant in Tampa", I couldn't argue. I couldn't give them the number one spot, but what restaurant really deserves that in any city? With great ratings come great responsibility. Fortunately for us hungry mortals, Pane Rustica fully understands their great, well-deserved responsibility. Yelpers, want to experience life as a true foodie? Head to Pane Rustica. When they offer you a menu, scoff at the suggestion (politely, of course, don't be an ass) and head directly to the register. Explain to the lovely human being behind the register that you will proudly "Shut up and EAT!!". Pay eleven bucks or so, get your drink, and head back to the table. The next ten minutes of your life will be as close to zen monkhood as we gringos could hope for. Within a sixth of an hour, you will be served with a meal you didn't ask for, you have no idea what is coming, and this kind of surprise is entirely lost in modern consumer culture. The waiting may be as fruitful as the delivery of your meal. It's ten minutes in heaven, while you can contemplate the lack of trust in others in a world where "I want this, I get this" fades from memory. Then the main course arrives. You're served with a plate of heaven. On my first "Shut Up and Eat", I was given an amazing lamb-on-the-bone meal (pictured in the photos for Pane Rustica by yours truly), and it rocked my world. Eleven bucks. Best meal I had since moving to Tampa. Tasted so good I nearly had to put my wife in a choke-hold just to ensure that half of the meal would go in my mouth. Fortunately for my wife, she is the better wrestler, so I got mostly potatoes. But still, I FOUGHT for it. I've since had the "Shut Up and EAT!" five times. Every time, no let down. Go anywhere else in Tampa, and try to have a lunch-time gourmet experience better than this one for just $11 bucks. Try it. I'll wait here... ...Fail yet? Thought so. In short, go Shut Up and Eat, Tampa. You'll thank Pane Rustica. No need to thank the messenger. read more

Pane Rustica - Shut Up and Eat!! Courtesy of Pane Rustica. - Italian Near Me - Tampa, Florida

It was a Sunday and I wanted to try somewhere new, so I checked my Excel spreadsheet (yes I have one) of places to try in the Tampa Bay area. Pane Rustica got great reviews and I've heard a lot about it, so off I went! We came into the restaurant -- which, by the way, is WAY bigger than it looks on the outside -- and one of the employees gave us the rundown of what the ordering/seating process was like. You stand in line, check out the menu and then give your order to the cashier THEN you go find a seat. I don't think I have been to a place with this seating concept before, but maybe I have and I just can't remember. Anyway. I ordered the special burger of the day and asked for it rare with a warm center. My boyfriend, feeling far more adventurous than I, ordered the "shut up and eat." We snagged a small table and waited for our food. My burger came out and it was overdone. Well done, actually. So unfortunately I had to send it back. Burgers are probably my favorite food so I want them cooked correctly. I was kind of mad that it came out so well done. Then I checked the receipt and the cashier put medium rare instead of rare, which was sort of irritating because that's not what I asked for. Nobody came by to refill our water either, so I was pretty thirsty throughout the whole meal. So...service was really disappointing. I know they were busy, but I felt kind of ignored. When my burger did come back out, it was pretty good. It had pepperjack cheese and some avocado aioli (not good, at all, no flavor whatsoever). It wasn't the best burger I've ever had, but the menu changes daily so I would probably go back to try another one. My boyfriend's meal ended up being some kind of Asian shrimp pasta, which was very good, though small. There were only two pieces of shrimp, which is kind of weak for $14. I did leave the restaurant still feeling a little hungry since all I got for a side was fruit and there were not that many pieces of fruit for the side. My boyfriend echoed the same sentiment. The things that looked the best were the pizza and the other sandwiches. There was a chicken salad sandwich that I wanted to dive right into, but duh I wouldn't be rude and grab some random person's plate and start eating their food. I will probably go back to try some of their other items, especially their flatbread pizza and the different burgers they offer. For a first visit, it was okay. Not anything wonderful, but I would be willing to give Pane Rustica another shot. read more

One of my fav spots in Tampa! The minute you walk in you see and smell the fresh breads and pastries and pizzas behind the glass wall and then your decision gets harder after you look at the menu. What to get for lunch... I've gone here several times for lunch now. I have gotten salmon salad, pasta special, panini. All amazing and fresh. There is nothing you can get here that is bad. Finding a table can be tricky but they are quick to clean them off and turn them over for you. read more

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Pane Rustica consistently exceeds my expectations and remains one of my top 5 favorite restaurants in Tampa. The Rustica salad is my favorite salad in town, and will hold that title as long as the warm polenta croutons are topping the delicious mound of vegetables. I can't go to Pane Rustica and NOT order that salad, so that is the dish I always start with. I give it 5 stars. I've had the red wine braised short rib (Served with truffle chive potatoes and asparagus) on one occasion, and loved every bite. The pasta dishes are all great as well - house made fresh pasta makes a world of a difference. The specials change often, and I try to always order one when I dine at PR. Honestly, I Can't give any dish I've had there less than 4.5 stars - the chefs really know what they are doing. Another nice touch is the bread served alongside dinner. Instead of traditional olive oil, Pane Rustica serves the bread with a homemade hummus. The atmosphere is really romantic at dinner time with heavy wood tables and dim lighting. Only thing I would change is that it can get pretty loud in there. At lunch time, the slices of pizza are a great option (And generous portions for the price!!) Also, I've gone towards the end of lunch a couple times and if there are leftover loaves of bread at the end of the lunch service, servers come around offering loaves to customers. Special surprise! read more

Pane Rustica - Oven Roasted Vegetable Sandwich (Turned into a salad) - Italian Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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We had a really good experience here. The food was nicely done and the service was quite good.We had the wood grilled vegetables with goat cheese ($11) it was delicious! Also tried the pork cheeks with corn bread pudding and balck eyed peas ($11), that was the best pork dish I've ever had. For dinner I had the pan seared scallops with potato annd chorizo, I love chorizo with any shell fish and it was very good ($26) Hubby had the braised short ribs with truffle potatoes and rapini, ($25) and he even loved the rapini! they have a decent wine selection as well. All in all a very enjoyable meal, at a leisurely pace. Definite a go back place. read more

I went here after a rigorous bargain shopping morning with my mom and dad. They really wanted me to try this place out so we went for a quick bite at lunch! Immediately I was struck by their daily specials menu... super fresh, local ingredients and vegetarian options.... That's an immediate 4 stars for me! We ordered up dishes to share: a tomato basil flatbread (looked like a crispy pizza!) that we couldn't resist as we saw it coming out of the oven, a delicious sounding veggie burger and the chicken salad in an acorn squash for the carnivores of the family. The flatbread was delicious. A great starter and they cut it up into bite size pieces so that we could easily share. The veggie burger was awesome and BIG! It was on 7 grain bread (you could choose your bread) and had hummus, tomato and lettuce with it. It was made from chickpeas, I think, because it had a hummus-like taste. It was served with oven roasted potatoes- DELICIOUS and a healthy alternative to french fries. Mom and Dad really loved the acorn squash filled with chicken salad. They said it had a unique flavor with blackberries, pineapple and grapes to compliment the chicken salad and the perfectly roasted acorn squash. There were big wooden tables to sit at and then one side of the restaurant was full service with a bar. That part looked a little more fancy! They had plenty of seats though with another little room in the back. Also the bathroom was super clean! I would definitely come back here! What an awesome spot for a leisurely lunch.... read more

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Located on macdill ave in south tampa in same strip mall as Cheese Please. Made this an easy walk for our group of 10. The ambiance is dark and very loud. On one side is a bar, and the other side looks like a deli. They are a combination deli, bakery and seems as if they are trying for upscale dining for dinner. We could only converse with the person next to you as the noise was beyond my idea for fine dining. Didn't have any drinks as I had just come from the wine tasting event. The menu is fairly small with salads, small plates, flatbread pizzas and overpriced entrees. I ordered the crab cake which is pan roasted with avocado, tomato, mango and cilantro lime butter. Was very tasty but quite small. I would try for lunch when the prices are better and not so noisy. read more

Pane Rustica - Crab cakes - Italian Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Intending to go to the brunchery with a group of seven but the wait was over thirty minutes. So we walked away disappointed but soon saw this place next door. It looks very much like a panera bread. We got a table immediately and you order your food at the counter and they bring it to you. We got a sticky bun, pizza slices, burger, and two plates of "shut up and eat." The sticky bun was okay but sort of hard. But this, like everything else here, is made from scratch so it's ok. The pizza is thin crust and very large, about four fifty per slice, which is enough for two people or one very hungry person. The burger looked good. The shut up and eat plate is very interesting... No description of what it is that day but it seems like they use what wasn't used for dinner last night in variations. One friend got a seafood pasta with red sauce and the other got a seafood pasta with basil. Overall pretty affordable and great food. read more

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Looks can be deceiving....I nearly drove away.... just because its in a strip mall. Walking in, seemd to have a fine dinning yet casual trendy environment. Dimly lit lighting, mood music, candles - really transforms this place at night. Came here for dinner - and had a great time. The food was on point, and the speciials for the night changes. I got the NY Strip with...wait for it.... roasted duck and brie mashed fingerling potatoes. I seriously just drooled after writing this. What as shame though that it was a special. Oh well - i guess i'll just have to come back and order from their main menu. read more

Went here for lunch today and it was a great experience! For lunch you can either get your lunch at the counter and sit on the north side of the restaurant, where you can sit on the south side of the restaurant around the bar and have full table service. I had this feature sandwich of a portobello mushroom with an amazing sauce on focaccia bread. It was absolutely delicious. The server was great. Bottom line: a highly recommended place for a tasty lunch. read more

When you walk into pane rustica you smell their freshly baked breads and goods. If you like Panera you'll fall head over heels for this place! They have a dish called " shut up and eat it!" How awesome is that? I got the acorn squash stuffs chicken salad... It was out of this world except I wishing had more chicken salad because I inhaled it. The staff was great, knowledgable & consistent. read more

Pane Rustica - I got the chicken salad in an acorn squash... It was so amazing I wanted a second Portion! I highly recommend this place. - Italian Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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After our trip to Cheese Please, it was suggested that we head over to Pane Rustica vs other locations since this was in the same strip mall. This was fine, it admittedly smelled DELICIOUS! The heavenly scent of garlic perfumed the air from the outside. ..... Once inside though.. as a group of 10, we were given a table for 6, and made to fit around it. That was fine, we were a close group, we made it work, except we were bereft of one chair. We let them know that we needed one more, and were assured that they would get it. And we waited.. and waited, after 5 or so minutes, one of our part stood up, walked over to another table, and politely took an empty chair. Problem solved. Our table was lit by a singular tea light candle. This place is DARK at night. So even though the table was up by the front, and there are only sheers on the windows it was hard to see the menus - the -4- menus we were given. So several of us took out our cell phones and used our flash light options. I had a tree molesting my hair and shoulders every time I shifted even slightly, and I realise that was MY problem because I chose to sit where I sat, with my back against the Window, and not facing the rest of the populace, call it paranoia, but I like to see people. I took a walk through the rest of the location, looking at the art, taking in the couples, the groups and enjoying what I saw. It was clear that people were enjoying themselves. And that was great, but when I got to the restroom, and saw that the toilet paper had been "changed" but not.. the new roll was just sitting on top of the spent roll. It annoyed me that I had to change the toilet paper roll in this "upscale' place. Yes, I know it was likely a patron who'd done this previous to my visit, but they should have someone checking on that occasionally. The service was Ok. I wouldn't say it was top notch, because when I order dressing on the side, that's what I expect, instead my salad was drenched in dressing. And the $7.00 salad I got, was what I would get for $4.00 at any other location, but the flavours were good even if the portions were small. I might consider coming back at say Lunch, but this would not be a dinner destination for me in the future. read more

Pane Rustica is one of the well known restaurants in Tampa Bay Area, so for that reason it is usually very crowded. They have tables with serves in the back but the majority of seating are self-served, which can be very confusing as the place gets packed. I have tried pasta, salad and pizza from this place. They are all small portion and kind of expensive but tasty. Their bakery is excellent as well. Plenty of parking space is a plus. read more

This is my first time here. Actually first time in the city of Tampa. My husband and I were looking for a nice spot to eat a real lunch and it seems that we found one. We ordered the 'shut up & eat', the sweet corn chowder, the chicken salad salad and all of it was great! Then we had ice cream for dessert... We couldn't be happier right now. Definitely a nice casual spot to tell friends about. read more

I love this place. It's absolutely delicious. I am not a vegetarian by any means, but I LOVE their roasted vegetable sandwich with goat cheese spread. Their pizza is also very good with nice thin and crispy crust. Try the pizza with spinach, goat cheese, artichokes, and carmelized onions. Yumm-o! My sister loves the salmon salad. I had a few bites, and it's quite delicious. Also, try the almond croissant. It's absolutely heavenly... so good that they supply the Nordstrom Ebar at International Mall where they sell out every morning! However, I wouldn't recommend the gelato. I had it once and it was drippy and melty. We asked for a different flavor, but it too was drippy and melty. And every time that I go in, the gelato looks just that way in the case. I don't think they have the freezer set cold enough. Try everything else though! read more

Love it! From the outside I wasn't sure about the place 'it's in a strip mall' the second you go in, you're overwhelmed not only with the beauty of the place but the aromas of breads and cookies and coffee! The baking oven is beautiful right behind the counter and the staff are amazing great energy people. They have event rooms for private parties that's a huge plus; nice to have one of those in town. The bar is this huge horseshoe shaped bar that's beautiful. All their juices for drinks are made fresh daily and that's amazing. I suggest trying a bit of everything here. You will not be disappointed. The vibe here is super casual. See you there! read more

Pane Rustica - Kitchen :) - Italian Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Pane Rustica is a local neighborhood gem. You can eat at the bar area without having to wait in line to order and be served off the menu. And directly next to that is a little area to order your food and grab your table. They also have lots of pastries as well. The food is always fresh and delicious. It's a perfect spot for lunch. I love the chicken salad inside the acorn squash, fantastic! read more

The best in tampa. Had a great lunch with out of town family. The Rueben sandwiches were awesome. Our table had a few changes to their meals and all came out perfect. The manager came out after to ask how our meal was even though they were slammed. Highly recommend. They do get busy on the weekend but totally worth it. read more

This is easily the best pizza in Tampa! The pasta is also nice - I've had better Bolognese but theirs is pretty good, and the fresh pasta very good. read more

Good, service, ambiance, this place was incredible. We had so much to eat and everything was fantastic. Not one thing came out less than perfect. Cannot recommend this place enough. Shoutout to Annie who was so attentive and kind and energetic. She made this a wonderful experience- even though the food alone was enough to speak for itself! Seriously, go here. read more

Stopped in for a quick breakfast and was pleasantly surprised! The egg sandwich on a croissant was amazing! It was a big serving and even came with a side of fresh fruit. My husband got the egg and ham frittata which he liked as well. But I think the egg sandwich was better!!! Really cute and casual place. They had a few tables outside but mostly indoor seating. Fruit infused water was a nice touch! I'll definitely be back:) read more

Pane Rustica - Egg sandwich - Italian Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Pane Rustica has amazing food and the locals are no stranger to this restaurant. Be prepared for the restaurant to be packed during lunch hour! The sandwiches are out of this world. Dinner is a little more expensive, but not ridiculous. I love olives and good bread... both are brought to your table at dinner (major brownie points!!!). The flat breads are also amazingly tasty. The bakery makes this amazing almond pastry that I normally get to-go. I warm it in the oven for a minute or two and serve with vanilla bean ice cream...yum! read more

Always a treat. Menu changes so you are never faced with eating the same old thing. Another place where you need to save room for dessert.

Consistent amazing food, service and location! One of our favorite neighborhood date night spots!

After all the hype, I was disappointed. I'm not a fan of dimly lit places to begin with. I like to see what I'm eating. If I have to lean over the votive candle to read my menu clearly, the place is too dark. While I like high ceilings in theory, in practice, Pane Rustica's high ceilings made for a noisy dining room. So in addition to not being able to see, I had a hard time carrying out a conversation at the table. We started with the pork cheeks. They were good, not great. My husband had the short ribs and felt that I make better. I had the daily pasta special. I thought the meat component was good, but the pasta was stuck to itself in hard clumps. Maybe this place is more of a lunch place. read more

Have had the scones, have had the cupcakes, have had the cookies, all their desserts and baked goods are soooooo good! They don't call it Pane Rustica Bakery & Cafe for nuthin'. After dinner desserts on their separate menu - you can't go wrong. The ambiance here is nice enough just to come in for dessert and have a little after dinner drink or coffee (with some added "spice") with whatever you choose. Typically, I can't have dessert here without having a wonderful dinner first. read more

Went for lunch. The line was long but it went by fast. The place was crowded for a Friday afternoon. They have a regular menu and a specialty menu. My friend and I opted on something from the regular menu. I went with a pan seared salmon sandwich and she went with a pasta. The sandwich was so fresh and delicious! Came with a small side of potatoes and olives which was plenty. For desert I chose a pecan sticky bun which was divine! Overall this place is excellent for lunch! Friendly staff and great ambiance. I love this place! Can't wait to try it again! read more

Pane Rustica - Pan seared salmon sandwich - Italian Near Me - Tampa, Florida

The salmon sandwich is great. The tuna sandwich is great. Customer service centric and good desserts. Salads are amazing and brownie and summer cone. The people are welcoming. read more

I have dined several times always enjoyed it. The flat bread is great. Good service and atmosphere. A good place in South Tampa. read more

So, after numerous recent visits, we bump to 5 stars. Today i had the angel hair pasta with beef tips + various perfectly done veggies in a light cream sauce. Perfect. As was the delicious roll that I used to make sure none of that sauce escaped. And the sugar cookie finish that was just divine. Also: try the flatbreads - order one fresh for two people and enjoy. Sooooo good. I still wish they'd put the chunky walnuts in the chicken salad and back off the salt a bit, but everything else is so yummy I'll just have to order other things. Plus, the manager, Brian is a great guy, and its awesome to se Joni there in the daytime. PS: They are still heavy on the salt in the kitchen on some items. read more

Pane Rustica - Angel hair pasta with beef tips - Italian Near Me - Tampa, Florida

This place has been on the list for a while, finally I checked out for myself what all the buzz is about after making dinner reservations. The restaurant was definitely larger than I had expected. Very dim lightning at least at night. Old wooden tables & chairs. Some booth seating available. They brought out bread & hummus to the table right after seating. After reviewing the menu, I started with the Lemonata cocktail & I found it refreshing, I actually enjoyed that it was not loaded with sugar! For main course I tried one of their daily menu items: herb seared grouper with truffle polenta. Friends tried a sea food pasta & the short rib gnocchi, which I tasted. My grouper was a little too dry for my taste & the red sauce on the sides wasn't complementary in my opinion. Overall the food varied between a rage of ok to good. Nothing life changing or yearning for the next visit. I wanted dessert so got the chocolate ganache cake & the warm espresso cookies with ice cream. They were both pretty good. The service was good. Our waiter was very helpful & attentive. read more

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Service: outstanding! Food: superb!! We did seasonal small plates Everything was tasty, hot & yummy! Well worth falling off the no carb wagon! read more

Pane Rustica - Cheese plate YUM - Italian Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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The service was friendly and informative. A very nice server led us to the order line and recommended the smoked turkey with sweet onion jam. It wasn't what I was thinking, but I decided to try it and was so glad I did. Excellent choice, the turkey has great flavor and is plentiful in the sandwich; but the star is the sweet onion jam; it makes the sandwich. They don't sell the onion condiment, but they sell something very similar just down a few storefronts at "Cheese Please". Also, I recommend the cookies... all the cookies. Come back until you've tried them all. If you like chicken salad, they offer a new type to try every week, with lots of creative options. read more

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We got there right at 5:30 for our 5:30 reservation. We were the first to arrive. They asked if we wanted to go to the table or sit at the bar. We chose the table. There was no "we can't sit you until your entire party has arrived, so please spend some additional money at the bar." They sat us down gave us water, brought us bread, took our drink order. Very civilized. As it turned out, the rest of our party was almost 30 minutes late, but that didn't deter Jarod! More water? Another drink? The Menu! Lots of great and interesting dishes. But since this is my first time, I have to pick something that I can properly judge the whole place with. AH! There is bolognese. But it is with gnocci. "Jarod? Can I get the bolognese, but with pasta instead?" "Of course! Are you ok with all of the vegetables in it?" "Sure!" It was excellent. We are definitely going back. read more

Just finished our catered thanksgiving day #feasting from Pane Rustica and it makes me wish I never moved from Tampa. I am always impressed with the food and the impeccable baked goods from here. This is definitely a must is you live in Tampa or are just visiting. Simply delicious. Quality of the food and staff make me visit here whenever I am in town. My family had a pecan farm in South Georgia when I was younger and the pecan pie was one of the best I have ever had. read more

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I went to a private party, so I didn't order from the menu, but had a nice selection of items at the function. Two things especially stood out - glazed baked (or poached) salmon & rosted vegetables, especially the onions. I eat a lot of salmon & I'd say this was as good as any I've ever had. It practically didn't need to be chewed & was cooked just right. The glaze on top added a bit of zest to it. The roasted onions which were one part of a platter of different roasted vegetables (the entire meal was a buffet) were excellent, also as tasty as any onions I ever had during my 60-something years on earth. There was some appealing baked/rosted chicken as well, but I liked the salmon so much, that I didn't try any, as appetizing as it looked. Before the main meal we had some appetizers, two types of flatbread (or pizza) that were decent. There was also a platter of spiced shelled shrimp, made even spicier as a piece of pork sausage was attached (by toothpick) to each shrimp. I liked the shrimp, but don't eat any pork, so after a tough time separating the two items by hand, I quit trying; There was also a good mixed salad available. Service was very good as staff kept the tables cleared of dirty playes & beveridges filled. The restaurant is in a non-descript shopping plaza with plenty of surface parking in the lot in front. Should I ever have occasion to return to Tampa, I'd go back here for dinner. read more

By far our favorite little go to South Tampa establishment. It's a locals haven and the owners couldn't be more involved in the quality of your experience as well as the food. While there aren't hormome free meats and such offered I will take one for the team to eat here! They will accomodate your diet too unless you chose the daily "shut up and eat"! read more