I'd give this place 10 stars if I could, it's that good. They have the BEST espresso cookies, fresh baked breads, pastas, seafood dishes, pizzas and basically everything on the menu is delicious. My favorite is the Classic Margherita with beautiful fresh mozzarella, tomato sauce, basil, EVOO. You can't go wrong with the pastas, they are a nice size portion too. read more

Pane Rustica - Margherita pizza - Italian Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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Went last night with my boyfriend and his mother. Everything was great (both cocktails were a little on the tart side- nothing a little simple syrup couldn't fix though)! The service was amazing - I don't remember his name unfortunately. I had the butternut squash soup and I had to keep myself from licking the bowl. Yum! I had one of my boyfriends mussels and they were huge and delicious. Definitely coming back! read more

The service was fast and the server was friendly, but the food was just as great as the shrimp and sausage past I ate outside of the Roman colosseum last year it truly tasted authentic read more

We had late lunch and it was wonderful fresh ingredients and fresh food all made on the premises from the bread to pasta to dessert. Servers were professional and attentive also. We will definitely return for dinner soon. read more

The food is amazing and loving and yummy and wonderful and just a hug and all of the goodness at once!

O...M...GAH....this place!!! I wish I knew about this place sooner. Everything about this place is awesome. I came here by accident, looking for another place, but got frustrated and yelped... this popped up and after seeing rave reviews, I'm like ok, sure why not? I'm soooooo glad I came. I ordered the cabbage, cannelloni bean & smoked kielbasa soup with fregola sarda, very hearty and filling, very flavorful. Paired with some amazing sour dough bread... that could have been my meal. For an entree, I ordered the sausage flatbread, per the recommendation of my waiter, no regrets! It came topped with meaty sausage pieces, red onion, red pepper, roasted garlic, with added spices and mozzarella... ahhhmazing! Didn't have enough room dessert but best believe I'll be back for one and a cocktail! Kudos Pané Rustica! read more

Pane Rustica - Cannelloni bean & kielbasa soup - Italian Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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Amazing all around. I have been there a few times and have always enjoyed their food, especially their soups and salads. However, we just recently had a private event there and cannot say enough good things about the experience. From the very first day I called to inquire about reserving a room etc, the service was excellent. Oscar Castaneda was the person who assisted me with all the planning and he was phenomenal! Very accommodating, friendly, always got back to me and stayed on top of all the event requests. He made sure that everything was exactly like we had asked for. The day of the event was perfect! Both Oscar and Chris (our event server) were just amazing! They both made sure that we had the extra tables and space we requested as well seamless coordination of our food and drinks. Both were so professional, attentive, and went above and beyond to ensure our experience was perfect. The food was absolutely delicious including the desserts! The event was a huge success! Highly recommend! a read more

Came here on the recommendation of a friend and I can't thank her enough. What a gem! They have to have one of the best veggie burgers in Tampa! I love that it's made from scratch. My boyfriend said the same thing about his burger. Superb service. We will definitely be back often. read more

The food is really good and high quality. I love that the menu changes. It can be a little loud, so just be aware of that. But it's a lively atmosphere. The service is good, just wish we would have realized our dinner came with a salad so we didn't order side salads but it's minor detail in the grand scheme of things. read more

Love this Tampa staple! Their spicy penne with sausage and peas is to die for. Also the tiramisu is amazing. I tried a red wine that was recommended to me by my server and it rocked. Will definitely be coming back ! read more

The Summer Cake is hands down the best dessert I have had in a while! It was light and the perfect amount of sweet. The pizza was amazing, even cold it tasted delicious. read more

Pane Rustica - Bacon Gorgonzola Pizza - Italian Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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We ate a lot and every plate was exceptional. Our server was Robbie, he was wonderful, he made our eating experience super easy and relaxed. We never felt rushed. The ambiance is both romantic and friendly. This is one of our favorite restaurants when we visit Tampa. read more

We just happen to be in the area so we stopped by for lunch. And I have to admit I'm pretty picky when it comes to food... Everything we had was absolutely amazing.... We tried the oak grilled hamburger and the chicken salad stuffed acorn squash... they were both amazing.... And we finished up lunch with a piece of their chocolate mousse cake, absolutely phenomenal!!!! Definitely you want to check this place out!!!! read more

Pane Rustica - Restaurant and ovens - Italian Near Me - Tampa, Florida

HIDDEN GEM EVERYTHING is made with love. The service is amazing. You'd never expect this quality in a random strip-mall. The "Shut Up and Eat" is worth it for adventuresome people. They ask if you have any allergies or sensitivities, and then spin the wheel of food. I've had it three times and been wowed the same number. When you just let a chef do what they do best with their best ingredients, good stuff happens. read more

Yummy pizza and sandwiches. Excellent service. South Tampa favorite love this restaurant

Kevin and his team have been feeding me amazingly great food for 24 years. One of the best restaurants in the region. The flatbreads, the soups, entres, cocktails, etc. Friendly service, cool vibe and close to my house... read more

Delicious menu for breakfast and lunch. It is really authentic. Love bread this is your place. Love Italian bakery, desserts and Gelato then you must check it out. They have great salads and coffe. read more

Excellent food Not franchise cafeteria fare An actual menu that changes every day I like the chances taken with the flatbreads (pizza) read more

Delish! Amazing date night spot. We've had some amazing dinners here. Love the wine list. Pasta is absolutely amazing. Just so yummy Now I'm hungry... (why am I writing food reviews at 11pm at night lol) read more

Pane Rustica has delicious pizzas and salads. Actually, everything we've tried has been delish! Lively atmosphere too.

I used to go to pane rústica years ago for the pizza and hadn't been in so long. I'm happy to see that it's still a great place to eat and has improved so much! The ambiance is fabulous on a Friday evening for dinner. You will need reservations for dinner since they're so busy. I ordered the octopus with potatoes, which was delicious! I definitely recommend this dish. read more

Great bread. Very good food. Comfy atmosphere. Oven fired pizza. A lot to love about Pane Rustica. Their acorn squash with tuna or chicken salad bowls are a classic. Pick up a loaf and have it slices for homemade sandwiches at your place. Lots of dessert offerings as well. Get one of each not cheap but you only live once unless you're reincarted in which case you should get even more desserts ans enjoy. read more

Pane Rustica - Italian Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Terrible lunch service. Waitress obviously forgot to place our order. We were first to arrive for lunch, place filled up and everyone else was being served but us. Asked waitress and she said she couldn't even get kitchen to answer her. Their food is not worth it read more

Most consistently great restaurant in Tampa Never had anything bad and I have eaten there countless times Great, knowledgeable staff read more

A solid sandwich shop and bakery. Some people have issues with the sit down service about dinner but I only come for lunch. The layout is welcoming with heavy wooden tables and warm Italian colors on the walls. Although they are always busy we usually find a table for lunch. PR shares a sizable parking lot with other businesses so parking is easier than other places. There is always at least one vegetarian sandwich item. The bread is always amazing here. read more

Had an excellent dinner last evening at Pane Rustica. Our server Jenna provided great customer service. My sea scallops were cooked perfectly. To top it off we were able to take home some of the yummy expresso chocolate cookies! Highly recommend read more

Pane Rustica - Sea scallops with white bean and tomato,grilled asparagus - Italian Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Absolutely love visiting Pane Rustica when I am in Tampa. It is a local restaurant that offers an amazing selection of food. The gluten free selections are limited, but the chicken salad in acorn squash is a long time favorite of mine. I order every single time I visit. There are other options for those of us who are able to consume gluten of course. They have wood fired pizza which is rare in Florida. I have heard their pizzas are delicious and the pastas are fantastic as well. I have never visited it for dinner, but it is quite popular as it has a full bar and a large dinner menu. If you are visiting Tampa or your a local looking for a new place to eat at, give it a try! read more

Pane Rustica - Acorn squash stuffed with chicken salad and marmalade! - Italian Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Great spot for lunch or dinner! I love the variety of options for pizza and sandwiches. My favorite is the rare roast beef sandwich on tomato focaccia bread. Their chicken salad sandwich is also great! Huge portions, enough to share or have for 2 meals. Get the chocolate espresso cookies to go! read more

Pane Rustica - Chicken Salad Sandwich - Italian Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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Ok. The food here is incredible. Everything from the bread to the dessert was impeccable..... and I don't eat bread when we go out to dinner! Our server Annie was awesome, bubbly, and so attentive. She made my very lightly sweet raspberry tea perfectly plus never let our drinks get low, brought extra plates and utensils to share things, and helped us talk through the menu. I had the salmon and it was so delicious. You could actually taste the wood grill unlike some places that advertise this style of fish. I also had a bite of my fiancé's scallops and they melted in my mouth. The broccolini was fantastic and Annie had specially prepared as on the menu it included something spicy. The Mac & cheese was yummy and for the table to share- small but rich. My dad loved his seafood dish called Ciopinno. We all took bread and dipped it in the tasty broth when he was finished. The apple tart was perfect dessert to share with berries and light but flavorful vanilla ice cream. The atmosphere was busy and a little loud but we didn't mind. We still had a conversation without having to yell or work hard at it. We absolutely loved our dinner. Eat here. read more

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I stopped in for a solitary lunch recently and had the Caesar Salad. The large is a great deal at $10. The lettuce was fresh, not from a bag and I love the white anchovies. I only wish it had come premixed. Putting the dressing on is a little awkward but I get how some people like a little dressing while I prefer a heavier had. It comes with a great chunk of their fresh bread, smeared with goat cheese. A delightful treat. read more

The fresh bread is always amazing here and so is the pizza. Have not tried eating in, always order take away. Cozy neighborhood unpretentious place in South Tampa. Looking forward to trying something else soon! read more

One word that describes Pane Rustica is TERRIFIC. They treated us like king and Queen here and our food was so good. We ordered from the specials menu and had an extraordinarily burger. I'm happy I picked this niman burger with blackberry jam and Brie on focaccia. I swear the right choice of bread will even elevate a special burger even more. It was amazing. We also ordered the pork tenderloin special with pear and cheese ravioli purses with Marsala wine sauce with carrots and Brussels sprouts. You won't be able to find this anywhere. It's definitely a great option. I love finding dishes I can't find every where. Our service was amazing. They even provided us with some goodies which was a nice surprise. So happy we finally tried this place. We will be back for dinner! I'd recommend this place to everyone!! read more

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Since I wrote my previous review, they've begun offering a few gluten free desserts, including heavenly GF brownies. Keep being awesome, Pane Rustica! read more

Delicious food and really friendly hosts and table service. I recommend making a reservation, it gets busy for dinner. They offer a nice children's menu. The red sangria is very tasty Wait staff are qualified and friendly. The ambience is lovely. The daily specials are fresh and nice to have different options from a static menu. Great for all meals. I love the plaza it is in. The waitress gave our friend a little cookie for her college send off, what a nice gesture!! read more

Everything is incredible here. They make all of their bread in house and it's absolutely delicious. Last night we ordered the muscles and clams and a large cheese pizza. 10/10!!!! Great flavor and I'd say this is the best pizza I've had in Tampa. It has the perfect cheese to sauce ratio and the dough was super light and delicious. Highly recommend!! read more

Pane Rustica - Cheese pizza - Italian Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Absolutely incredible! Had a large group of 14 have dinner here. It was all friends and family from out of town who are used to good Italian food in NYC. Everyone absolutely loved it. Everything from the appetizers to the main course were absolutely delicious. Our server was kind, patient, friendly and attentive when I know it can be difficult with such a big group. I also decided to get a catering order here the following night, and again was amazed at the customer service. I was greeted so kindly, and the staff offered to help me carry everything to my car, explained where I could find everything (which food item in which bag, etc.) and even offered a complimentary beverage. Our guests have been raving about Pane Rustica ever since we went and noted the amazing customer service in addition to the good food. This is also the ONLY place we have found so far with pizza that tastes like NY pizza to us. Delicious. All I can say is WOW and thank you for a truly amazing experience. We will be back again and again and I have already recommended Pane Rustica to several friends. read more

What a hidden gem in Tampa and a GREAT place for a business lunch. I decided to visit Pane Rustica after Yelping for places with great chicken salad sandwiches in the Bay. I was surprised to find out that Pane Rustica does a different chicken salad EVERYday for lunch. Today was a mix with basil, artichoke, capers & romano Chicken salad, spring mix, and aioli... my oh my was that sandwich great. I opted for sourdough bread (there's several types to choose from). The sourdough bread was soft and delicious. I also got a bowl of the split pea soup, which was a meal in itself. While the soup was good, I enjoy thicker split pea soup and found that this one was on the watery side. There's a pretty big crowd for lunch but Pane Rustica handles it well.. You order & pay at the counter during lunch hours, are given a number, and you find an open table to sit at. There were probably ten people in front of me at the counter and the line moved quick, plus there were plenty of available tables. All around great lunch and I look forward to coming back in the near future. read more

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I grabbed lunch with a friend and we decided on Pane Rustica. Surprisingly, I've lived here for 13 years and have never been. It's in a busy strip mall, so parking can definitely be an issue. Personally, I didn't have a problem around noon on a weekday. When you walk in there's two options, if you stay towards the right you order at the counter and then bring your food to a table. If you stay to the left, it's a bar area with tables which is full-service. We sat at the bar and I ordered one of their lunch salad specials. Maybe I screwed up and should have ordered a sandwich or a flatbread, but I wasn't impressed. The salad had absolutely no flavor and barely any toppings or protein. I basically paid $17 for a bag of arugula and five shrimp. The side of bread with goat cheese was absolutely amazing though- I should have just ordered a loaf of that. Overall, I wasn't impressed. I may give them a try again sometime, but I won't be going out of my way. read more

Pane Rustica - My $17 salad - Italian Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Pizza rocks. Charred octopus is the bomb. Chicken salad sandwich is perfect. Kristi, the bartender, is the best person on the planet.

Been here a few times for drinks and their bartender Kristi was telling me how great their food is. Had dinner here last night and I can say by far one of the best places I have ever been to. Attentive staff, perfect food and overall great place to enjoy yourself. read more