Our Story
Family Owned
& Operated
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.
From a single restaurant in downtown Tampa that seats 50 guests, to a thriving brand with a standard of quality that resonates around the world, Bavaro’s has since built 4 additional locations in St. Petersburg, the Tampa International Airport, Sarasota, and Clearwater 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.
Committed to the Art & Craft of Neapolitan Pizza
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.
The Creation of the Margherita Pizza
In June 1889, Queen Margherita of the Royal Palace of Capodimonte visited the city of Napoli. Famous Pizzaiolo Raffaele Esposito, created a pizza in honor of the Queen’s visit. The pizza was garnished with san marzano tomato (reg), fior di latte (white) and basil (green), which these colors represent the flag of Italy. This was the birth of the Margherita Pizza, which all pizza was created from thereafter.
