Forbici Modern Italian is coming to Sundial in downtown St. Pete
/Forbici Modern Italian’s first and only other location debuted at South Tampa’s Hyde Park Village in 2019 | Next Level brands
One of Tampa’s most heralded Italian restaurants is opening an expansive new St. Pete outpost next year. The fan favorite Forbici will bring its modern Italian charm to the Sundial shopping center in downtown St. Pete by mid 2024 with plans for plenty of Roman-style pizza and house-made pasta.
Last Friday, the trendy full-service, modern-Italian eatery signed a lease for a 7,000-square-foot restaurant at 179 2nd Avenue North on the first floor of Sundial, confirmed a representative for Paradise Ventures.
The space was formerly occupied by Locale Market, a gourmet, locally sourced market helmed by Chef Michael Mina and Chef Don Pintabona. The concept debuted to much fanfare in December 2014. However, business never took off and the market permanently shuttered at the beginning of 2020.
Forbici marks the first new tenant announced for Sundial since the beleaguered shopping, dining, and entertainment complex was purchased in February 2022 by St. Pete-based Paradise Ventures.
Meatballs and Cacio e Pepe from Forbici Modern Italian | Next level Brands
Forbici is part of Next Level Brands, a Tampa-based restaurant group comprised of restauranteur Jeff Gigante, real estate investor Andrew Wright, and attorney Joseph Guggino.
According to Next Level Brands’ website, the group aims to “elevate the culinary landscape of Tampa Bay by creating a collection of highly lauded dining experiences.” Other concepts under the Next Level umbrella are Union New American and Boulon Brasserie, which both opened in Tampa earlier this year.
St. Pete residents and visitors can expect the new Forbici to have a similar vibe to the restaurant’s South Tampa location. The casual atmosphere allows diners to feel like they are at home sharing a meal, enjoying good company, and making memories.
The menu is expansive, divided into starters, salads, grains, pasta, main plates, sides, and pizza.
An assortment of roman-style pizza from Forbii Modern Italian | Next Level Brands
The pizza at Forbici is the star of the show and a modern take on a Roman classic made with dough that has been fermented for 72 hours and baked at a high temperature ensuring a light and airy crust. The menu offers both square (or teglia) and round (or tonda) pizzas.
In fact, the word forbici is Italian for “scissors”, referring to the scissors used to cut the pizza.
One of the best-selling pizzas is the Cup & Char, which consists of premium cured pepperoni, pomodoro, mozzarella, and parsley.
For pasta, the most popular dish is Cacio e Pepe made with spaghetti, parmesan broth, and pecorino. Other pasta offerings include mushroom cavatelli, Bolognese, pesto rigatoni, and tortellini.
If visiting during lunch, try the Chicken Parm sandwich with house-made mozzarella, garlic aioli, and pomodoro on a mezzo doppio roll (similar to focaccia).
End the meal with an order of the Lemon Olive Oil Cake served with seasonal berries and whipped mascarpone for dessert.
A rendering of an updated courtyard with a large outdoor bar at the Sundial shopping center in downtown St. pete | Paradise Ventures
The news of Forbici coming to Sundial is an encouraging development for the shopping center that has experienced its share of struggles over the years. The new owners have big plans that will hopefully right the ship and breathe new life into the property.
In February, Paradise Ventures unveiled a multi-million-dollar renovation that calls for an updated courtyard with a large outdoor bar and plenty of communal green space for engaging programming and for guests to sit and enjoy food and drinks.
Construction plans were submitted to the city for permitting in May and Paradise Ventures hopes to break ground on the upgrades by early next year.
