Lumbre just opened in North Hyde Park — and Tampa's on fire
The Michelin-pedigreed team behind Rocca opened Lumbre on July 15 at the Rome Collective. Wood fire, paella, tapas — here's what to know.
On the map
The exact spot — handy for figuring out which neighborhood you're really in.
I drove past the Rome Collective on North Rome Avenue earlier this week and the sidewalk traffic outside the new spot already told the story before I even looked it up. Lumbre opened two days ago — July 15 — and North Hyde Park just got a whole lot more interesting.
What is Lumbre, exactly?
Lumbre officially opened on July 15 at 220 N Rome Ave.
It's a modern Spanish concept from the folks who brought you Michelin-starred Rocca, Michelin-recognized Bar Terroir, and Michelin Bib Gourmand Streetlight Taco.
The group behind it all is Tastes Pretty Good, a Tampa-based hospitality company that has quietly built one of the most decorated restaurant portfolios in the state.
Located in the Rome Collective development at 220 N Rome Ave., the new Spanish restaurant is led by Executive Chef and Co-Founder Nick Orr, who previously helmed the kitchen at Rocca. Culinary Director Bryce Bonsack said in a statement: "Nick Orr was my first hire and he's been core to Rocca's success ever since. He's earned this opportunity through years of consistency, leadership, and craft."
Orr's résumé includes previous experience with Buckhead Life Restaurant Group and training at New York's three-Michelin-starred Le Bernardin, according to Lumbre's website.
So yes — this kitchen knows what it's doing.
What's on the menu?
Lumbre's menu is broken down into four sections: cheese and charcuterie, bocados, entrantes (starters), and platos principales (large format), spanning wood-fired grilling, traditional paella, tapas featuring seafood and imported cheeses and hams, and a full bar with Spanish spirits.
You'll find Pan con Tomate ($8) on the menu, along with Croquetas de Jamón ($11), Tartare ($12), and Tortilla de Patatas ($13).
For the main event,
the Ibérico at $55 stands as the star — a pork collar cooked medium-well so the fat melts just right, delivering salt, fat, and char that rivals a great ribeye, according to That's So Tampa.
Diners can watch chefs work the fire-centered grill through an open kitchen setup, and prices stay lower than what you'd pay at the group's fancier places.
That accessibility, paired with Michelin-level pedigree, is exactly the kind of combination that fills tables for months.
The Rome Collective is becoming a real destination
The Rome Collective is a nearly 40,000-square-foot retail development at the northwest corner of North Rome Ave and North A St in North Hyde Park, just west of downtown Tampa.
Lumbre is the anchor tenant that people were waiting for, but it won't be alone for long.
Tastes Pretty Good is also planning Kingfish, an ingredient-focused sushi and sake restaurant, at the development. Other businesses announced for Rome Collective include Handel's Homemade Ice Cream, The NOW Massage, and V Modern Italian.
And here's the detail I found most interesting for Tampa Bay locals:
Tastes Pretty Good just announced its first Pinellas County location this week
— so the group's footprint is expanding across the bay, not just within Tampa proper. (
That Pinellas concept, called Rippers, will be inside the restored historic Telephone Building at 534 Cleveland Street in downtown Clearwater, serving American classics including deep-fried "ripper" hot dogs, burgers, chicken wings, and handcrafted milkshakes.
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Hours and reservations
Hours run Tuesday through Thursday from 5 to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 5 to 11 p.m., and Sunday from 5 to 10 p.m.
Reservations are live on OpenTable right now. Given how quickly the Rocca and Bar Terroir buzz cycles moved, I wouldn't wait on this one.
Why this matters beyond the dinner plate
Tastes Pretty Good's track record is worth paying attention to if you follow Tampa real estate at all.
The Rome Collective is shaping up to be one of the more exciting new destinations in the city, and Lumbre landing there is the kind of anchor that makes a neighborhood sit up and pay attention.
North Hyde Park has been in transition for a few years — caught between Downtown Tampa, Hyde Park proper, and the developing Westshore corridor. The Rome Collective, with Lumbre as its dining centerpiece, is the kind of investment that accelerates a neighborhood's identity. I've been watching the blocks around North Rome Avenue closely, and the trajectory here looks a lot like what happened along Bayshore and South Howard a decade ago. If you're curious about what Hyde Park and its adjacent ZIP codes look like from a value standpoint right now, the 33606 home value page is a good place to start. And if the Tampa vs. St. Pete living question ever comes up for you or someone you know, that's covered too at downtown Tampa vs. downtown St. Pete.
For now, though — go get the paella before the rest of Tampa figures out the reservations fill up fast.