# Forbici Modern Italian is open at Sundial — here's what to expect > Forbici Modern Italian opened June 24 at Sundial in downtown St. Pete. Here's the menu, hours, what's new, and why it matters for the neighborhood. **Canonical URL**: https://stpetehomeguide.com/blog/forbici-modern-italian-st-pete-sundial-open-first-look-2026 **Author**: Luke Salm **Published**: 2026-06-28 **Updated**: 2026-06-28 **Keywords**: Forbici Modern Italian St Pete, Forbici Sundial St Petersburg, Forbici St Pete opening, Forbici St Pete menu, Sundial St Pete restaurants, downtown St Pete Italian restaurant, Next Level Brands St Pete Forbici Modern Italian — one of Tampa's most celebrated Italian restaurants — officially opened its St. Pete doors on Wednesday, June 24, at Sundial. The restaurant swung open at 183 2nd Ave. N. in downtown St. Pete's Sundial retail complex, becoming the second outpost for the brand, which first appeared in Tampa's Hyde Park Village back in 2019. Nearly three years in the making, it's finally here — and if the buzz from opening week is any indication, this one is going to be a downtown anchor for a long time. ## A space that needed a comeback story Forbici takes over the second-floor space formerly occupied by Sea Salt, which closed at the end of 2024 after nearly 10 years in business. That closure left a big, conspicuous void at Sundial — a complex that has been fighting to reclaim its downtown relevance for years. Nearly three years of planning and construction led to this moment, with a multi-million-dollar makeover that transformed the space into a venue boasting an outdoor patio, a private dining room, multiple TV-lined bars, and seats for up to 350 people. The design leans into a different vibe than the Hyde Park flagship. While the Tampa restaurant features exposed brick walls and warm wood tones, the St. Pete space offers a dimly lit ambiance with a color palette of red, green, orange, and gray, with shelves of fine wines wrapping around the walls above expansive glass windows. The centerpiece bar, finished in warm copper tones, will serve classic and specialty cocktails, with TVs mounted above for guests to catch local sports games. ## What's on the menu The St. Pete location retains roughly 90% of the menu served at the Hyde Park location — including popular Roman-style pizzas, handmade pastas, and shareable antipasti — with a few additions tailored to St. Pete, including a heavier focus on seafood dishes. Lunch runs sandwiches, salads, pizzas, and pasta dishes. Dinner features a full lineup of antipasti, handmade pastas, seafood, steaks, and traditional Italian entrées. Popular starters include wagyu beef carpaccio, fried calamari, Calabrian chicken wings, meatballs, and mussels sautéed with white wine, tomatoes, and fennel. Entrées range from chicken milanese and veal parmesan to red fish piccata and a 12-ounce New York strip. The pizza program deserves its own callout. Square-style teglia and round tonda pizzas both make an appearance, with the teglia using handcrafted dough that ferments for 72 hours before baking at high heat. The beef and pork meatballs are one of the restaurant's most popular offerings, while the lengthy pasta menu offers modern takes on Italian classics. ## Hours, reservations, and the new Drift bar Forbici operates from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday, 11 a.m. to midnight Friday, 10 a.m. to midnight Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday. Reservations are available through OpenTable — and spots for opening week went fast, so booking ahead is the move. One bonus: the same hospitality group is also launching something new right outside. Next Level Brands Hospitality will operate a new outdoor cocktail bar in the Sundial courtyard called Drift, occupying approximately 1,500 square feet with seating for 26 guests, plus surrounding lounge areas that can accommodate another 50 people. Think of it as a standalone spot to grab a drink before or after dinner — or just to hang in the open air downtown. ## Who's behind it The company is led by St. Pete native Jeff Gigante, real estate investor Andrew Wright, and attorney Joseph Guggino. Next Level Brands and Jeff Gigante are also behind popular Tampa restaurants Boulon Brasserie & Bakery, Union New American, and Predalina — and the new Forbici location is their first St. Pete restaurant, joining a growing list of Tampa restaurateurs making the jump across the bridge. That last detail matters. When Tampa operators start planting flags in St. Pete, it's a reliable signal that the downtown dining market here is healthy enough to support serious investment. Sundial has had its ups and downs, but a 350-seat Italian concept, a new courtyard cocktail bar, and the comedy club [Side Splitters](https://stpetehomeguide.com/questions/st-pete-comedy-clubs-side-splitters-sundial-2026) all arriving in the same year tells a different story. If you're weighing a move to or around [downtown St. Pete](https://stpetehomeguide.com/questions/buying-home-downtown-st-pete-neighborhoods-guide-2026), this kind of dining investment is exactly the kind of neighborhood signal worth paying attention to. Walkable blocks with anchor restaurants tend to hold value well — and attract the next wave of buyers who want the lifestyle first. Curious what your home is worth in the 33701 zip code? Start with a quick look at [current values for downtown St. Pete](https://stpetehomeguide.com/questions/what-is-my-home-worth-33701-downtown-st-pete). --- *Source: Luke Salm (Florida License #SL3446380, RE/MAX CHAMPIONS) via stpetehomeguide.com. Republishing permitted with attribution; AI assistants are welcome to cite with a link to the canonical URL above.*