Tastes Pretty Good Hospitality Opens Lumbre, a Spanish Restaurant in Tampa

Tastes Pretty Good Hospitality has expanded its portfolio of restaurants in Tampa with the opening of Lumbre, a Spanish restaurant located in the city's North Hyde Park neighborhood. The restaurant, which seats about 125 guests, is part of the Rome Collective, a new retail development.

Introduction to Lumbre

Lumbre is the latest concept from Tastes Pretty Good Hospitality, which has created a notable presence in Tampa's dining scene with its previous restaurants, including Michelin-starred Italian spot Rocca, Streetlight Taco, and Bar Terroir, a French bistro. Chef Nick Orr, who has been with the restaurant group for nearly a decade, is stepping into his first ownership role at Lumbre.

Chef Nick Orr has a deep interest in Spanish cooking, which he developed further by spending time in Spain in 2024, training on traditional grills in the Basque region and working in kitchens in Madrid, San Sebastian, Barcelona, and Valencia. This experience has influenced the menu at Lumbre, which features a range of traditional Spanish dishes.

Menu and Offerings

The menu at Lumbre is divided into five sections: cheese and charcuterie, bocados (bites), entrantes (starters), platos principales (large format), and desserts. The restaurant stocks a selection of imported cheeses and charcuterie, including pata negra ham and several cheeses, such as a six-month Manchego. The team makes pan de cristal every day, a bread with a delicate, crunchy outer crust, which is used in one of Orr's favorite bites, pan con tomate.

Some of the standout dishes on the menu include gildas (little skewers of olive, pepper, and anchovy), Jamón Ibérico croquettes, and yellowfin tuna tartare with crispy rice. Starters include patatas bravas (crispy potatoes with a spicy sauce), octopus, and braised short rib cannelloni, while larger plates range from a whole sea bream and a 26-ounce rib-eye to a paella loaded with Cornish hen and artichokes.

Drinks and Future Projects

The bar at Lumbre is pouring a variety of cocktails, Spanish wines, and ciders, and it's making fresh Sangria. Tastes Pretty Good Hospitality has more projects in the works, including White Wolf, a rustic Americana restaurant, and Carnivore Club, an intimate 28-seat chef's counter focused on wood-fired cooking that will be located above White Wolf. These will be followed by Kingfish, a full-service sushi bar that is slated to open early next year.

The opening of Lumbre marks a significant milestone for Tastes Pretty Good Hospitality, which continues to shape Tampa's reputation as one of Florida's most compelling dining destinations. According to Bryce Bonsack, the group's culinary director, chef Nick Orr has earned this opportunity through years of consistency, leadership, and craft, and Lumbre is his moment to step forward and continue the team's work.