Tampa, FL (Nov. 1, 2017) – Byblos, a popular, long-standing South Tampa restaurant, reveals its newly renovated interior, revised menu blending signature selections with chef-inspired dishes, an elevated collection of craft cocktails and high-end wines, plus a stylish, covered patio area reminiscent of South Beach, when it reopens in late November.
Since 2001, the restaurant originally known as Byblos Café has consistently drawn crowds for its festive atmosphere and authentic Lebanese and Mediterranean cuisine served for lunch and dinner daily.
Owners, and siblings, Roger and Ziad Estephan began the extensive redesign of the restaurant this summer that includes reconfiguring the bar, cocktail lounge and dinning areas to more comfortably accommodate guests. The restaurant has remained open throughout construction but solely for takeout orders during recent weeks.
The decor will feature upscale furnishings like Mahogany tables and custom made, designer high back leather banquettes, floor-to-ceiling windows, an open-air seating area accented by a water feature bordering the patio and a built-in fireplace.
In addition to a new, more luxurious look, the menu will be diversified to include dishes featuring flavors from a broader range of Mediterranean regions. Executive Chef David Puatu, former chef de cuisine at Council Oak Steaks & Seafood in the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa, has developed a new selection of meze, or small dishes, as well as exciting new entrees and brunch delicacies to create a menu combining crowd-pleasing favorites with irresistible new additions.
Dishes will include regionally sourced foods such as freshly made pastas. Diners will also enjoy new entrees like the dry-aged long-bone Tomahawk steak that will be cooked to perfection over a wood-fired grill. Prices for meze, sharable dishes, will start from $12.
Puatu’s career includes working for such world-renowned chefs as Bobby Flay at his namesake restaurant in Atlantic City, Masaharu Morimoto of the Japanese Iron Chef and Iron Chef America cooking shows, at Morimoto in Philadelphia and Georges Perrier of the opulent former Philadelphia-based French restaurant Le Bec Fin, a Mobil Travel Guide five star-rated restaurant that was considered the finest French restaurant in America.
General manager Manny Quinones, formerly of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel’s Grey Salt restaurant, has been busy mixing up a new line-up of cocktails showcasing innovative additions like house-made infusions. Along with local craft beers, drink offerings will include sangria served with fresh garnishes, a selection of wines on tap and a more worldly list of wines available by the glass and by the bottle.
Extensive renovations that began this summer are nearing completion and are scheduled to be finished in late November. Byblos continues to accommodate take out and catering orders until it returns to full service operations.
Located at 2832 South MacDill Ave., near the intersection of MacDill Avenue and Bay-to-Bay Boulevard, Byblos is currently open 11:30 a.m. – 9 p.m. for takeout and catering orders Monday through Saturday and 1 – 9 p.m. on Sunday.
Byblos also offers off-site parking within walking distance of the restaurant on an empty lot accessible from Bay-to-Bay. The lot is located between the off-ramp of the LeRoy Selmon Expressway and MacDill (across from Farm Stores).
Hours will be as follows when the restaurant returns to its full service operations:
11 a.m. – 3 p.m. and 4 – 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday
11 a.m. – 3 p.m. and 4 – 11 p.m. Fridays
10 a.m. – 3 p.m. and 4 – 11 p.m. Saturdays
10 a.m. – 3 p.m. and 4 – 10 p.m. Sundays
The bar will be open during restaurant hours as well as late night.
For more information go to http://www.bybloscafe.com or contact the restaurant at info@bybloscafe.com or 813-805-7977.
Follow the locally owned and operated restaurant on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ByblosCafeTampa/ and on Twitter, @ByblosCafeTampa.