Annata, the Beach Drive wine bar that Mazzaro’s Italian Market co-owner Kurt Cuccaro is opening, will launch around the end of August, as reported Tuesday by the Tampa Bay Business Journal.
According to the publication, there will be 45 seats inside, and 30 outside along the sidewalk.
The wine bar is nestled next to The Hooker Tea Company at 300 Beach Drive NE, where AnnaStella Cajun Bistro used to be. Justin Chamoun, former owner of another St. Pete eatery, St. Pete Brasserie, will join Cuccaro in the venture as general manager.
In an interview with CL at the beginning of the year, back when Cuccaro hadn’t settled on Annata’s name, Cuccaro said the wine bar will showcase charcuterie plates, a rare selection of cheeses and rotating wines by the glass.
“I've been talking about doing some type of restaurant thing for a while,” Cuccaro said.
In addition to obscure meats and cheeses, like the ones shoppers encounter at Mazzaro’s, diners will be able to taste a variety of tapas.
“It will be Italian leaning but not limited by Italian,” Cuccaro told CL in January. “There might be Spanish tapas, or traditional Italian stuff, maybe an Asian small plate in there. Whatever we think is cool and good.”