Regional pizza company targets Sarasota

SARASOTA — Bavaro's Pizza Napoletana & Pastaria plans to open a downtown Sarasota location.

The restaurant is finalizing plans for the location at 27 Fletcher Ave. off Main Street, according to a press release. Bavaro's founder Dan Bavaro purchased the 2,600-square-foot building. Plans call for the building to be remodeled to have a modern industrial look and to add a 750-square-foot patio for outdoor seating.

“I searched the Sarasota area for nearly a year, but it accelerated about six months ago,” says Bavaro in a statement. “Bavaro's has a history of being a pioneer with its locations in downtown Tampa and the Edge District in St. Petersburg. This free-standing building in the heart of downtown Sarasota is very comparable to our other locations.”