With two big restaurant openings, Water Street Tampa begins to come to life
By Ashley Gurbal Kritzer
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Jan 19, 2023

Boulon Brasserie and Wagamama will open in Water Street Tampa in the coming weeks, bringing to life the district's long-awaited street-level experience.

Boulon, a French restaurant by Tampa restaurateur Jeff Gigante, opens Jan. 24. Asian restaurant Wagamama said Thursday it will open on Feb. 11. These are the first full-service dining concepts to open within Water Street, though there are several within Sparkman Wharf, the mixed-use development that acts as the district's southern anchor. Food and beverage concepts are a core part of Water Street and occupy the majority of the retail space in the first phase,

Water Street has hardly been desolate since its first residents moved into apartment tower Heron in 2021. Publix GreenWise Market opened in August 2021; apartment towers Cora and Asher have opened as well as the buzzy Edition hotel, which includes 38 luxury condos on its upper floors. Office tower Thousand & One is home to the corporate headquarters of Tampa cybersecurity firm ReliaQuest.

But the pedestrian level experience, which developer Strategic Property Partners has long touted as Water Street's differentiator, has lagged behind the arrival of residents, office workers and hotel guests. A few storefronts — home to Tampa-grown ice cream brand Chill Bros., fast-casual Naked Farmer and an Orangetheory fitness studio that relocated across the street from the Channel district — are illuminated. But most sit dark, with interior construction hidden from public view by marketing wraps.

There have been hints of what's to come: Vendors and onlookers packed the district's streets last weekend for its first-ever market; this Sunday, it will hold a sunset yoga class in Raybon Plaza.

The openings of Boulon, on the ground floor of Thousand & One, and Wagamama, on the ground floor of Asher, will draw regular foot traffic to the district — marking the beginning of a new era for Water Street.

Other restaurants that will open in Water Street this year:

Predalina, a seafood-forward Mediterranean restaurant from the parent company of Oxford Exchange

Ash, an Italian restaurant from chef Ferrell Alvarez and partners

3 Corners, a pizza restaurant from Ichicoro owner Noel Lane

The Pearl, an oyster restaurant from Cameron Mitchell Restaurants

Small Giant, an "Ohio-style pizza" restaurant from the owner of Cru Cellars