Bare Naked Kitchen brings cauliflower pizza, sweet lavash to South Tampa

Bare Naked Kitchen, a healthy fast casual concept, is now open 3915 Henderson Boulevard. This might be the best new lunch spot in the entire city, and it’s serving breakfast on the weekends. As a gluten-free diner, I’m enthralled with any new culinary spot that utilizes cauliflower crusts for its pizza.

Prolific Chef Chris Ponte, and Outback Steakhouse co-founder Bob Basham opened the first Bare Naked Kitchen in Tallahassee. The brand new South Tampa location debuted at the end of January. Further expansion in the state of Florida could be in the works.

Bare Naked Kitchen is the latest concept from Chris Ponte

At Bare Naked Kitchen, the chef-driven recipes and menu items allow diners to explore a range of internationally-inspired recipes, unique ingredients, and remarkable menu items. As is the trend now, bowls feature heavy on this menu. Black bean patties, hot chicken, Korean BBQ pork, mango, crispy rice noodles, bok chow, golden beets and more ingredients are available to create your perfect lunch.

Crisp Lavash (a thin flatbread usually leavened, traditionally baked in a tandoor or on a sajj) is a new sensation at Bare Naked. The Bee Sting is made with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, fontina, soppressata, spicy honey, Fresno chilis, and basil. The Moroccan Chicken Lavash has also received high marks from recent visitors.

Ponte Tampa coming soon to Midtown

If you’re craving the cauliflower crust, go with “The Medi.” This pizza features tomato sauce, eggplant, piquillo peppers, mozzarella, feta cheese, olives, roasted tomato, arugula, and basil. You can always order in advance on the Bare Naked website if you’re in a hurry in the South Tampa area.

Items of note on the menu:

• Potato + Truffle Cauliflower Crust: white sauce, mozzarella, fontina, parmesan, crispy bacon, crispy shiitake, scallions, truffle oil
• Shanghai Crunch: asian chicken, soy noodles, bok choy, jicama, mango, peanuts, chinese vinaigrette
• Hawaii Five-O: kogi pork, pineapple, white sauce, mozzarella, fontina, pickled red onions, kimchi sauce, cilantro, scallion
• Sausage + Shishito Peppers Lavash: chicken sausage, shishito, roasted red peppers, white sauce, fresh mozzarella, fontina, fennel pollen

Chef Chris Ponte also has a new luxurious restaurant, Ponte Tampa, in the works for Midtown.

More tasty news: 

• VIP tickets for Tampa Taco Fest now available
• Barry’s bringing Red Room to Tampa in 2022
• Eddie and Sam’s, Noble Crust named in the Top 100 Pizza Spots in the US
• Mayor’s River O’Green Fest returns this March
• ZooTampa announces new attractions for 2022