Exclusive: Tampa restaurateur Jeff Gigante unveils new concept for Westshore

Tampa restaurateur Jeff Gigante's latest venture is Union New American, a two-story restaurant that will rise in the city's Westshore business district.

Union New American is the first concept from Next Level Brands, a hospitality company Gigante formed with co-CEO Joseph Guggino and Tampa real estate executive Andrew Wright. The restaurant will be built on the site of a former office building at 1111 N. Westshore Blvd. That property, part of office park Westshore City Center, is owned by Wright's Ally Capital.

The 9,358-square-foot restaurant will offer both indoor and outdoor dining and a "contemporary, upscale ambiance." The second floor will include private event space and offer live music and dining in an outdoor terrace lounge. It will serve "traditional American fare inspired by global ingredients" and be open for lunch, dinner and weekend brunch.

Union New American is expected to open in fall 2021. Its footprint is massive, even by casual dining standards, and goes against industry trends: Most of the concepts in heavy growth mode are grab-and-go, digital-forward brands. But Gigante has said that he strongly believes in experiential concepts and that there will be a pent-up demand for dine-in restaurants after the pandemic.

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