Charleston-based company to open sushi and Japanese-Peruvian concepts in South Tampa

Two new restaurants are opening soon in South Tampa, and they both have a focus on fresh seafood and seasonal ingredients.

Tampa Bay Business Journal says that Charleston’s Indigo Road Hospitality Group will debut Japanese-Peruvian concept Maru out of Bayshore Gardens' rooftop space in late 2024. An upscale sushi spot, O-ku, will follow, set to open on the ground floor of the building slated in early-2025.

Both of these new-to-Tampa concepts are headed to Bayshore Gardens (formerly known as the Bayshore Center) at 2909 W Bay to Bay Blvd.

These two new restaurants will share the South Tampa complex with Counter Culture, Chef Jeannie Pierola’s celebrated restaurant known for its rotating  selection of modern plates.  Counter Culture has remained open for service during Bayshore Gardens' extensive renovations,  courtesy of the complex’s new owners, real estate investment firm Asana Partners, who purchased and renamed the South Tampa building in 2021.

While O-ku boasts several locations throughout the South and up the East Coast, Tampa will be home to Maru's very first restaurant.

The Japanese-Peruvian eatery will boast about 90 seats between indoor and outdoor seating, focusing on fresh dishes like ceviche, hand rolls and more.

While some may be unfamiliar with the blending of Japanese and Peruvian fare, Nikkei cuisine has been a part of Peru’s food culture since the influx of Japanese immigration in the late-19th and early-20th centuries. Despite Japanese-Peruvians representing less than 1% of the country’s population in modern times, Food & Wine Magazine says Nikkei–style dishes like ceviche can still be found throughout homes and restaurants in Peru and beyond.

In addition to its food program, Maru will also offer a range of craft cocktails, wine and champagne.

O-ku’s Tampa location will feature over 100 indoor seats and over 20 outdoor seats and is expected to offer the same menu as its multiple locations in cities like Atlanta, Nashville and Washington D.C. Alongside upscale sushi, nigiri, and sashimi options, O-ku also dishes out a variety of dumplings, skewers, and entrees like chicken teriyaki, miso salmon and braised beef short ribs.

In addition to the debut of O-ku and Maru, Tampa Tomorrow also reports that the Barcelona Wine Bar will open at the new-and-improved Bayshore Gardens, too.

Follow @okutampa and @marutampa on Instagram for the latest updates on these two restaurants’ grand openings, slated for late 2024 and early 2025.

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