Ybor City’s Ten Rooms has closed just months after opening

Ten Rooms, the dining and retail destination located in a historic Ybor City landmark that opened in late April, has permanently closed, according to its landlord Centro Ybor.

The multifunctional space that took over the historic El Centro Español de Tampa on Seventh Avenue had been highly anticipated. It was led by Tampa Bay bar consultant and restaurateur Ro Patel and chief operating officer Zach Pace, whose resume includes running operations at Michelin-starred San Francisco restaurants Lazy Bear and Aphotic.

“While it’s disappointing that Ten Rooms is closing, we (as owners of Centro Ybor) remain committed to the vitality and vibrancy of Ybor City, its residents and the business community,” said Ken Jones of Third Lake Partners, which is affiliated with Centro Ybor owners TLCapital, in a statement texted to the Tampa Bay Times. “The restaurant industry is a tough business and many concepts ultimately don’t succeed notwithstanding thoughtful planning, good intentions, creativity and curated offerings.”

Patel did not respond to voice and text messages requesting comment.

Ten Rooms had some hiccups before it opened, including a split and legal battle with Ebbe Vollmer, who was originally hired as executive chef. (Court records show that both parties agreed to settle.)

American fine dining restaurant Bar Martinez was the anchor of Ten Rooms. The kitchen was helmed by San Francisco-based Parker Brown (who opened and led Aphotic) as executive chef, Vincent Brisotti (who worked at New York restaurant Blanca at Roberta’s) as chef de cuisine, and pastry chef Lorena Idrovo, who has worked around the world.

Another bar experience at Ten Rooms was Genevieve the Cat, a 20-cocktail draught program that also served small plates. A bakery, all-day cafe and specialty gift shop rounded out the 5,000-square-foot space.