Ybor City restaurant Lara will permanently close 

LARA Apothecary Bar Bazaar in Ybor City, Florida. Credit: LARA Apothecary Bar Bazaar / Facebook After nearly two years in Ybor City, Tampa chef Suzanne “Suz” Lara says she will close Lara Apothecary Bar Bazaar (stylized LARA ).  In a Wednesday afternoon social media post. Chef Suz did not give an exact closing date or reason for the closure, but did point to a lack of a regular dinner crowd as a factor. “The reality is that we haven t seen the consistent dine-in business needed to sustain a place like LARA,” wrote Chef Suz. “And while I wholeheartedly believe that cities need places like this — spaces that take risks, nurture creativity, and bring people together — we re also operating in an incredibly difficult economy. Without the steady support and resources needed to grow, LARA will never become what it was originally conceived to be.” Located at 1919 E 7th Ave., in the former Stone Soup Company location, Lara opened its doors in February of 2025 touting its “ap