Restaurant Review: Forbici Modern Italian (Tampa)

Forbici means scissors in Italian. I’m not sure why it has this name, but it’s worth coming for the relaxed atmosphere, fun art, reasonable wine list, and tasty dishes.

Anthony’s Take: Forbici Modern Italian  is a casual spot with a menu offering modern takes on Italian food. It’s vibe is fun with a young crowd feasting on pizza, pasta, and other dishes. We sat on the patio and enjoyed the people watching as much as the food.

Decor & Vibe

Forbici is playful and casual. There was a musician playing live when we visited on New Year’s Day. The huge bar was packed and the art around the dining room was intriguing.

I was drawn to the heart sculpture even though I was seated on the patio. It caught my eye and I had to go in to take a picture.

The art painted on the walls and door of the bathroom is also well done.

Food

The menu has a mix of apps, salads, pizza, pasta, and mains. Lots of familiar favorites can be found here.

We ordered the Artisanal Baked Bread, Pesto Rigatoni, Tortellini, Florida Grouper, and Veal Parmesan.

Good bread is a rarity in Florida. We’re spoiled with great bread in NYC and some decent bread in Chicago. Florida is generally not able to deliver bread with a decent crust (I’m not sure if it’s the humidity or what). Forbici delivered a satisfying bread basket.

The Pesto Rigatoni was creamy and flavorful. It was served with pine nuts, capers, and pecorino.

The Tortellini was served squash, zucchini, onions, and a vodka sauce.

The Florida Grouper was served over wilted spinach and cauliflower puree. The fish was light and flaky. A solid dish.

My husband ordered the Veal Parmesan and loved it. This was a generous cutlet and it was juicy and flavorful.

Drinks

We ordered a bottle of Pieropan Soave Classico. It was slightly sweet and refreshing.

Forbici is fun. It draws a young crowd, but offers a menu that will make diners of all ages happy. Service was a little odd. Our server started by greeting us with a list of soft drinks and other “adult” beverages. This was unsolicited and felt weird. She forgot what we ordered and struggled with the wine and check. She was friendly and well intentioned, but seemed a bit thrown even though she said she was not that busy. We enjoyed our meal and will be back (it’s a ten-minute walk from home).

Overall Impression:

We live about ten minutes away from Forbici. We liked everything that we tasted and felt that the meal was a good value. It’s a good option to be able to order a half portion of pasta as a first course and we enjoyed our table on the patio.

Anthony’s Credit Card Pick: When I’m dining out, I want to maximize my points earned. My card of choice for restaurants and food delivery is the American Express® Gold Card. With it, I earn four Membership Rewards® Points for each dollar spent at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the US. It also includes up to $120 annual credit (up to $10 per month given in statement credits) for Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar, and select Shake Shack locations. Plus, up to another $120 annually (up to $10 per month) in Uber Cash that I can use for Uber Eats. When I’m hungry, this is the card I choose. (Terms apply and enrollment required for select benefits.) Learn more.