Madness at Mazzaro’s

What do you get when you combine cheese, wine, and a whole lot of Yelpers with an uber-cool Italian market? You get madness at Mazzaro's, and that's exactly what went down during Yelp's Profile Picture. This was my first Elite event and my first time at Mazzaro's Italian Market. All I can say is WOW – the bar was set high with this one! From fresh pastas and aged cheeses to rare wines and custom gastronomical creations, the evening was staged to perfection. And with the warm welcome that I received from the Tampa Bay Yelp community, it's safe to say you'll be seeing me around a lot more!

Yelp was ready for our closeup at this themed party. Cathy B notes, "Tampa Daily Photo's own Gerardo and Melissa Luna were on hand to take profile pictures for all of us Yelpers." Gerardo has been the Yelp photographer for almost a year now, and we're abundantly blessed to have him. Now he's doing headshots too?? In addition to professional photography, Yelp swag was tucked around every corner. We don't mean to toot our own horn – and luckily, we don't have to. Jerry G thought the event rocked! "Another 5 star Elite Yelp event through the generosity of Mazzaro's. These events are terrific gatherings to enjoy our fellow Yelpers, mingle, and introduce ourself to 'friends' that we've met through this community." 

The FOOD. Did we mention the food? Rachel H "took up a residency at the olive bar. Lord, help me. I love brine." She also enjoyed "the pasta dish which the chef lovingly created for the Yelpers chomping at the bit. It smelled too good to ignore." And then there was… well, we'll let Crystal H explain. "I didn't have a single thing that I didn't love and wouldn't greedily devour again. My absolute favorite thing was the Blood Orange Cotton Candy with Fennel Bacon. That may have even been one of the best things I have ever tasted. Ever." 'Nuff said. 

Walking through the doors of Mazzaro's is like stepping into another country, complete with unique decor, a rustic market, a sleek coffee bar, and a charismatic brick exterior. Carlos H muses, "This has to be one of the top Yelp events I have attended. Mazzaro's is truly a taste of Italy. A big shoutout to Mazzaro's for hosting us and treating us with such hospitality." Cece C thought the staff was top notch, too. "You can tell that the people who work at Mazzaro's are truly passionate about what they do." We agree!

The staff and artisans at Mazzaro's are impressively knowledgeable about their products, and obviously passionate about the authentic food, wine, and cheese that they serve. It was a truly fantastic experience, and everything I overheard during the event confirmed this sentiment. In short, a good time was had by all, and I think in Italian, that's la dolce vita!

- Brett N, Yelp TB Community Manager, & Justine B, Yelp TB Marketing Assistant