A once-thriving space has been brought back to life after a devastating fire caused its closure. The Landon, a New American fine dining restaurant by local restaurateur Michael Stewart, is now open at 717 S Howard Ave.
Stewart formerly ran 717 South in the same space, though that shuttered after the fire in 2024 destroyed much of the property. He’s billing the debut of The Landon as not just a new concept for the South Tampa building, but as a continuation of the community that 717 South built.
Chef Robert Hesse, who gained notoriety through two seasons on Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen, has been tapped to lead the kitchen. The menu heavily features seafood and steaks, with a mix of upscale standards and new twists on old classics. The full menu features a bread course, salads, caviar service, a selection of raw and chilled plates, a mix of creative starters, chef-elevated entrees, and steaks. There is also a full selection of sides, as well as enhancements such as bone marrow demi glace or truffle butter, among others.
The starters include standards such as charbroiled oysters, crab cakes, and ravioli, but you can also find some adventurous options like lobster popcorn, Thai coconut curry mussels, and the “10K Scallops” that come with corn pudding, pork belly, quail egg, and veal demi…