Thanks to a low cost of living, Tampa, Florida, is a great place to work and live. It offers quiet, secure neighborhoods close to plenty of beaches and parks. Office space is also affordable, making it an ideal spot to start a business. Tampa has a strong job market with an economy driven by health care, construction, technology, tourism, and maritime industries. If you want to build a restaurant business in Tampa, Florida, start with the list below. Here are six of the best restaurant contractors working in the area.


Venture Construction Company

105 North Falkenburg Road, Suite A, Tampa, FL 33619

Founded in 1969 by Ray Morris, Venture Construction Company is a general contractor in Tampa, Florida. For 53 years, it has proudly built long-term client relationships, enabling it to become one of the best construction companies in the industry. It produces a wide range of projects, including retail, office, institutional, and restaurants across Tampa, Lenexa, Midlothian, Bartlett, Franklin, High Point, and Norcross. The firm currently holds licenses in 47 states and has completed superior projects in 46 of those states.

Founder Ray Morris is a visionary with a strong work ethic and a powerful entrepreneurial drive. He served as the estimator, project manager, job superintendent, and business development manager during the firm’s early years. Three years after founding Venture Construction Company, he hired his friends—Bud Hollingsworth and Larry Vickery—to help him manage other aspects of the company.


Stellar Development

59 Sarasota Center Boulevard, Sarasota, FL 34240

Stellar Development is a general contractor founded in Sarasota, Florida. Later on, it relocated to its corporate headquarters in Lakewood Ranch, Florida. The firm provides a wide array of services, including general contracting, construction management, design-build, and preconstruction planning services. It also focuses on developing a variety of projects, including commercial, retail, hospitality, government, institutional, multifamily, religious, and single-family homes.

Since its founding in 1999, Stellar Development has managed roughly $100 million in construction projects across the southeastern United States. It has received several prestigious recognitions, including 2021’s The Observer Group Top 50 Contractors in the Nation. Its former clients include B&B Theatres, Hampton Inn & Suites, and Vision Source, to name a few. Maurice Opstal leads the firm. He serves as the firm’s president and worked for a top 400 ENR company before establishing Stellar Development. He grew up in the construction business, working for his father, a general contractor.


DL Harkins Construction

2898 South Osceola Avenue, Orlando, FL 32806

Formed in 2013,  DL Harkins Construction is a dependable and trustworthy construction company providing pre-construction, design-build, construction management, and design-assist services throughout Orlando, Tampa, and the surrounding areas. The firm specializes in a wide range of projects, including medical, corporate, commercial, education, government, mixed-use, restaurant, and retail. The firm has maintained 100% client satisfaction and an excellent safety record for nine years. The staff’s remarkable attention to detail is a reflection of their passion and dedication to the craft.

DL Harkins Construction collaborates with experienced and creative design professionals to provide unique and practical solutions. Every project is carefully planned to handle even the most complex projects efficiently. Matthew Harkins leads the team. He serves as the president and personally oversees all aspects of the construction and design process.


Triton Construction Group

7324 W. Comanche Avenue, Suite B, Tampa, FL 33634

Triton Construction Group is a full-service general contractor headquartered in Tampa, Florida. It was formed 50 years ago and has provided commercial construction, remodeling, petroleum construction, c-store construction, and restaurant construction throughout the Southeastern United States. The firm focuses on retail and restaurant construction, providing clients with exceptional quality and superior customer service. Since 1972, Triton Construction Group has completed over 10,000 completed projects, exceeding client expectations every time.

The team works with industry experts committed to delivering projects on time and within budget. Its staff’s unmatched professionalism also allows the firm to accomplish impressive results regardless of constraints. Triton Construction Group operates under the leadership of its President and CEO, Chuck Earle. He is the third-generation owner of the family business and has 21 years of experience working in the construction industry. He continues the 50-year legacy of his family’s business by producing outstanding artistry and making client satisfaction the firm’s first priority.


Gerardi Construction, Inc.

1604 N 19th Street, Tampa, FL 33605

Gerardi Construction is a family-owned business established by Philip Gerardi in 1999. The firm is a class A general contractor experienced in building retail, shopping malls, schools, institutions, financial, restaurants, commercial, historical, and interior renovation projects. It provides general contracting, construction management, design-build, and self-perform services across Tampa, Pensacola, Plantation, Lutz, Boca Raton, Clearwater, Naples, and Brandon. For 23 years, it has grown into one of the most prominent names in the construction industry thanks to a lasting commitment to quality and reliability.

The firm sees its staff as the foundation of its 20-year success and believes that teamwork is key to a project’s success. The firm’s previous clients include Ulta, Fredricks, Best Buy, Sephora, and Dollar Tree. The Tampa Bay Times has featured the firm’s work.