Wagamama, a pan-Asian restaurant chain with locations across the globe, is moving its U.S. headquarters from New York to Tampa, Florida, as it gears up to expand across the Southeast.
The move to Tampa's Westshore district at 1408 N. Westshore Blvd. is effective as of Dec. 1, according to a statement from Wagamama. About 15 to 20 employees will work at the 4,000-square-foot office at the Towers at Westshore’s Tower II, a spokesperson for Wagamama told CoStar News.
Wagamama was founded in London in 1992 has since expanded to more than 22 countries. The company has seven locations in the U.S., including one in Tampa that opened in 2023 at 1050 Water St. in the heart of the $3.5 billion mixed-use development, Water Street Tampa.
“Relocating to Tampa positions us for long-term growth,” Stephen Judge, CEO of Wagamama USA, said in the statement. “It allows us to continue building a world-class team and strengthen the foundations required for disciplined expansion.”
Judge views Florida — particularly the Tampa and St. Pete area — as a major growth market for the chain's expansion, the spokesperson said. Beyond Florida, the team is also looking to expand in Texas and the southeastern U.S., according to the spokesperson.
The Tampa Bay office market has seen a surge in demand over the past year, recording about 7 million square feet of leasing activity and outpacing all other Florida markets.
The Towers at Westshore were built in the 1980s and offer a total of 290,000 square feet. The property sits four miles west of downtown Tampa, and almost immediately south of Tampa International Airport.
To get ready for its U.S. expansion, Wagamama appointed Suk Singh as its chief development officer over the summer to lead the company's U.S. site strategy and growth, according to the statement. Singh's previous experience includes overseeing growth at retailers such as Bloomin' Brands and Darden Restaurants, according to his LinkedIn.
Wagamama's parent company is London-based The Restaurant Group, which acquired an 80% stake in Wagamama for an undisclosed amount from Conversion Venture Capital in 2024. Other brands owned by The Restaurant Group include Mexican fast-casual eatery Barburrito and Brunning & Price, a chain of pubs. The Restaurant Group was acquired by private equity giant Apollo Global Management in 2023.
For the record
Philip Weber, first vice president at CBRE's Tampa office, represented the landlord in Wagamama's office lease.