The old Tabrizi’s waterfront bar meant a lot to Laurel Heslin. It was where she met her husband back when she was still a liveaboard, residing on the boat she kept docked in South Baltimore’s Harborview Marina. It was where they gathered with their friends as a couple; at least 20 people at their wedding were Tabrizi’s regulars.

“This was a big part of our community,” she said. “It kind of feels like a ‘Cheers’ on the water.”

When Tabrizi’s closed at the end of 2023, it left a hole in Heslin’s social life — one she was happy to fill with Bellini’s Harborview.

The new bar from two veterans of Baltimore’s dining scene began serving customers on the Fourth of July. “I know all of our neighbors we are absolutely thrilled that this is open,” Heslin said. On Thursday, she and her husband came back for the second time to enjoy a cocktail by the marina.

Co-founders Brian Acquavella and Marc Gentile are running Bellini’s through a contract with Di Pasquale’s, which has a branch next door. The Italian restaurant and store leased out much of the former Tabrizi’s space at 500 Harborview Drive after that restaurant and wedding venue closed.

Bellini’s guests can purchase food at Di Pasquale’s before coming over. The new bar, which lacks a kitchen but has a walk-in refrigerator, also sells plates of antipasti and pasta salad prepared by their neighbor restaurant.

In addition to Bellini’s, Gentile is a partner in nearby Little Havana. Acquavella co-owns Bunny’s, The Dive and Sally O’s with chef Jesse Sandlin, and previously owned The Outpost in Riverside and Black-Eyed Suzie’s in Bel Air.

A longtime South Baltimore resident, Acquavella said he’s always been struck by how few places there are in the city to enjoy a cocktail on the water. The bio on the Bellini’s Instagram account reflects that: “Baltimore doesn’t have enough outdoor patio bars overlooking the harbor… so here we are!”

Current menu offerings include various spritzes, beers, wines and, of course, bellinis, but cocktail selections are limited to what’s in stock. “If it’s not on the back bar we don’t have it,” reads a note on the menu, which is written in capital letters on a whiteboard.

In addition to the outdoor patio, Acquavella plans to activate a covered area adjacent to the bar so customers can enjoy the view no matter what the weather.

“We want to be rain or shine — we want to be consistent,” he said, something that Tabrizi’s wasn’t always known for. The Bellini’s predecessor, while beloved in the community, could be closed seemingly at random, Acquavella said. He sees Bellini’s as a seasonal concept, but “I’m certainly interested to see how far we can push it,” he said. “If people want to stay out here in November, I’ll happily spritz them up in November.” For now, the bar is open Wednesdays through Saturdays.

While the food and beverage options at the marina are growing, the place remains in upheaval in other ways. The marina abruptly closed in March, citing safety concerns — a move that left liveaboards scrambling for a new home and other boat owners seeking new places to dock.

The marina sold in May at a foreclosure auction. But attorneys for a minority owner have asked a judge to reverse the sale. In the meantime, the docks remain vacant.