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Blu Halo restaurant officially debuts with ribbon cutting
The Blu Halo, which opened in June, had its official ribbon cutting Friday.
Staff of The Blu Halo, St. Petersburg’s newest steakhouse, hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony Friday to celebrate its official opening.
The restaurant, located at the Echelon City Center (221 Main Street North) in Carillon Park, is focused on a “modern” approach to classic American dishes and has an elaborate martini bar. It began welcoming guests June 30.
City Council members were in attendance, including Brandi Gabbard and Corey Givens Jr.
“District 2 is a growing community,” Gabbard said at the event. “We have a lot more going on then we ever have before, so we are very, very happy to have you here as a part of it.”
St. Pete is The Blu Halo’s second location. The concept was first introduced in Tallahassee in 2016.
“We probably looked at over two dozen locations and really fell in love with this location,” Andy Donato, Blu Halo managing partner, told the Catalyst. “The growth here with all the condos and everything is going to be massive.”
Donato and The Blu Halo team chose the building last summer. “We negotiated this whole deal in less than a year,” he explained.
The Blu Halo. Photo provided.
Opening a second restaurant has long been in the works, Donato added. Discussions about future locations are already underway.
While the St. Pete restaurant is “configured a little differently,” it will be similar to the Tallahassee Blu Halo and feature some of the same menu items, as well as private wine lockers for guests.
The lockers, which are part of a membership program, have been a success in the past, he said. “We’re on a waiting list for them in Tallahassee.”
Executive Chef David Smith moved his family from the Washington D.C. area to oversee the steakhouse. He previously worked as a sous chef for the Monocacy Hospitality Group in Frederick, Maryland and as an executive sous chef at The Comus Inn in Dickerson, Maryland.
For him, St. Pete was a perfect fit. “I love the community,” he explained. With a background in Mediterranean cuisine, Smith hopes to bring his “own twist” to the restaurant.
“I like it being a neighborhood location,” Donato added. “I like it that we’re not fine dining or casual dining. We’re that niche in between.”
The Blu Halo is open daily; the restaurant serves lunch, dinner and Saturday and Sunday brunch.
Photo by Michael Connor.
