Crisp Waffle Company opens in St. Pete

The Crisp Waffle Company has officially opened its doors in St. Petersburg, bringing its made-to-order Belgian waffles to the Grand Central District. 

Located at 2414 Central Ave, the new cafe is the second location for the company, which first gained popularity in Sarasota’s St. Armands Circle. Crisp Waffle Company specializes in Liege-style waffles, which are made from dough rather than batter, resulting in a thicker, sweeter and chewier texture. 

Owner Todi Garay said they make their waffles taste authentic by importing their dry ingredients from Belgium. Garay said the inspiration for the company came from her time spent in the country, where she was first introduced to Liege waffles.

“I didn’t even know that dough waffles existed. Growing up, my mother made breakfast for dinner and that was always fun, but it was always a battered waffle and they weren’t my favorite,” Garay said. “I spent a lot of time in Belgium when I worked for Chiquita bananas, and my coworkers said, ‘You have to try this waffle.’”

Garay was hooked, and decided to bring the concept to Sarasota in 2021. From there, she added a food truck and a location at IMG Academy in Bradenton before bringing the waffle shop to St. Pete.

Clockwise from left: The Crisp Waffle Company’s ‘Let’s Go Bananas’ waffle, Chicken & Waffles and ‘Berry Comfort’ acai bowl.

The Crisp Waffle Company menu includes a variety of sweet and savory waffle options, as well as fruit smoothies, acai bowls, specialty coffee drinks and ice cream from Yoder’s Restaurant & Amish Village. 

“We try to do our best to partner with local folks,” Garay said. ‘We also have Katie’s Teas; she’s local from Bradenton. We do a berry jam on one of our sandwiches and we get that locally from Old Florida Farms, that comes right out of Sanford. We just want to support our local brands, and I find they make the best products; something that’s unique, that you can’t find everywhere.”

Garay also added that she and her husband, who helps her run the company, enjoy the sense of community in St. Petersburg, contrasting it with the more tourist-heavy atmosphere of their Sarasota location. Garay added that a location in Tampa could be next, if all goes well in St. Pete.

In addition to food, the Central Ave. location offers outdoor seating and has a beer and wine license, allowing them to serve mimosas and other beverages. The cafe’s menu is available to view and customers can order online at crispwafflecompany.com.