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On the Menu: Coffee connoisseur, baker open storefronts
Whether someone is sipping down a Barbie-themed drink from a local coffee shop or a cocktail from a distillery, St. Pete’s food scene continues to flourish and bring new experiences to visitors and residents.
Here’s the latest restaurant news in the St. Pete area:
The Blend opens new coffee shops
The Blend Coffee and Cocktails, known for its unique latte flights, will have a new location in Magnolia Heights.
Owner Stacha Madsen has inked a lease for a new location at 3001 16th St. N., which was previously occupied by the Body Fit Institute.
A coffee flight from The Blend. Instagram image.
This will be the brand’s sixth location. Her other St. Pete shops are located on 4th Street, 34th Street and Central Avenue. She also has a storefront in Tampa.
An opening date was not announced; however, she recently installed a sign at the new location.
Earlier this month, she opened a Palmetto storefront at 9510 Buffalo Road.
Madsen’s son and daughter help run her shops.
Bavaro’s to expand into Clearwater Beach
Italian eatery Bavaro’s, which opened its doors in March 2009 as the first traditional Neapolitan Pizzeria in the state, is expanding to Clearwater.
Owner Dan Bavaro announced on Facebook that construction has started for the new restaurant site in the Mandalay Plaza at Clearwater Beach.
Bavaro’s pizzas. Image: Facebook.
Bavaro’s uses hand-crafted, wood-fired brick ovens designed by third-generation Neapolitan craftsmen and ingredients sourced directly from Italy, according to the company’s website.
Bavaro’s has restaurants in St. Petersburg, Sarasota and the Tampa International Airport.
The brand’s first upscale eatery and pizzeria, which is still in operation today, opened at 514 N. Franklin St. in Tampa.
Turkish bakery secures storefront
Tanya Shkaki, owner of the St. Pete Bakery, has graduated from serving her Turkish delights at the Saturday Morning Market to opening a permanent brick-and-mortar storefront.
Shkaki, who was born in Turkey, held a soft opening event last month for her store at 600 1st Ave. N.
The downtown St. Pete space was the former site of The Prescription Shop.
St. Pete Bakery’s baklava. Image: Instagram.
The full-service bakery offers cakes, Turkish coffee, ice cream and pastries such as baklava.
The family-run business also serves hummus, lentil soup and stuffed grape leaves.
St. Pete Distillery to open spirit garden
The St. Petersburg Distillery, located at 800 31st St. S., will reveal a new outdoor spirit garden space on Friday, Sept. 1.
“The opening of the spirit garden is a significant milestone and a look into the future of St. Petersburg Distillery,” Matt Risley, the distillery’s director of brands and marketing, said in a prepared statement. “The new spirit garden is not just about serving great cocktails; it’s about bringing people together in a space where great food and drinks are shared and lasting memories are made.”
St. Petersburg Distillery’s spirit garden. Image provided.
The garden will debut at the entrance of the tasting room and feature covered outdoor seating, music, cornhole and other games. Restaurant partner Cala Italian Kitchen will offer traditional Italian cuisine in the garden, including focaccia breads, pizzas and pastas.
The spirit garden will have the distillery’s signature cocktails crafted with its line of Old St. Pete Premium Spirits, Banyan Reserve Vodka, Oak and Palm Coconut Rum and Tipplers Orange Liqueur.
St. Pete’s Oyster Bar to relocate
After 25 years of serving customers at 249 Central Ave., The Oyster Bar will close its doors Sunday, Aug. 21.
The owners took to Facebook to announce they will be shucking oysters at a new nearby location.
They didn’t disclose the address of the new restaurant site or exact opening date.
The Oyster Bar’s current St. Pete location. Image: Facebook.
The Crafty Hospitality Group, which owns The Oyster Bar, said it will open a pop-up bar the current restaurant location in September. The pop-up bar will have rotating themes throughout the remainder of this year.
