Launching a grilled cheesery is an idea Bodega on Central manager Ed Allen has held onto for more than three years. The timing wasn't right for him or downtown St. Pete until about the last year and a half, he says, and now, the city's ready to embrace a down-home sandwich New York and other locales are used to embellishing with gourmet ingredients.
Next to the State Theatre at 685 Central Ave., Allen's new Central Melt restaurant will add to the artsy 600 Block's cafe-style dining options that include Brew D Licious and Central Perks Cafe.
According to Allen, whose ideal grilled cheese is a spin on a caprese with homemade garlic butter and lots of mozzarella, when folks find out you're opening up a grilled cheese joint, they always share their favorites.
"People love bacon," he notes, adding that stepping outside the box a bit and putting twists on those classics are part of the restaurant's concept.
While Central Melt's artisanal sandwich lineup and opening date remain tentative, Allen downsized a list of 50 grilled-cheese combos to at least three or four he's sold on showcasing.
He says he plans to leave Bodega around a month before his spot debuts, and that he's received "a lot of love and support" from his colleagues there (co-owner Debbie Sayegh helped brainstorm restaurant names, as chef Kaylie Birdsall gave her input on the menu) and at eateries throughout the area.
"The menu's gonna blow everyone's socks off," he says.
Inside, a medley of clean yet rustic elements will be incorporated into the design. Ten counter-only seats will be offered, as well as a stand-and-eat shelf along one wall, giving the place a New York sandwich shop feel. Around back, the small outdoor patio will accommodate as many diners as possible.
"It needs to be representative of me, but also the 600 Block. Simple and edgy," Allen says.
And the painted "Fountain and Restaurant" logo that adorns the front of Central Melt? It isn't going anywhere.
"I know better. I will not go over anybody's art, especially in St. Pete," he says. "It gives [the space] its character."