St. Petersburg’s Fourth Street and Martin Luther King Street corridors (running from just north of downtown all the way up to I-275 in the “Gateway” area) has become a major hotspot for restaurants of all types. From sushi to seafood to sweet treats, if you’re craving it, chances are you’ll find it hidden among the apartment complexes and strip malls of northeast St. Petersburg.

4th STREET SHRIMP STORE 1006 4th St. N, St. Petersburg, 727-822-0325, theshrimpstore.com. Don’t let the name fool you; 4th Street Shrimp Store isn’t some shrimpy store selling seafood to go. This destination does sell seafood to go, but many patrons prefer to dine there on selections such as jumbo shrimp trio. Early bird (3 – 6 p.m.) and lunch combo (11 a.m. – 3 p.m.) menus are available.

BIG STEIN’S DELI 9001 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg, 727-578-0548. Hey big guy, how does a big sandwich sound? Big Stein’s is a welcoming, down to earth deli. The owner makes the sandwiches and remembers you even if you’re not a regular patron. The sun-dried tomato dressing is delicious on the salads.

BONEFISH GRILL 5062 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg, 727-521-3434, bonefishgrill.com. You definitely won’t have any bones to pick with this popular seafood destination. Bang Bang Shrimp is one of Bonefish’s trademark items, and tastes even better on Bang Wednesdays, when it’s only $5 (all day). Talk about getting a bang for your buck.

CAFÉ CIBO 8697 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg, 727-579-1570, cafecibo.net. Owner Frank Schittino is a first-generation American, and his Sicilian roots and culinary education have served him well. Seafood fans will enjoy Frutti di Mare (fruit of the sea), featuring mussels, shrimp scallops and calamari. Sip on a glass of wine, straight from small-production wineries of Italy.

CASUAL CLAM 3336 Martin Luther King St. N, St. Petersburg, 727-895-CLAM, casualclam.com. You will be as happy at this clam and shrimp spot. Perhaps even as happy as a small, edible sea creature that dots Casual Clam’s menu as steamers, New England steamed, half-pints, baskets or dinner entrees. If you’re a shrimp fan, you can get your fill of fried or peel and eat shrimp on Wednesdays. Interestingly, Casual Clam also offers a homemade meatloaf special on Tuesdays.

CHAMPIONS BBQ 4400 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg, 727-525-1227, championsbbq.com. A past winner of many awards, Champions is a prime choice for ribs, pulled pork and smoked corn beef. Wheaties may be the breakfast of champions, but Champions BBQ is what the victorious eat for dinner.

EL CAP 3500 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg, 727-521-1314. Put on your favorite baseball cap and head to this St. Petersburg staple for simple, delicious burgers. El Cap may not look impressive to the passerby, but those who have tasted the burgers definitely wouldn’t pass them up. The burger meat is ground daily.

HARVEY’S 4TH STREET GRILL 3121 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg, 727-821-6516, harveys4thstreetgrill.com. Put on your Sunday best and head to Harvey’s Sunday brunch (9:15 a.m.-2:30 p.m.). Enjoy Maine lobster and live entertainment during the monthly Full Moon Party. Seafood, burgers, sandwiches, pasta selections are also available. The late-night menu includes broccoli and cheese quiche and Kraft macaroni and cheese.

HIRO’S TOKYO STEAKHOUSE AND SUSHI BAR 5250 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg, 727-522-HIRO, hirosteakhouse.com. If you like your sushi late and cheap, check out the late night half-price sushi, appetizers and drinks, seven nights a week, beginning at 10 p.m. After sushi, head next door to World of Beer for a brew.

HOOK’S SUSHI BAR AND THAI FOOD 1210 Martin Luther King St. N, St. Petersburg, 727-898-HOOK, hookssushi.com. Get hooked up with sushi or Thai at this “all fish and no bull” destination. Take advantage of the $1 sushi on Wednesday nights. Whether or not you’re a dirty old man, you’ll enjoy the Dirty Old Man Makimono roll.

MELTING POT 2221 Fourth St. N, Saint Petersburg, 727-895-6358, meltingpot.com. Ladies, grab a fondue fork and try the Ladies Night Out with your bosom buddies. Enjoy cheese fondue with vegetables, and fruits and graham cracker-coated marshmallows with decadent chocolate fondue, and more. Don’t worry, guys. Melting Pot will welcome you, too.

OLD FARMER’S CREAMERY 2531 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg, 7272-896-2827. Old Farmer’s serves locally produced ice cream made specifically for the shop. Flavors run from standard to outrageous (try Superman) and the counter staff is always friendly.

PIPO’S 9939 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg, 727-576-7476, pipos1979.com. If you’re craving pulled pork or Cuban sandwich, Pipo’s is an excellent bet. The Original Pipo’s Pork is made today with the same recipe they used in 1979, when disco was in vogue. Pipo’s also has a location in downtown St. Petersburg.

RED MESA RESTAURANT 4912 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg, 727-527-8728, redmesarestaurant.com. A St. Petersburg staple, Red Mesa is known for mouthwatering Mexican and Southwestern cuisine in a classy setting. Be sure to grab a glass of their homemade sangria.

RICKY P’S PO BOY SHOP 6521 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg, 727-525-2023, rickyps.com. For homemade gumbo soup and po boys galore, you and your boys should visit Ricky P’s. Rick Parsons (aka Ricky P.) was born and raised in New Orleans and exposed to Cajun cuisine at an early age, so he knows his way around his Cajun kitchen.

ROLLIN’ OATS 2842 Martin Luther King Street N, St. Petersburg, 727-821-6825, rollinoats.com. This natural, organic, whole foods deli and market boasts “quality, affordable organics.” Vegetarian, gluten-free, and vegan meal options are available. Grab a meal or two from the Grab and Go selections, or enroll in a monthly cooking class of season-appropriate theme.

ST. PETE BAGEL 7043 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg, 727-522-3377, stpetebagelco.com. This family-owned shop has been baking up bagels for 25 years on its way to becoming a St. Petersburg institution. Check the website for the donut of the week. If you’re looking for an alternative to birthday cake, check out the St. Pete Bagel’s donut cake.

SUSHI ROCK GRILL 1163 Martin Luther King St. N, St. Petersburg, 727-898-ROCK, thesushirockgrill.com. The Rock just celebrated its tenth birthday, so they’ve got sushi down pat. For a sushi quickie, try the express lunch, available on weekdays. Salad fans will enjoy interesting selections such as octopus, squid or seaweed salads.

THREE BIRDS TAVERN 1492 4th St. N, St. Petersburg, 727-895-2049, threebirdstavern.com. This tavern is actually a hundred year-old farmhouse, but no farm animals are to be found today. Choose from eighteen drafts, with selections such as Boddington and St. Pet Brew Orange Wheat. Night owl menu is available as well. Enjoy live music on Friday and Saturday nights.

TOUR DE PIZZA 212 37th Ave. N, St. Petersburg, 727-898-5555, tourdepizza.com. Owner Matt McClellan created the 30 Day Pizza Diet to prove that people can eat nothing but pizza and still lose weight. This bicycle-themed pizza parlor offers pizza by the “spoke” and specialty pizzas, such as the award-winning MAClellan.

YOGURTOLOGY 3043 Fourth St. North, St. Petersburg, 727-895-1393, yogurtology.com. St. Petersburg’s premier frozen yogurt shop has become a prime family destination. With graham cracker, marshmallow and milk chocolate toppings, the Oatmeal Cookie yogurt is like frozen s’mores in a cup.

This article appears in Apr 19-25, 2012.