St. Petersburg is set to welcome its very first combination restaurant, bar and private karaoke joint. Local restaurateur, Lucas Herraiz, who also owns Tikanis in St. Pete connected with CL to dish the deets on Lala (stylized “LALA”), which is opening in September.
Herraiz said the concept is family-oriented but can also function as an upscale space to hang with friends.
If you have stage fright or don’t feel like living through your own “American Idol” episode, then belt some shit out with your friends in one of the seven private karaoke rooms. You can even have a little “Partridge Family” session after sampling Lala’s menu, whis is supposed to feature American cuisine with a French influence.
Lala shares its courtyard with the highly-anticipated Grand Central Brewhouse which began construction last November in the former Taco Bus space at 2324 Central Ave.
Herraiz added the two concepts are taking full advantage of the shared space by transforming it into an activity garden. That means live music, weekly movies on the lawn, and a playground for adults (think big Jenga and all the typical outdoor games you can play with a beer in hand).
“We want to capitalize on the outdoor space, especially with social distancing regulations going on,” Herraiz explained.
Speaking of booze, Lala’s loaded cocktail menu features an array of wine and Grand Central’s craft brews. There’s even a rooftop bar to drink in nightlife views.
Thankfully, the debut in September should mean lower temperatures and more time to let COVID cases simmer down—fingers crossed.
Start practicing “Don’t Stop Believin’” now while you still have a few weeks to nail the high notes before your friends are locked in a room with you and a microphone. More details to come as the opening date approaches.
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St. Pete’s LALA restaurant and karaoke bar will open in the Grand Central district next month
This article appears in Jul 16-22, 2020.