At the northern end of the loooong, looooong town of St. Pete Beach, classy bistros co-exist with fun dive bars; a classic movie theater ups the culture quotient; a not-so-classy (yet infamous) bikini bar entertains interested gentlemen; and best-in-class waterfront bars cluster along Sunset Way. And at the heart of it all, the small-town vibe of Corey Avenue feels livelier than it's been in years.
FOOD & DRINK
1. Avenue Gourmet 338 Corey Ave., 727-498-6466. www.theavenuegourmet.com. See "Corey Avenue: Still kicking," below right.
2. Bavarian House 7115 Gulf Blvd., 727-363-4414. www.bavarianhouse.us. The place to go for authentic, homemade German cuisine. German (via Munich) owned and operated.
3. Cafe Luna 6700 Gulf Blvd., 727-360-7500. www.cafelunabistro.com. An eclectic bistro specializing in Euro-Asian cuisine and gourmet pizzas as well as vegetarian and gluten-free options.
4. La Croisette 7401 Gulf Blvd. at Corey Ave., 727-360-2253. A popular breakfast and lunch spot with a neighborly vibe specializing in French favorites like very tasty crepes and croissant french toast.
5. Fetishes Fine Dining 6690 Gulf Blvd., 727-363-3700. www.fetishesrestaurant.com. An intimate, eight-table restaurant offering French/continental fare and an extensive wine list. Mentions in two issues of Bon Appetit, so they must be doing something right.
6. The Frog Pond 7390 Gulf Blvd., 727-363-7205. Biggest brunch in town with mammoth platefuls you won't see anywhere else. Come hungry, very hungry.
7. Healthy Hut Market & Cafe 595 Corey Ave., 727-367-HHUT, hhutmarket.com. A brand-new, long-in-the-making health food restaurant, deli and bakery, serving "natural, organic, vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, Kosher" — in other words, all things health-foodie.
8. Madeleina Cottage 357 Corey Ave, 727-367-1727. www.madeleinacottage.us. A taste of British and Continental cuisine on the beach, serving up gourmet classics in an elegant setting — prepare to leave your diet at the door, though. Also renowned for its lavishly decorated ladies' restroom, a definite must-see.
9. Philthy Phil's 678 75th Ave., 727-367-9977. www.philthyphilsbarandgrill.com. Hidden away on Sunset Way with a waterfront view, second-floor deck dining, and killer Bloody Marys and smoked fish spread.
10. PJ's Oyster Bar and Seafood 595 Corey Ave., 727-367-3309. A low-key, fun atmosphere, complete with autographed dollar bills adorning the wall. Who needs a waterfront view to get great seafood?
11. Sloppy Pelican 677 75th Ave., 727-360-7100. www.sloppypelican.com. Two-story waterfront dining (and drinking) with the best-looking (if startlingly young) female servers, cheap drafts and tasty food at nominal prices, plus a great view of the sunset. The Pelican hosts beach bar crawls every weekend, weekly beer pong tournaments and Sunday brunch.
12. Swigwam 336 Corey Ave., 727-363-7944. See "Corey Avenue: Still kicking," right.
13. Woody's Waterfront Cafe and Beach Bar 7308 Sunset Way, 727-360-9165. www.woodyswaterfront.com. Great burgers and fish sandwiches and a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere have made this a day-and-night destination for locals and snowbirds of all ages and stripes. It's right on the water, a Gulf inlet with a view of the southern tip of Sunset Beach and some notably ugly condos. But the water's a tonic no matter what the surrounding real estate looks like.
SHOPPING & SERVICES
14. Ah Shoe! 350A Corey Ave., 727-367-2400. Unique boutique with women's shoes, handmade jewelry and accessories. Not like anything you'd find at the mall.
15. Art Expo Framing 355 Corey Ave, 727-360-2953. www.artexpogallery.com. Offers an ever-changing display of fine art paintings from local and well-known artists, sculpture, glass, pottery and jewelry, as well as innovative designs in custom picture framing.
16. Attic Shoppe 316 Corey Ave, 727-360-5647. The next time you need a costume for your friend's Golden Girls theme party, look no futher than this tiny treasure of a charity shop.
17. Flipper Clipper 429 Corey Ave, 727-322-3729. Funky beach boutique offering airbrush tattoos, henna, airbrushed t-shirts and clothing, and custom artwork on skateboards and skimboards.
18. Fun In The Sun 350 Corey Ave., 727-498-8778. One-stop shop for all of your flag and lawn paraphernalia needs: house and yard flags, windsocks, kites and wind spinners.
19. Gone to the Dogs Boutique and Grooming 310 Corey Ave., 727-363-3200. www.gonetothedogsboutique.com. See "Corey Avenue: Still kicking," right.
20. K. Kringle's Christmas Shoppe 400 75th Ave., 727-367-1388. www.kkringles.com. It's as if Santa gave up the North Pole, packed up shop and moved to St. Pete Beach. Offering Christmas decorations and ornaments year-round (including enough miniature villages to form a tiny municipality).
21. Latin Quarter House of Cigars 7400 Gulf Blvd., 727-393-4000. www.lqhouseofcigars.com. Custom-blended cigars made in-house. Choose from 24 different premium tobacco fills with wrappers from around the world. The shop also throws a great party on weekend nights with complimentary sangria.
22. The Shell Store 348 Corey Ave.,727-360-0586. www.theshellstore.com. This store is pretty self-explanatory: shells, and lots of 'em.
23. Shh… Don't Tell Mama 450 75th Ave., 727-363-0404. video540@gte.net. The only adult store on the beaches, but with enough merchandise to give The Todd a run for its money.
24. Simply Perfect 339 Corey Ave, 727-360-4141. www.simplyperfectonline.com. Definitely a place your mom (or crazy aunt) would love: kitschy home decor, gifts and baskets with homey pizzazz.
25. Vincent William Gallery 320 Corey Ave, 727-363-1334. Representing over 40 local professional artists working in a variety of media including stained glass, ceramics, blown glass, sculpture, jewelry, Raku and more.
26. The Wine Shop 401 Corey Avenue, 727-363-9463. Perhaps the best place on the beach to purchase top-notch vino. Offering $5 wine tastings every Friday from 6-8 p.m.
27. Wings Beachwear 6705 Gulf Blvd., 727-367-8876. www.wingsbeachwear.com. Beach paraphernalia megastore. Need we say more?
ENTERTAINMENT
28. Beach Theatre 315 Corey Ave., 727-360-6697. www.beachtheatre.com. Vintage 1939, this theater is a landmark in itself. Daily showings of popular and hard-to-find independent films, with cheaper ticket prices and concessions (including beer and wine) than most cinemas.
29. Mermaids 7500 Blind Pass Road, 727-363-6833. The closest thing to a strip joint you'll find on the beaches, this bikini bar offers dancers in a wide range of ages, private champagne "booths" and glow-in-the-dark, wall-to-wall (and on-the-wall) carpeting. The ladies demonstrate their prowess on the pole but can't remove their tops (and you probably wouldn't want them to).
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This article appears in May 13-19, 2010.