Bill Georgiou’s Burg Diner opened in St. Petersburg on Tuesday in the former home of Cuban Delight Cafe at 2950 49th St. N. The diner, operating in soft-opening mode this week from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., is the younger sibling of Georgiou’s Burg Bar & Grill.
Growing up in a breakfast-and-lunch joint as a kid, Georgiou, who headed Maria’s Greek Family Restaurant before The BB&G, told CL he’s been dying to get back into the diner biz. He said he wasn’t looking for a specific place, just that his mother wanted him to launch a little diner similar to what she used to run up north.
The 48-seat restaurant highlights Greek-inflected fare, including omelets and pita breakfast sandwiches. While the first week will feature just lunch and breakfast, dinner will eventually be offered, too.
Georgiou retained most of the street-scene mural on the building's 30th Avenue facade. He likes keeping things from the past, and The Burg Diner seems to be a testament to that.
• A similar counter concept, this one from the Avenue's Stephen Schrutt, will hit St. Pete’s EDGE District in around four to eight weeks. It’s a next-gen diner, old school with a modern spin, called Kings Street Food Counter.
Named after Schrutt’s English bulldog, King, the diner takes over the 937 Central Ave. spot vacated by Everything Dolce (which has moved to St. Pete Bakery on Fourth Street). Schrutt said he’s always been interested in the space for its outdoor patio and EDGE location.
With a 27-foot-long counter on one side and seating along the other, Kings will sling offerings like hot dogs, poutines and milkshakes in disposable containers, streetside-style. Only five items will be breakfast-inspired.
The diner’s craft beer selection, made up of drafts and 16-ounce cans, will be locally driven. The dog-friendly patio is set to be more of a “chill spot” than inside, according to Schrutt, complete with afternoon live music, AstroTurf, communal tables and lawn chairs — and a bar featuring approximately 16 taps.
• Happy’s Bayou Bites, Mark and Charlotte “Happy” Jordan’s outdoor food joint, is making progress at 431 Skinner Blvd. in downtown Dunedin.
The couple plans to serve low-country Cajun and Florida Cracker-type fare, including po’ boys, gumbo and muffuletta, from a food trailer with a shack-style wood facade and a walk-up order window.
Diners will nosh at picnic tables, or place orders for takeout or delivery.
• Proof Cocktail Club quietly debuted about a month ago at 260 First Ave. N. in downtown St. Pete, pouring high-end, small-batch spirits alongside beer and wine from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. Thursday through Saturday. It's led by Peter Ketchum, formerly of downtown St. Pete’s Yard of Ale, who said the speakeasy-influenced bar is working out the kinks until its grand opening next month.
Located inside the 260 First nightclub’s old VIP room, Proof’s under the umbrella of the ownership group that operates MacDinton’s, YoA and 260.
Ketchum said the cocktail menu incorporates local products as much as possible in its classic-with-a-twist cocktails — Florida oranges, spices from Savory Spice Shop — and Tampa’s Arctic Ice Co. regularly delivers 300 pounds of ice for the bar to hand cut.
Like any good speakeasy, Proof requires patrons to say the evening’s password before entry. The code may be found on the bar’s Facebook page. In the future, Ketchum would like to send out an automated text message, or mass email, with the passwords.
• There’s lots to savor in this week’s final course. Tampa’s long-awaited Haven (formerly SideBern's) opened at 2208 W. Morrison Ave. with Chad Johnson returning as executive chef, more than 300 bourbons, a 100-item cheese cave, charcuterie and a cellar that holds 2,500 wines.
Tampa Bay also scored two hibachi and sushi joints as Clearwater’s Volcano Japanese Cuisine opened at 1550 N. McMullen Booth Road, and Saki Endless Sushi & Hibachi Eatery launched at 11921 N. Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa. Brazilian steakhouse Bull Grill opened in Tampa at 4820 N. Armenia Ave.; the fifth BurgerMonger is set for 3838 W. Neptune St.; and two weeks ago, Buddy Brew Coffee debuted a cafe in Sarasota.
St. Pete’s Mickey’s Market closed at 1631 Fourth St. N. and was replaced with Kahwa Coffee (grab free coffee at this new location Friday and Saturday), and DI Coffee Bar debuted to Davis Islands at 214 E. Davis Blvd. Dine-Or-Dash’s Tampa grand opening will happen from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 21, at 19040 Bruce B. Downs Blvd.
This article appears in Mar 5-11, 2015.