Photo via Café Clementine/Instagram
Guava & cream cheese choux à la crème trios at La Clementine Bakeshop's Pete's Bagels location in St. Petersburg, Florida.
What started as a hopeful dream in the mind of owner Paulina Gervasi, the shop will open Café Clementine on April 30 at the Museum of Fine Arts at 255 Beach Dr. NE, St. Petersburg. Upon opening, operating hours will be Thursday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
An Instagram post says the counter is located within the MFA's conservatory, so admission to the museum is not required to enjoy the cafè's goods. That means you can soak up the sun with your Parisian pastries on the terrace outdoor seating area, which overlooks the North Yacht Basin and Tampa Bay.
Le Clementine Bakeshop is known for serving fresh Viennoiserie, a category of dessert that combines the sweetness of pâtisserie and the structure of French bread. Menu items you can expect include croissants, choux buns, teacakes and more in a variety of decadent flavors. Those in need of a savory accompaniment can order a bite from its rotating all-day brunch menu and plenty of drink choices to wash it all down.
Gervasi made her name known to St. Pete locals on the streets of the Saturday Morning Market, where she quickly became a crowd favorite. In July 2021, she and her husband Vince Gervasi set up shop at Pete's Bagels in the Grand Central District of St. Pete before finding their permanent residency at MFA.
Le Clementine tells Creative Loafing that it closed up shop at Pete's back in Feb., but may come back once everything is settled at the new café.
