If you're driving on Fourth Street North in St. Petersburg, you can't miss it.
A large banner and green-and-white balloons beckoned passersby to the new Metro Diner that quietly opened its doors early Monday morning, including a husband and wife on their way to Ruth's Chris Steak House for lunch. They stopped in, ate, then made plans for another meal.
At least that's how Britney Wilcox, a training coordinator for the Jacksonville staple whose tagline is "where the locals eat," tells it.
"They're kind of our first regulars," Wilcox said.
The 13th location for Metro Diner owner Mark Davoli has hit the ground running at 5250 Fourth St. N. He says the restaurant had a "good flow" of business yesterday, maintaining a steady crowd throughout breakfast and lunch.
"It's going to be a very busy one of our diners," Wilcox added.
Davoli agrees. He says the St. Pete outpost, featuring the brand's trademark open kitchen, will be one of the busiest locations thus far. During soft-opening events Friday and Saturday, when Metro Diner charged $10 per person for charity, the restaurant raised more than $10,000.
The Monte Cristo sandwich, with a breakfast burger, chicken and waffles, and shrimp and grits in the background.
Carlynn Crosby
The menu, which Davoli reconstructed and added to when he took over the Jacksonville flagship in 2000, is part of the reason the diner is so well-liked across Florida. The food — including Charleston shrimp and grits, a meatloaf plate and huevos rancheros — is important, but the owner says it's about "taking care of people" and "a great price with great service," too.
Servers, trainers wearing green T-shirts, and trainees in blues, yellows and pinks were also enthusiastic.
"I'm excited to see how busy it's going to be," front-of-house coordinator Alyssa Gallagher said. She added that she wants the restaurant turn into a "home diner" for St. Pete.
As for where the brand is headed next, Roland Wayment, director of operations for Metro Diner, says they're looking all along Florida's west coast. Specifically, he mentioned locations like St. Pete's Tyrone area, South Tampa, Bradenton, Brandon and Venice as next stops.
Of Metro Diner's success, Wayment said: "Good food travels fast."
This article appears in Jun 23-30, 2016.
