Over the last few weeks, St. Petersburg’s food scene has added a wide variety of eats—like a gourmet delivery spot, Doormét, and a specialty grilled cheese joint, Fo’Cheezy. Now Pinoy, a traditional Filipino restaurant, inspired by the Tarlac region (which is two hours north of Manila) can add its name to the roster.
This concept arrives nearly eight months after Jollibee, a Filipino fast-food chain with a cult following laid its roots in Pinellas Park. Pinoy is located just a short drive away at 1113 Central Avenue in the former Baum Avenue Market space, and it joins a handful of Filipino restaurants that’ve long called Pinellas County home.
Karma Juice Bar owner, Josie Barber, recently took over the property and now shares the space with sister and Pinoy owner, Chef Raquel ‘Jingle’ Baluyut. Now the Karma and Pinoy are operating together under the same roof making it a family affair.
Appetizers run from $2-$6 with bites like adobo rice balls and pork lumpia. Entrees include adobo chicken and a beef afritada plate consisting of fork-tender beef, potatoes, carrots, bell peppers in a tomato sauce with jasmine rice. Pinoy also offers vegan dishes like vegetable lumpia, curry and pancit made up of stir-fried rice noodles, carrot, celery, green beans, onion and cabbage. And yes, Pinoy has BBQ sticks.
As far as drinks go, you can snag a buko juice, which is coconut milk made with young coconut meat for $6.
Customers can also get in on weekend specials served from 5 p.m.-9 p.m. on Saturday.
Hours for Baum Avenue Market are 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Tues.-Sun.
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This article appears in Aug 6-12, 2020.