Seeing that COVID-19 has put the livelihoods of many St. Petersburg’s staple restaurants at stake, Creative Loafing Tampa Bay was deeply concerned after a tip from a reader came in about the Marchand’s Bar & Grill located within the historic Vinoy Renaissance Resort was closing for good.
If you call Marchand’s direct line, you’ll be met with a voice message that informs you the restaurant is “temporarily closed until the foreseeable future.” Yikes, that isn't good.
Worried, but hopeful, CL made a call to the Vinoy’s marketing team who ensured that although the resort doesn’t have a reopening date in mind, Marchand’s has no plans of being closed for good.
Marchand’s Bar & Grill was recently named a 2019 Golden Spoon Award winner by Florida Trend. The award recognizes outstanding fine dining restaurants that have demonstrated consistency in high standards and longevity, usually earned after three years in business or more. When it comes to eats, Marchand’s food menu is laced with seafood specials and Florida-inspired dishes.
The restaurant acts as a staycation for locals, escaping for brunch with loaded bloody Marys or indulging in the Sunday buffet. Not to mention a date night destination allowing couples to sip their way through the bar menu followed by a walk waterside. For some, it’s as close as they get to experience a stay at the resort.
With regulations beginning to slowly lift, it hopefully won’t be much longer until Marchand’s is back on the menu.
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This article appears in Sep 17-23, 2020.