Urban Brew and BBQ owner Andy Salyards grew up eating barbecue.
Now that his flagship downtown St. Pete restaurant's been open for more than a year, Salyards plans to launch a second, honing in on another type of soul-satisfying cuisine he chowed on as a kid: comfort food.
"It's called Urban Comfort," he said.
Slated to open in spring 2015 inside a former auto detailing shop at 2601 Central Ave., Urban Comfort is Salyards' brewpub concept. Homestyle eats like chicken pot pie and cracker pie will be served alongside beer brewed on site.
The grub menu, highlighting more vegetarian dishes than its older sibling, will feature around three appetizers, five entrees and two desserts. A chef hasn't been confirmed.
The 'cue joint's fare won't be offered at the new eatery. However, Urban Comfort will pickle and can items in house, which reflects Salyards' can-do attitude in Urban Brew's kitchen, where meats are cured regularly.
Headed by experienced homebrewer Andrew Posey, the restaurant's beer list will consist of four offerings to start, including a blonde and an IPA. Urban Comfort is set to brew outside (similar to Peg's Cantina in Gulfport), Salyards said, right out front.
He said the brew selection will grow to 12, and that he'll showcase the liquids at city homeowners meetings leading up to the restaurant's debut.
For non-brew imbibers, Urban Brew's Adam Hanners will craft a small spirits lineup — with vodkas, gins and whiskeys for specialty (and beer) cocktails.
According to Salyards, there's a market for more brewpubs in St. Petersburg. He also said Urban Comfort will help expand the Urban brand, which, to him, means doing simple food well.
The new spot is larger than Urban Brew, with seating inside and out for more than 100.
Urban Comfort's interior will have a light, industrial look, as well as an open kitchen. The booths and bars will be whitewash-hued on the bottom with darker tones up top. Subway tile will be featured behind the bars.
Salyards said the space's two garage doors, which he'll outfit with glass, will be kept open, connecting the indoor and outdoor dining areas. Three planned skylights will allow for an ample amount of natural light to come through, too.
With Urban Comfort's down-home concept, it's fitting Salyards chose another Grand Central District site for his latest food spot. He said he likes operating in the area, adding that the brewpub will recruit Grand Central-based contractors, landscapers and the like.
"So not only is it local," Salyards said, "It's neighborly."
This article appears in Nov 6-12, 2014.