On Friday, the restaurant moving into the St. Petersburg Pier's former Pelican Lot was decided. Mayor Rick Kriseman has spoken.
His pick? A Southwest Florida-born waterfront dining spot called Doc Ford's Rum Bar & Grille, which operates its flagship in Sanibel with additional locations in Fort Myers Beach and Captiva. The restaurant's name and theme — the Sunshine State, duh — are inspired by the novels of Randy Wayne White, a New York Times best-selling author.
"I am also excited about the opportunity to link 'Doc Ford,' a marine biologist, to the Pier's education center and wet classroom," Kriseman said in a statement. "I am confident that a Doc Ford's at the St. Pete Pier will further elevate and diversify St. Pete's restaurant scene and provide our downtown with family-friendly dining."
Menu items like fresh seafood, barbecue, a selection of premium rums, and signature mojitos are served up at the coming-soon rum bar and grill.
HM Restaurant Group, the restaurant family that Doc Ford's is a part of, has a couple of other Fort Myers Beach concepts under its belt, too: Dixie Fish Co. and The Beached Whale.
