Take a bite out of Burger Week

The 25 essential Central Ave restaurants in St. Petersburg

By on Fri, Jul 26, 2019 at 8:38 pm

St. Pete's iconic Grand Central District is home to the Central Avenue drag. This happy-go-lucky stretch is jam-packed with cute shops and some killer restaurants that you have to try. So, if you find yourself in the 'Burg, check out some of our top 25 essential restaurants on Central Ave.

Scroll down to view images
Alesia Restaurant 7204 Central Ave. N., St. Petersburg, 727-345-9701 The eclectic mix of flavors served up at Alesia reflect influences from the restaurants three partners. Each bring their respective French, Vietnamese, and Chinese heritages to the table, literally. From egg rolls to lobster bisque, Alesia’s greenery-rich, haven-like environment has you covered. Photo via Alesia/Facebook

Alesia Restaurant

7204 Central Ave. N., St. Petersburg, 727-345-9701
The eclectic mix of flavors served up at Alesia reflect influences from the restaurants three partners. Each bring their respective French, Vietnamese, and Chinese heritages to the table, literally. From egg rolls to lobster bisque, Alesia’s greenery-rich, haven-like environment has you covered.

Photo via Alesia/Facebook
Baum Ave Market 1113 Baum Ave. N., St. Petersburg, 727-485-8755 Poised between Baum and Central in the Edge District, Baum Ave Market’s multi-concept space offers the chance to experience a number of local vendors, that range from vegan baked goods to Indian cuisine, and sushi to snow cones. Photo via baumavemarket.com

Baum Ave Market

1113 Baum Ave. N., St. Petersburg, 727-485-8755
Poised between Baum and Central in the Edge District, Baum Ave Market’s multi-concept space offers the chance to experience a number of local vendors, that range from vegan baked goods to Indian cuisine, and sushi to snow cones.

Photo via baumavemarket.com
Brick and Mortar 539 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, 727-822-6540 Brick and Mortar’s sleek and inviting eatery opened back in 2015 as the first official restaurant from In Bloom Catering. Here, co-owners Jason Ruhe and Hope Montgomery cultivated their love of fine dining through decades of catering, and that culinary dexterity is reflected in Brick and Mortar’s complex menu. Photo via Brick & Mortar - Kitchen & Wine Bar/Facebook

Brick and Mortar

539 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, 727-822-6540
Brick and Mortar’s sleek and inviting eatery opened back in 2015 as the first official restaurant from In Bloom Catering. Here, co-owners Jason Ruhe and Hope Montgomery cultivated their love of fine dining through decades of catering, and that culinary dexterity is reflected in Brick and Mortar’s complex menu.

Photo via Brick & Mortar - Kitchen & Wine Bar/Facebook
Casita Taqueria 2663 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, 727-498-8749 Casita Taqueria is a St. Petersburg favorite for tacos with big flavor. Not to mention, the Mexican inspired taco joint has happy hour from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. every week Monday through Thursday. Photo via Casita Taqueria/Facebook

Casita Taqueria

2663 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, 727-498-8749
Casita Taqueria is a St. Petersburg favorite for tacos with big flavor. Not to mention, the Mexican inspired taco joint has happy hour from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. every week Monday through Thursday.

Photo via Casita Taqueria/Facebook
Central Melt 685 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, 727-346-5338 Comfort food, but make it classy. Central Melt is dedicated to the art of the grilled cheese, relying on fresh bread and gourmet cheese to push this no-frills sandwich to maximize flavor, but not price. Ed Allen, owner of Central Melt, opened the this graffiti-laden destination back in July 2016. Photo via Central Melt/Facebook

Central Melt

685 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, 727-346-5338
Comfort food, but make it classy. Central Melt is dedicated to the art of the grilled cheese, relying on fresh bread and gourmet cheese to push this no-frills sandwich to maximize flavor, but not price. Ed Allen, owner of Central Melt, opened the this graffiti-laden destination back in July 2016.

Photo via Central Melt/Facebook

Join the Creative Loafing Tampa Bay Press Club

At a time when local-based reporting is critical, support from our readers is essential to our future.


Tags:

Related Slideshows

Food & Drink

25 hot new restaurants coming soon to Tampa Bay

Local foodies have plenty to look forward to in the coming months. While 2023 has already seen some incredible new restaurants pop…

By CL Staff

Fortu 332 Beach Dr. NE, St. Petersburg A new upscale Asian fusion dining experience is coming to downtown St. Pete. Set to serve “elevated Pan-Asian cuisine,” the steakhouse will take over the old Ceviche location on Beach Drive. From Japanese whiskeys to wagyu beef, Fortu plans to emphasize on quality. The spot plans to open any day now. Photo via @forturestaurant/Instagram
25 slides
Food & Drink

25 Tampa Bay restaurants with cult-like followings

Tampa Bay knows all about cults, but what we're talking about here are restaurants with hoards of loyal, hungry patrons.  Over the…

By CL Staff

Kissin' Cuzzins 951 34th St N, St. Petersburg, 727-323-3915 Kissin’ Cuzzins is known to generations of St. Pete locals as a go-to spot for breakfast and lunch serving classic, homestyle dishes and twists on diner favorites, including stacks of thick and fluffy pancakes (get the chocolate chip or sweet potato), egg benedicts and perfectly crispy and greasy hash browns. In January of 2023, the iconic resto changed hands, but is still the greasy spoon institution locals have come to love over the years. Photo c/o Bill Tourtelot
25 slides
Food & Drink

Everyone we saw at the Tampa Bay Lightning's Bolts Brew Fest 2023

Tampa Bay Lightning fans are a thirsty bunch, and with less than 60 days until the Bolts open the 2023 season with…

By Ray Roa

Tampa Bay Lightning fans stein hoist during Bolts Brew Fest at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida on Aug. 11, 2023.
249 slides
Food & Drink

Seven Tampa Bay distilleries to visit if you’re looking for some good local rum

For a lot of people, the idea of drinking rum evokes visions of sitting poolside with a frozen daiquiri or splashy mojito…

By Jourdan Ducat

Florida Cane Distilling This Ybor City distillery prides itself on providing a warm and educational experience that includes a tour followed by handcrafted cocktails and samplings. While the brand’s main portfolio consists of flavored vodkas, you can also find three different blends of rum here, as well as two bourbon options, and even moonshine. These guys really stepped up during the height of the pandemic by providing batch hand sanitizer to the local community. 1820 N 15th St., Ybor City. Photo via canevodka/Facebook
8 slides
Food & Drink

21 essential Tampa Bay fish shacks everyone should check out at least once

Fish shacks are a classic Florida staple. Being neighbors with the Gulf puts Tampa Bay in a prime position for some of…

By Gracey Davis

Hookin’ Aint Easy 3660 22nd Ave S, St. Petersburg, 727-592-1388 Residing in a sweet spot between St. Pete and Gulfport, Hookin’ Aint Easy serves up freshly cooked specials each week, listed on its handwritten, chalkboard menu. Last we checked, blue crab, scramps, and African pompano were the season specials, but owner Matthew Neumann said this could change at a quick notice. Photo via Hookin’ Aint Easy/Facebook
21 slides
Food & Drink

Photos: St. Pete Chef Adrianna Siller advances after first-ever ‘Epic Chef’ tiebreaker

Over the last eight years, Feeding Tampa Bay’s “Epic Chef” “Chopped”-style cooking competition has become a familiar sight inside the Epicurean hotel’s…

By Ray Roa

(L-R) Adrianna Siller and Jada Vidal at Epicurean hotel's culinary theater in Tampa, Florida on July 17, 2023.
124 slides
More »

Best of The Bay

Best of Tampa

Tampa Bay Guides

Cannabis Issue
Cannabis Issue
Music Issue
Music Issue
View More Guides

Digital Issue

September 27, 2023

View more issues

Chava Communications

Read our sister publications

Creative Loafing Tampa Bay

633 N. Franklin Street, Suite 735

Tampa, FL 33602

Apple News Google News
© 2023 Creative Loafing Tampa Bay
Powered By Foundation