They’re known as grinders in Boston, heroes in Connecticut, Italian sandwiches in Vermont, and subs just about everywhere else. But regardless of what you call them, we can all agree on our love for them. In fact, the largest chain restaurant in the United States isn’t McDonalds. It’s Subway.

And in a few short weeks, a new sub shop will be joining the St. Pete sandwich scene. Gateway Subs will debut at 3112 3rd Avenue North in the Shoppes of Kenwood across from the Elements on Third apartment community. Jenna Malowany and Hal Holder of KW Commercial represented the landlord in the deal.

Many residents may remember this space as the former home of Georgie's Alibi, a popular gay bar that closed in 2015. After the bar’s closure, owner Ron Gofrank sold the retail strip, which has been sitting mostly vacant ever since. However recently, the property has started to attract new tenants, such as St. Pete Dance, Back Alley Nails, and now Gateway Subs.

Last June, celebrity chef Fabio Viviani was preparing to open La Pergola, a highly anticipated Italian restaurant slated for downtown St. Pete, when one of his business partners became embroiled in scandal. After cutting all ties with Nocturnal Hospitality Group, Viviani is ready to announce an all-new restaurant concept for downtown St. Pete -- and this time, he’s in full control.

“I’ve learned that I need to be in charge, not a management company,” says Viviani. “Now that the project is in my hands, I can control everything from the operations to the culture.”

Taverna Costale will be a coastal Italian restaurant and bar with an emphasis on local seafood. It’ll also feature made-from-scratch pasta, pizza, and high-end cuts of prime and dry-aged steaks. The new restaurant will debut this winter on the ground floor of downtown St. Pete’s tallest office tower located at 200 Central Avenue.