August 03, 2023

Pan-Asian steakhouse Fortu opens next month, begins hiring in downtown St. Pete

August 03, 2023/ Brian Zucker

For all the great culinary options St. Pete has to offer, I have always felt the city could benefit from having more “special occasion” restaurants.

While we have a plethora of restaurants serving pizza, burgers, and ice cream, sometimes I’m in the mood to be spoiled by a restaurant that goes above and beyond with stunning décor, impeccable service, and incredible food and drinks.

There are several restaurants in downtown St. Pete that already offer an exceptional product, but as the saying goes, variety is the spice of life. And as our city grows, so should our elevated dining options.

Enter Fortu, a pan-Asian steakhouse set to open this September on the ground floor of the Ponce de Leon Hotel at 95 Central Avenue in downtown St. Pete. The space was home to Ceviche for nearly 25 years before their move to Beach Drive last year.

August 03, 2023

St. Pete City Council approves revised development plan for Orange Station

August 03, 2023/ Anthony Close

St. Petersburg City Council voted to approve revised plans for a mixed-use development planned for St. Pete’s EDGE District.

Orange Station was announced by Edge Central Development Partners in late 2019 in a request for proposal (RFP) process spearheaded by the City of St. Petersburg.

The project is a joint venture of J Square Developers, DDA Development, and Backstreets Capital, LLC, who have previously worked on other St. Petersburg developments like The Salvador, St. James Townhomes, and The Nolen

August 01, 2023

First look at Chef Chris Ponte's OLIVIA in downtown St. Pete

August 01, 2023/ Brian Zucker

A fresh set of design renderings have been revealed for Chef Chris Ponte’s OLIVIA, a modern Italian restaurant, debuting early next year in downtown St. Pete.

The 5,550-square-foot restaurant will be located on the ground floor of the recently completed 36-story Ascent apartment and hotel tower at 225 1st Avenue North.

“We’ve begun the permitting process with the City of St. Petersburg and are in the early phases of contractor bidding on the project,” said JT Mahoney, son of Chef Ponte and Partner at OLIVIA, in a conversation with St. Pete Rising.

OLIVIA’s Tampa location debuted in 2019 and has garnered a loyal following for delivering all the authentic flavors of a traditional Italian trattoria with innovative, modern touches from the mind of Chef Ponte.

August 01, 2023

Pinellas County Commission approves $25.2 million in funding for Dali Museum expansion plans

August 01, 2023/ Anthony Close

An expansion of St. Petersburg’s Dali Museum received a boost this morning with the approval of funding by Pinellas County’s Board of County Commissioners.

In May, the Pinellas County Tourist Development Council (TDC) gave its blessing to use $34 million in Tourist Development Taxes (TDT) for a major expansion of the Salvador Dali Museum in downtown St. Petersburg. The preliminary approval by the TDC required final approval of the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners.

County staff recommended partially funding the request with $25.2 million, an increase of $7.7 million from a prior funding commitment of $17.5 million the museum originally submitted in 2019.

July 31, 2023

Wawa set to open its first Florida drive-thru restaurant in Largo

July 31, 2023/ Anthony Close

Wawa, the popular convenience store and foodservice chain, is all set to open its first-ever drive-thru restaurant in Florida.

The City of Largo recently issued a Development Order (DO) to authorize the redevelopment of a property at 2530 East Bay Drive, formerly home to a Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Wawa, founded in 1964 in Folsom, Pennsylvania, is well-known for its freshly prepared sandwiches, hoagies, and a variety of beverages, including their signature coffee blends. With over 1,000 locations across multiple states, the chain has built a loyal customer base and a strong presence in the Northeastern United States.