Central Park Food Hall

Construction is progressing on the long-awaited five-story Central Park food hall in the heart of downtown St. Pete.

Hi Hospitality Group has been working on transforming the nearly 28,000-square-foot space at 551 Central Avenue, formerly the Dome Grill. The highly anticipated venue will feature a variety of cuisines, price points, experiences and live events that will offer the community endless possibilities within the space.

"We are creating all of the concepts internally, with Culinary Director Chef Hart Lowry at the helm of recipe development” said Natalia Levey, founder at Hi Hospitality Group, in a conversation with St. Pete Rising.

“People have high expectations, and we are committed to bringing the same level of quality to Central Park St. Pete as we have to our other restaurants, and also create a seamless dining experience," added Levey.

After nearly a year of excavation work, vertical construction has begun on Central Park St. Pete, a five-level, 27,700-square-foot food hall that will include a basement speakeasy and a full-service modern Asian rooftop restaurant and bar when it opens next year.

The project broke ground last November at 551 Central Avenue, the former Dome Grill site. Hi Hospitality Group founder Natalia Levey originally estimated the project would open by the end of 2022, but construction delays have pushed the debut to the end of 2023.

Hi Hospitality Group currently owns and operates a collection of award-winning destination restaurants on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Speaks Clam Bar, which celebrates classic and crave-able Italian-American flavors in a fun, speakeasy-inspired atmosphere, has two locations in Lakewood Ranch and St. Armand’s Circle. The Asian-inspired Kojo, located in downtown Sarasota, features a pan-Asian menu with some European influences and has quickly become one of Sarasota’s most talked about restaurants.

A construction fence was erected last week around the perimeter of the former Dome Grill located at 551 Central Avenue in downtown St. Pete. This morning, a ceremonial groundbreaking was held to kick off construction on Central Park St. Pete, a one-of-a-kind three-story food hall slated to open next summer.

In addition to three floors of culinary experiences, a basement will be excavated under the former Woolworth’s building for a high-end speakeasy bar.

The ground floor will contain a large bar and a food court with a variety of different cuisines. Although no specific concepts have been announced, Natalia Levey, Owner of Central Park, promises to offer a mix of health-conscious options and international flavors.

Last year, St. Pete Rising revealed plans for Central Park, an expansive three-story food hall coming to 551 Central Avenue in downtown St. Pete. Today, we are excited to unveil the restaurant and bar concept that will be located on the rooftop – Kojo.

Kojo will feature flavors from China, Japan, Taiwan and Korea with a touch of European flair. Although the menu will include familiar favorites, such as gyoza and sushi, Kojo will stand out through the ambitious and unexpected dishes you won’t find anywhere else in St. Pete.

This will be Kojo’s second location. In February, Owner Natalia Levey opened the highly anticipated Asian-inspired eatery in downtown Sarasota to rave reviews. “People seem to be loving Kojo so far in Sarasota,” said Levey. “We cannot wait to bring this unique concept to Central Park in downtown St. Pete.”

A new food hall on Central Avenue is in the works, which will serve as a central hub for local health-conscious foodies and culinary experts alike.

What was most recently the Dome Grill at 551 Central Avenue, will soon undergo a 24,000 square foot renovation into Central Park Food Hall. The project is expected to open summer 2021.

The building was purchased in June 2018 by Mark and Natalia Levey. The owners plan to keep some of the historical elements of the building while also adding in modern architecture.