Acropolis Greek Taverna returning to downtown St. Pete with a new underground lounge
/Acropolis Greek Taverna is returning to downtown St. Pete three years after closing its original location | St. Pete Rising
Three years after leaving downtown St. Pete, Acropolis Greek Taverna is returning to Central Avenue with its familiar Greek dishes, lively celebrations, and a new underground lounge.
The restaurant will open at 475 Central Avenue, the former home of Concrete Jungle, which closed in January after just over two years in business.
A grand opening is planned for mid-December.
Acropolis previously spent 12 years at 515 Central Avenue before closing in 2023 following a dispute with its landlord.
For Sam Waez, who co-founded Acropolis in 2001, the past three years have been spent looking for a way back to St. Pete.
“This is my backyard. All my people are here, all my friends,” Waez said in a conversation with St. Pete Rising. “I like being here.”
Just one block from its original location, the 6,000-square-foot space will house the Greek restaurant on the ground floor and a separately named, upscale lounge in the basement.
Acropolis’ Athenian Chicken Salad with Lightly breaded chicken breast over lettuce mix, tomato, onion, kalamata olives, pepperoncini. Topped with pesto, feta cheese, and toasted pita strips. Served with Acropolis homemade Greek dressing | Acropolis
The menu will feature familiar Greek and Mediterranean dishes, including gyros, souvlaki, falafel, and kabobs, along with saganaki, the flaming cheese appetizer served with pita.
Belly dancing, plate breaking, napkin tossing, and weekend DJs will also return, carrying forward the lively atmosphere that made dinner at Acropolis as much about the celebration as the meal.
The restaurant will offer an extensive menu of Greek wines and cocktails, with hookah available outside.
Waez is also bringing in a chef from Canada to develop menu items exclusive to this location, with dishes such as tomahawk steak and sea bass.
The familiar Acropolis menu will remain, but he wants to elevate the presentation and offer more options for diners looking for a higher-end meal.
Downstairs, an intimate, speakeasy-style lounge will have its own cocktail program featuring top-shelf spirits and a separate menu of approximately 10 tapas-style small plates.
Acropolis’ Pastitsio contains pasta in between seasoned ground beef and onions baked with a béchamel topped with tomato sauce and feta cheese | Acropolis
Live music and Las Vegas-inspired performances are planned, although details of the shows have not yet been announced.
The lounge may also offer a members-only evening one night a week, remaining open to the public the rest of the week.
The restaurant and lounge are expected to open together in December, celebrating their debut with a large buffet, complimentary drinks, and free hookah.
For Waez, the new restaurant is a homecoming three years in the making.
“We didn’t leave because we wanted to,” he said. “This whole time, I’ve been looking for another location because I love St. Pete.”
Acropolis is expected to open daily at 11 a.m., closing at 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. The downstairs lounge will open at 5 p.m., with closing times expected to range from 1 to 3 a.m.
