Brick and Mortar Restaurant Opens on the 500 Block in Downtown St. Pete
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For years, Tampa has arguably had a better selection of dining options than its brother across the bay, St. Petersburg. Jason Ruhe and Hope Montgomery opened Brick and Mortar to the public last week, simultaneously elevating St. Pete’s culinary game.
The restaurant and catering company is located at 539 Central Avenue in Downtown St. Pete, taking over the parcel previously vacated by St. Pete Brasserie in September 2013. Holding 50 people inside and 17 on the patio outside, the space feels very intimate.The decor is flush with rustic charm.Raw unfinished wooden tables are lit up by vintage light fixtures hanging from the ceiling and natural sunlight spilling inside from the floor-to-ceiling windows.
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Ice & Cream Creamery is bringing small-batch ice cream, hand-spun milkshakes, and more to downtown St. Pete.
The local ice cream chain will open at 648 Central Avenue, formerly home to Brutique, which closed in July after nine years in business.
The new shop will be the eighth location for Ice & Cream Creamery, which has seven existing stores throughout Pinellas County, including two on Clearwater Beach and one each in Madeira Beach, Dunedin, St. Pete Beach, Treasure Island, and Gulfport.
The creamery says its ice cream is made fresh in small batches using locally sourced ingredients, with a selection of 48 flavors.
The flavors lean toward the classics, with options like butter pecan, rocky road, cookies and cream, and mint chip, plus varieties such as red velvet cake, salted caramel peanut, coconut almond fudge, and chocolate fudge brownie.
Other options include Stellar Coffee, pistachio, dulce de leche, and Dreamsicle, which swirls vanilla ice cream with orange sherbet.