Juno and the Peacock will replace 400 Beach in downtown St. Pete
/It’s been nine months since 400 Beach abruptly closed for renovations. However, instead of reopening, the seafood restaurant and tap house will be replaced by an entirely new restaurant and cocktail lounge expected to open this summer.
Juno and the Peacock is set to take the place of 400 Beach, a longtime staple of Beach Drive in downtown St. Pete, following a comprehensive makeover to the space.
400 Beach was an early trailblazer on Beach Drive, downtown St. Pete’s de facto restaurant row, when local restauranteur Steve Westphal opened the eatery in 2009.
Back then, downtown St. Pete was only a fraction of what it is today, and the thought of opening a 300-seat restaurant on Beach Drive was a massive risk.
However, despite all odds, 400 Beach prevailed and found success. And after 12 successful years, Westphal sold 400 Beach in 2021 to Shawn and Jeanna Damkoehler.
A year earlier, in partnership with the Damkoelers, Volet Hospitality purchased Alto Mare and Annata Wine Bar, located one block away from 400 Beach, in December 2020. The original plan was to combine the two Beach Drive restaurants into a larger version of Annata, but plans changed throughout the process. A little over a year after closing the two eateries, the hospitality company debuted Allelo, a Mediterranean restaurant, at 300 Beach Dr NE #128.
After 400 Beach’s closure in June of last year, the 8,200-square-foot restaurant was completely gutted and redesigned from the ground up by New York-based design firm AvroKO with a sophisticated and fun atmosphere featuring lush textures, statement pieces, and complemented by a bold color palette.
Local architecture firm Behar Peteranecz is the project’s architect and St. Pete-based RenoBoyd Building Co. has been hired as the general contractor.
Juno and the Peacock, which draws its name from one of Aesop's fables, will feature American dishes, like dry-aged steaks, along with modern coastal cuisine, such as a seafood tower, seared grouper, and crab cakes.
The restaurant will also offer menu of classic cocktails and a robust selection of 1,400 wines, primarily sourced from New World regions
Juno and the Peacock will open daily for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch.
Also expected to debut this summer is Pluma, a new cocktail lounge located inside Juno and the Peacock.
The lounge, which will draw influence from South and Central America, will be an extension of the new restaurant offering a place to grab a cocktail before or after dinner, or a night out destination of its own.
Juno and the Peacock along with Pluma is expected to open this summer at 400 Beach Drive in downtown St. Pete.
