Ruya, a Mediterranean cafe and wine bar, will open this summer at 2200 1st Avenue South in the Grand Central District | St Pete Rising

A new café and wine bar designed to evoke the laid-back spirit of Morocco, where people sip beverages and socialize throughout the day, is coming to downtown St. Petersburg.

The café, called Ruya (from the Arabic word ru’yah, meaning “vision” or “dream”), will serve coffee, tea, beer, wine, and Moroccan pastries when it opens this summer at 2200 1st Avenue South in the Grand Central District.

The space previously housed If I Brewed the World, a microbrewery that closed on March 8.

“It’ll feel like you’re leaving St. Pete for the Mediterranean, but you’re never really leaving,” owner Sarah Aitcadi told St. Pete Rising.

Aitcadi, who currently works remotely as an accountant for a biologics company, hadn’t planned to return to the restaurant industry after growing up working in her family’s restaurants.

However, after her parents relocated to St. Petersburg, she noticed something missing downtown: the kind of shared cultural experience where people linger in cafés well into the evening.

“I’ve traveled quite a bit over the past few years, hopping between countries. It’s hard to find that same kind of atmosphere in the U.S.,” she said. “You don’t really see people sitting outside a café at midnight, chatting and enjoying a coffee or a glass of wine.”

During the day, Aitcadi envisions the café filled with people working, hanging out, and meeting friends.

“We want the space to feel welcoming across generations,” she said, imagining young professionals working from the café during the day and retirees enjoying a glass of wine on the outdoor patio in the evening.

Ruya will contain an outdoor patio, perfect for hosting events and live music | St Pete Rising

The drink menu will feature two signature beverages: a Moroccan Spiced Coffee blended with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, star anise, and other spices and a selection of fresh Moroccan Peppermint and Mint Teas.

Coffee, beer, and wine will be served throughout the day and night.

At launch, Ruya will offer Moroccan pastries from a local vendor, along with other grab-and-go items. A full kitchen may be added later, featuring small plates of savory Moroccan dishes.

“Moroccan food is communal. If we introduce a food menu down the road, it’ll likely be in the style of seasonal tapas,” Aitcadi said. “The menu will feature tagines, which are slow-cooked stews with meat like lamb, chicken, or beef, vegetables, fruits, and spices, and pastillas, a traditional savory-sweet Moroccan pie filled with spiced chicken, almonds, eggs, and wrapped in crispy pastry.”

In the future, Ruya hopes to offer a menu of small plates, including tagines, which are slow-cooked stews with meat like lamb, chicken, or beef, vegetables, fruits, and spices | Kitchenmess

In the meantime, Ruya’s courtyard, with green turf and outdoor seating, can host food trucks.

Aitcadi plans to host various events at Ruya throughout the week. For example, inspired by Moroccan markets, Aitcadi hopes to collaborate with local vendors, such as florists who could sell bouquets on-site.

“Everything will be curated to the Mediterranean region,” she said. “I’d also like to host a Latin night with sangria and Spanish music.”

Once it opens, Ruya will be located at the entrance to the 22nd Street corridor in the Warehouse Arts District, a neighborhood poised for transformation with new retail, housing, and recreational spaces following a recent zoning overlay approval.

Be sure to follow Ruya on Instagram to stay up to date on grand opening plans.