The melting pot will open at 695 Central Avenue | st. pete rising

After shuttering its long-standing location on 4th Street in 2020, the Melting Pot is finally making its return to St. Petersburg on April 7th.

Front Burner Brands, the Tampa-based company that manages the Melting Pot brand of fondue restaurants, will open its new 4,900-square-foot restaurant at 699 Central Avenue on the corner of 7th Street and Central Avenue.

“We’re thrilled to return to St. Petersburg, especially as we celebrate 50 years of fondue and unforgettable memories,” said Melting Pot CEO Bob Johnston.

“Melting Pot has been part of this community for 30 years, and guest demand made it clear—we needed to come back. This new Central Avenue location brings a fresh, modern take on the fondue experience we’re known for, and we can’t wait to welcome both new and returning guests.”

seating inside one of the melting pot locations | the melting pot

In July 2021, St. Pete Rising announced major renovation plans for the building at 695 Central Avenue, which is owned by St. Petersburg-based Paradise Ventures. Upgrades included large impact-resistant fold-up windows on the ground floor and New Orleans-style balconies lining the entire second floor along Central Avenue.

In January 2023, St. Pete Rising exclusively announced that Melting Pot would be moving into the building.

After two years of build out, the restaurant is nearly ready to open its doors. The Central Avenue restaurant will feature an open seating plan with booths and tables along with a bar that opens onto Central Avenue.

The Melting Pot operated at 2221 4th Street North for more than 32 years until it closed in the spring of 2020, soon after restaurants across the country were ordered to halt operations to help stop the spread of the Coronavirus.

At the time, Front Burner said the closure was not directly caused by the nascent COVID-19 pandemic, but the Coronavirus accelerated the real estate owner’s decision to sell the property.

One of the cheese fondues | The melting pot

A few weeks ago, Front Burner decided to close its casual dining, bar-centric concept, Melting Pot Social, in Tampa. The company decided to retire the recently introduced concept, which also led to the closure of a restaurant in Asheville, North Carolina.

Following the closure of Tampa’s Melting Pot Social, the company stated that its 40 affected employees were invited to apply for positions at the new St. Pete location.

Meanwhile, traditional Melting Pot restaurants continue to operate on Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa and Ringling Boulevard in Sarasota.

For those new to the fondue experience, The Melting Pot offers a four-course or à la carte dining journey, where guests choose a cheese fondue, salad, entrée, and chocolate fondue, along with their preferred cooking style and sauces.

To start, diners can dip artisan bread and fresh fruit into gourmet cheese fondues such as Wisconsin Cheddar, Spinach Artichoke, and French Onion Gruyere.

Some of the signature proteins include shrimp, lobster, and filet mignon, each served with a choice of batters and seasonings, such as Mojo, which is a zesty Caribbean blend with citrus, garlic, and cilantro; or Coq Au Vin, which is a rich combination of Burgundy wine, mushrooms, scallions, and garlic.

one of the chocolate fondues | the melting pot

Fondue entrée sauces range from Teriyaki Glaze and Gorgonzola Port to Yogurt Curry and Ginger Plum.

To finish the meal, diners can dip sweet treats and fresh fruit into their choice of decadent chocolate fondue.

Beyond traditional chocolate fondue, guests can enjoy options like the Flaming Turtle, a creamy blend of milk chocolate and caramel, flambéed and topped with candied pecans, or the Crème Brûlée fondue, a mix of white chocolate and crème caramel, finished with caramelized sugar and flambéed.

The Melting Pot offers a variety of beverages, including wines, sangrias, craft beers, hard seltzers, mojitos, margaritas, and classic cocktails like an Old Fashioned and a Manhattan. House specialties include the Pineapple Upside Down Cake cocktail, made with Pinnacle Whipped Vodka, amaretto, fresh pineapple juice, and grenadine.

The drink menu also features coffee-based cocktails, such as its version of the Espresso Martini, made with Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Kahlúa, Owen’s Nitro-Infused Espresso, and chocolate shavings.

a bar in one of the melting pot restaurants | the melting pot

There are also alcohol-free options like the Lemon-Berry Sage Squeeze and the Bee’s Tea, a refreshing blend of orange juice, honey, lemon, lavender syrup, and iced tea.

Select Melting Pot locations offer a Happy Hour with discounts on food and drinks, including half-off cheese and chocolate fondues, as well as $9 handcrafted cocktails and beer and wine specials.

The St. Pete Melting Pot will be open Monday through Thursday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., Fridays from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m., Saturdays from noon to 11 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 10 p.m.

Stay tuned to Melting Pot St. Petersburg’s Facebook page for more opening announcements.