Pulpo, a new Latin and Peruvian-fusion restaurant and bar, debuts in the Grand Central District

inside the newly opened pulpo kitchen & lounge | st. pete rising

Pulpo Kitchen & Lounge, a Latin and Peruvian-inspired restaurant and bar from the owners of the popular Brick and Mortar restaurant in downtown St. Pete, has opened in the Grand Central District.

Located at 2147 Central Avenue, Pulpo’s menu offers a selection of over twenty snacks and small plates, two salads, and a few large plates. The restaurant was first announced by St. Pete Rising in January 2023.

The interior boasts royal blue booths, herringbone wood floors, brass accents, and a splash of vibrant greens, yellows, and pinks.

Diners can grab a seat at the large circular bar in the center of the restaurant or at tables and booths scattered throughout the interior. Alfresco dining is also available at the outdoor patio and bar overlooking Central Avenue.

Pulpo also has a small outdoor performance stage for live Latin music.

“You will not find anything else like this in St. Petersburg,” General Manager and Beverage Director Dylan Ruhe said to St. Pete Rising during a tour of the new space.

General Manager and Beverage Director Dylan Ruhe preparing a cocktail | Pulpo Kitchen & Lounge

Dylan is the cousin of Jason Ruhe, who owns Pulpo with his wife Hope Montegomery. Jason and Hope are the same duo behind downtown St. Petersburg’s Brick & Mortar Kitchen + Wine Bar and Tierra Verde’s Sea Worthy Fish + Bar.

The kitchen at Pulpo is helmed by Jason Ruhe and Jason Cline, who was notably the head chef at Birch and Vine on Beach Drive from 2013 to 2016.

Pulpo, which translates to “octopus” in Spanish, represents a marriage of cuisines from Central and South America, and influences from Peru and Mexico.

Jason Ruhe, who grew up in West Tampa, a neighborhood heavily enriched by Spanish culture, said the new restaurant concept is also a nod to his mother of Cuban and Spanish descent.

The fusion of both cultures is reflected throughout the food and drink menu, as well as the interior design spearheaded by David Fischer, owner of St. Pete-based retail store Zazoo’d, and multiple local LGBTQ+ nightclubs and bars in St. Pete, including COCKtail.

Peruvian-style Ceviche at the newly opened Pulpo in the Grand Central District | Dawn Stewart

Pulpo's appetizers, or “pinchos,” include selections like crispy sweet plantains with garlic oil and herb chimichurri; and mixed seared skewers of the chef's selected meats served with black mint sauce, aji amarillo (a South American hot chili pepper), and salsa matcha (a rich chili oil from Mexico).

Ruhe expects the most popular small plates to be the Pulpo a la Gallega, which is a charred octopus with herbs, pickled fresno, and papas bravas (fried potatoes); and a Peruvian-style ceviche consisting of freshly caught seafood, pomegranate, citrus, cilantro, mint, sweet potato, and choice of aji amarillo or a coconut kaffir lime salsa.

The new eatery also serves two variations of paella, a popular Spanish saffron-infused rice dish typically mixed with vegetables and chicken or seafood.

The seafood paella contains a mix of scallops, calamari, house-smoked muscles, and chorizo. The other paella selection contains duck confit, roasted mushrooms, and chorizo.

Pulpo’s Magonda cocktail | Pulpo kicthen & lounge

The cocktail menu is just as unique with drinks such as the Magonda that’s crafted with Bozal Ensamble, Ancho Reyes Poblano Liquer, habanero bitters, fresh mango, lime, and chamoy; and the Lavanda, made with Barsol Pisco, Aperol (an Italian bitter apéritif), hibiscus, lavender, ginger, lemon, and egg white.

On the sweeter side, there's Pulpo's Coco Verde mixed with Coconut Cartel Blanco Rum, Chartreuse, cucumber, mint, lime, soda, and salt.

Pulpo is open seven days a week with lunch and brunch service coming soon.

Follow Pulpo on Instagram and Facebook to stay up-to-date on the latest news and specials.