First announced in January 2022, Sweetgreen’s arrival in St. Petersburg is back on track.

The Los Angeles-based, fast-casual restaurant, which serves made-to-order salads, leased space at 1114 Central Avenue in the EDGE District of downtown St. Pete, with a goal of opening in late 2022.

A huge ‘coming soon’ banner was erected and the site became a hive of construction activity. However, shortly thereafter, the banner was removed and workers were nowhere to be seen.

But recently, a construction crew was spotted on-site again.

“Sweetgreen is moving forward with the buildout and plans to open in the first half of this year,” said Ben Mandell, CEO of Tricera Capital, the real estate investment firm that owns the property.

“The lease is in effect, and we are very excited to have Sweetgreen on the block. It’s big for the EDGE District and the growth of the market.” 

Mandell, speaking to St. Pete Rising, said the restaurant will likely open sometime this summer. He said Sweetgreen’s Tampa locations are doing well and the company is “gung-ho” when it comes to expansion into St. Pete.

Tricera Capital shares that enthusiasm, with Mandell saying the firm remains “very bullish” on St. Pete. “There’s a lot of upside in downtown St. Pete,” he said.

The block where Sweetgreen is set to open is undergoing a radical transformation with the opening of the first phase of the EDGE Collective development later this year, which includes a 163-key Moxy hotel by Marriott at 1234 Central Avenue. A second phase of the project was announced recently, which will add a 20-story building with 350 apartments and 45,000 square feet of retail space.

The project will bring new businesses to the area, including Rose’s Coffee Bar; solidcore, a pilates studio; Floyd’s 99 Barber Shop; and Sparrow, a bar and restaurant on the roof of the Moxy hotel. Sweetgreen is adjacent to the EDGE Collective project.

Sweetgreen’s menu is chock-full of healthful meal options such as protein plates, bowls, and salads. It also offers kids’ meals and dishes made with locally sourced ingredients.  

One of Sweetgreen’s most popular salads is the Kale Caesar Salad with roasted chicken, tomatoes, parmesan crisps, shaved parmesan, kale, chopped romaine, and a squeeze of lime all covered in Caesar dressing.

With around twenty salad options, other salads include the BBQ Chicken, Italian Chopped, Guacamole Greens, Super Green Goddess, Buffalo Chicken, Hummus Crunch, and Garden Cobb.

Protein plate options include BBQ Salmon, Miso Glazed Salmon, Hot Honey Chicken, and Southwest Chicken Fajita. If you’re in the mood for a bowl, choices include Chicken Avocado Ranch Bowl, Elote Bowl, Harvest Bowl, Crispy Rice Bowl, Chicken Pesto Parm Bowl, Shroomami Bowl, and Fish Taco Bowl.

Customers can also create their own tailor-made bowl or salad. 

Sides include roasted sweet potatoes, rosemary focaccia bread, and hummus with focaccia breadsticks. Also, Sweetgreen sells Hot Stuff, its own brand of hot sauce dressing. The snack and dessert menu features crispy rice treats made with organic brown rice, cashews and vanilla bean hunks, and a salty dark chocolate bar. Beverage options consist of bottled or canned tea, sparkling water, soda, kombucha, and lemonade.

Gluten-free and vegan salad bowls are also available for customers who have dietary restrictions. 

For more information and updates, follow Sweetgreen on Facebook and Instagram.