A stylish new steakhouse has opened in North St. Pete.

The Blu Halo officially debuted on Monday June 30th at 221 Main Street North on the ground floor of Park & Main, a new 17-story luxury apartment tower at the growing Echelon City Center development in the Carillon Office Park.

Originally founded in Tallahassee, The Blu Halo is a steakhouse and martini bar known for its modern take on classic American fare.

The team behind The Blu Halo chose St. Pete for its second location due to the city’s growing reputation as a dining destination. In April, the Michelin Guide recognized three restaurants in St. Pete.

West Coast cult-favorite coffee chain Dutch Bros Coffee is planning to open its first Pinellas County location in Largo.

The new location will be built from the ground up at 2250 East Bay Drive, just west of Starkey Road.

The 967-square-foot building will include a double drive-thru and a walk-up window, designed for speed and convenience. There will be no indoor seating or customer access to the interior.

Founded in Oregon in 1992, Dutch Bros has grown to over 900 locations across the U.S.

A popular Texas-based fast food chain is making a comeback in the Tampa Bay area.

Whataburger has filed plans to open a new restaurant at 10150 Ulmerton Road in Largo.

The 3,671-square-foot building was most recently home to Joella’s Hot Chicken, which closed in October 2024. Prior to Joella’s, the space housed a Pollo Tropical, and before that, a Burger King.

According to documents submitted to the City of Largo in early 2025, Whataburger is proposing a $1.3 million remodel of the existing structure, including minor architectural and aesthetic changes, as well as interior renovations to the kitchen, lobby, and dining room.

The new restaurant will feature a drive-thru and seat 62 patrons.

Bojangles, the beloved Southern fast-food chain known for its fried chicken, biscuits, and sweet tea, is making its Tampa Bay debut since it last operated in the area decades ago.

The brand plans to open a new restaurant at 7930 US Highway 19 North in Pinellas Park, taking over a 2,414-square-foot space that previously housed a Burger King. Bojangles previously had several locations in Pinellas County in the 80s.

The upcoming Bojangles will feature a single-lane drive-thru located across from Walmart Supercenter on an outparcel of a retail plaza anchored by Ashley Furniture.

Other tenants in the shopping center include Bright Now Dental & Orthodontics, Fresenius Dialysis, Interior Fusion, and a nail lounge.

V-Roll Vietnamese Rolls & Bowls, a fast-casual Vietnamese restaurant offering customizable spring rolls, rice bowls, and more, is set to open in mid-July at 2930 Beach Boulevard South, the former home of vegan favorite Golden Dinosaurs.

Designed with convenience and freshness in mind, V-Roll follows a build-your-own model similar to Chipotle. Guests will first choose between a bowl, spring rolls, steamed bao buns, or bánh mì (a Vietnamese baguette sandwich).

Next, they select a base—jasmine rice, vermicelli rice noodles, or mixed greens—followed by one of six proteins: lemongrass pork, chicken, beef, simmered shrimp, or five-spice tofu.

Diners can then customize their meal with vegetables such as lettuce, cucumber, chives, tomato, mint, and basil; choose from ten toppings including roasted peanuts, fried onions, and green onion–infused oil; and finish with one of six house-made sauces like peanut, citrus garlic, tangy soy, and sesame.

One of St. Petersburg’s most popular food trucks has found a semi-permanent home in the Grand Central District.

Last month, Johnny Nevada’s quietly opened a pop-up inside Ride ‘em Cowboy at 2451 Central Avenue. The pop-up is expected to run for at least a year, according to owner James Shields.

“We’re excited to be back in the Grand Central District,” Shields told St. Pete Rising. “Lost & Found was one of the food truck’s first gigs, and we’ve also spent a lot of time at Par Bar and Dog Bar.”

Launched in 2022, Johnny Nevada’s quickly became a staple at major local events like Localtopia and the St. Pete Grand Prix. However, back-to-back hurricanes in 2024 temporarily halted operations.